In my attempt of trying to round things off a bit so I can keep the blog more in real time, I thought I would try and write a little about all of the below as all three impressed us greatly. I will also get Greg to recount his stories about looking too poor to aford a certain lodge in Pangboche, and how to buy air tickets when there's a five day wait!
Island Peak (Imja Tse) 6189m
The highest point so far in our relationship (groan)! At about 8.30am on the morning of November 14th, Greg and I heaved ourselves up onto the snowy summit of Island Peak. Originally climbed in the 50s by Eric Shipton as a warm up for an Everest expedition, he re-named Imja Tse thus, because it does indeed stand out as an island in it's own bit of space surrounded by 8000m giants of Lhotse, Nuptse, Everest, Makalu etc. We set off at 1am in the morning and trudged our way up a morraine track and then a scramble (looked well dodgy in the light of descent), up onto the glacier for the final headwall and summit ridge. It was all a bit strange on these sections as we would normally have roped up and climbed these bits alpine stylee, but no complaints as this was tough and slow work due to the lack of oxygen. So, like all the climbers there we jumared our way up and followed the other couple of groups ahead of us. Oh how slow we felt, our climbing sherpa, Kar Jong Dorjee was hopping and skipping his way up, and I know I felt like some kind of geriatric patient with my carer in tow. Anyhow, we got there, and back (despite a dodgy tum) and were sitting supping tea with Pemba (our cook) and Kumar (kitchen boy) back at base camp (@4900m) at around 1pm the same day.
Not the most technical of climbs I have ever subjected myself to, but definitely one of the hardest days of effort ever in terms of stamina.
Pictures above show approaching the summit ridge, looking back down the ridge from the top, Greg and Kar Jong and one of us both on the summit.
I do have some video footage of us on the top and will post it, if you, dear readers pertiton for a showing. However, it contains scatalogical expletives (Greg) so I don't want to upset anyone. Let me know if you want to see it and I'll add it when next on line. The views are great. In the meantime, I will post a panoramic view from the top of Chukhung Ri (about 5500m) used as a warm up for Island Peak.
Thanks go to Tim Mosedale our Mr. Fix-it, who we sorted out climbing logistics for Island peak months before we left UK. Check out his website and B&B in Keswick.
Yaks
Yaks are cool! Or rather I should write, yaks really like the cool and if you bring them down lower than about 3500m they start to overheat, pant and might collapse. All this was explained to us by a yak herder from Khumjung on our way down to Namache. Evidently, dzos (half yak/cow infertile cross) are much more versitile as they can withstand cold (althought I don't know how as they're defo not so woolly) and they can go lower as well - bargin. However, a good yak will set you back for about 3000 pounds, and you might have to pay as much as 26,000 pounds for a dzo. So, next time you are considering a new second hand car, think, you can only afford a yak!
Yaks have very very broad foreheads (sort of cute), very hairy legs, and the occassional one looks like it would gladly flip you off the path with it's horns. Always pass a yak on it's uphill side as there is a history of dead trekkers being accidently barged off the path into the ravine below by trying to squeeze through on the downhill (I kid not). What else, yak babies seem to live in Phortse and they are definitely very cute.
Yaks are made to wear bells and sound like cows in Alpine Meadows. White yaks are considered very special and go for a wing and a (Buddhist) prayer.
Oh yes, and a female yak is called a nak and therefore there is no such thing as yak cheese - get it?
Apologies as yak video downloaded onto it's side. Please adjust your screens.
People
Our William (nephew aged 5) asked a really good question the other day. He asked me on our Skype connection, whether we had made any new friends - which I thought was a very good question.
The answe is yes we have. We met loads of interesting people on the Jiri to NB stretch. mostly independant trekkers like ourselves. Reassuringly, we have also met quite a few other couples who were doing exactly a similar sort of thing to us in taking some time out from work, renting (and even letting go of) their homes and squandering their savings! So hi to all you guys out there. Let's keep in touch! Only thing is, most of them are about 15 - 20 years younger than us, so I guess it's more of a pre-kids sort of thing. Quite right too, you should have a history with someone before making babies otherwise there would be no stories to tell them at bedtime etc.
We have also met some interesting locals. Whilst staying at the Panorama Lodge, Chukhung, they were having their annual lodge Puja. A Puja is a Buddhist ceremony of cleansing and purification/blessing ie it is done every morning in each household and in the monastery at Tengboche it takes about 3 hrs every morning and 3hrs every evening. So, in-situ in the dining room for two whole days running were two monks (Lama) from the monastery surrounded by all their paraphanalia (drums, symbols, scriptures, insence burners). Buddhist prayer involves a lot os chanting whuch might sound like mumbling, but it can also be quite soothing. Whulst all this was going on, normal lodge life carried on with people coming in and out, chatting, cups of tea in comfort breaks etc. Whuch gets me to the point, in those comfort breaks, we got the chance to talk to one of the monks, Thelea Sherpa. We asked him what they were doing, how do the symbols help and just general questions about his faith. It's really complicated and I couldn't possibly pretend to understand it all, but on the whole it's all really sound stuff. they are praying for every sentient being alive, spend years before they are competent to know all the prayers sufficiently to be accomplished, spend hours in meditation or group prayer and provide a service for the local community. There seemed to be a lot of isolated meditation going on, which I do have some problems with in terms of how beneficial it all is, but the deep respect for live and peaceful resolution is something we can only aspire to. The monks left really early after their two days, so I didn't get the chance to say thankyou for our conversation, so it was nice when we bumped into Thelea on our way down to NB, as he was huffing and puffing on his way up to Pangboche for some scripture study.
Two other cool dudes we met were Tsewang Paljon Sherpa (3 yrs) and his kid brother, Tsering Wangchup Sherpa (2 years) see above. These kids were so bright. We spent hours looking at animal pictures in a copy of National Geographic as they were trying to teach me the Sherpa (not Nepali) word and I was teaching the English. Their pronouncination was excellent. I really want to keep in touch with their family as they were really good people and we enjoyed our time in their company.
Mrs Tashi Sherpa - an old pal of Tim Mosedale. Tashi and her husband own the Ama Dablam Lodge in Kenjoma. Rick and I stayed there 6 years ago, but my how business has boomed. Anyhow, Tashi warmly welcomed us with lemon teas, excellent dal bhatt and scrumy cake as we were passing on our way down. I'm certain Tashi looks younger than 6 years ago, and pulled her leg about cosmetic surgery when she's in the States each year. She looks great. Probably the best shower in the Khumbu also.
Nepalis still can't close doors though!
