We started out of Namche going straight up!  No nice lead in, no gradual climb, just up!  Walked through juniper bushes and fir trees.  Smelled great when you weren’t in range of a pile of yak poop!

Made it to the air strip just above Namche where they fly in the supplies and porters pick up their loads and go up the trail or down.  Either way, the porters loads are huge.  Up to 110kgs per load.   It’s amazing to see these guys move as quickly and adeptly as they do on the trails.   Paid by the kg is great incentive but back-breaking.

Around the corner were spectacular views of Lhotse, Everest and Ama Dablam.

Got into Khumjung before lunch and had a hysterical game of Taboo.  Followed by yak burgers.  Tasty but yak meat is quite lean, so a bit dry.

After lunch we had a chat about altitude and a demonstration of the hyperbaric chamber our porters carry up the trail.   After that, I was scared shitless.   Some effects of an increase in elevation:  insomnia; bloating, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, or alternating between the two; headaches; nausea; nocturnal orthopnea (the feeling of drowning while lying down and an inability to catch your breath); cerebral edema; high altitude pulmonary edema; any/and or all of which can lead to death.   So yeah, let’s go up a mountain!!

Went for an afternoon hike up a hill (of course) and then visited the Sir Edmund Hillary school, where our guide, Mingma, went to primary school.

Sir Edmund Hillary is considered the father of the Sherpa people since he partnered with Sherpa to give back to the community after his    ascent of Everest.

One of our group was med-evaced this afternoon after some medical issues.   It was a bit of a blow to the group.

Onwards and very definitely upwards to Tengboche!