Namche

This will be a short one, firstly because the internet access in Namche is a tad slow and expensive but secondly because this place just makes it hard to come up with words.

We flew into Lukla aiport two days ago. By airport I mean short landing strip about the same length as the Denver airport width, and that ain't a joke! It is cleverly built on a hill so planes coming in get quick braking and planes going out get a running start. It was funded by Sir Edmund Hilary, in fact a lot of things here were funded by him, airports, schools, lodges, he did good work in the region, the people are happy. The people her are actually very happy and very content. It seems that they start the day chilseling and building in Namche, carrying rocks around and repairing trail. I honestly think they do it for amusement. The market here looks like an REI store, only cheaper with better service.

I get ahead of myself. We flew into Lukla and treked to a village which name I will have to look up on a map with a full trip report. Treking seems to be a word used for walking around this region, it isn't hiking and it certainly isn't climbing, but it is unique. (By the way, this keyboard doesn't work great, hence the letters missing now and again). Anyways, you trek from village to village at an amazinly slow pace. If you watch the Yaks (which there are many) then it makes sense, you just plod along. Yak's are very humerous beings, much more fun to watch than mules on the Grand Canyon.

Yesterday we made it into Namche, a market village at 12,500ft. It isn't any where near as busy as I expected which is just great. The lodge is honestly 5 star for this region, a nice bed and a shower, really amazing.

This morning we trekked to the Everest View Hotel, which really is just a little lodge. That is right next to the airstrip we will be using. Turns out, by thw way, that an plane hasn't landed here since 1992. It was built back then to bring tourists straight to the newly built Everest View, only within weeks a toursit keeled oved and died, due to the massive lack of altitude acclimitzation.

OK, again I digress, here is there real point, right there, just about 10 miles away is Lohtse and Everest, no joke. Not a poster or a photo but the real deal, the top of the earth. How can I explain that? I have photos to upload but I won't ever be able to describe the shivers that I still have going down my spine.

Our guide, Serina, was kind enough to point out all of the mountains on a map whilst telling us of her summit success in 2006, making her the 11th British female to succeed. Right here in this village we are surrounded by the true climbing heros with the most amazing stories, talk about a fire side story.

Tomorrow we head to the DZ for the start of many breifings. It looks like the DZ crew are a good day behind schedule after suffering from alitude issues and weather delays.

Signing out.

( by the way, that is a stock photo because I didn't upload ours yet, funny thing is the mountains look the same only the sky was bluer and the valley greener for us.)