09/23/2009 6:51 am (KTM)
I did not sleep as well as I had hoped. Kept plenty warm, but concerned whether or not my headache was from throwing up or something else. I took an Ultram and went back to sleep until 5:30. I washed up and went outside…. Diel brought me a milk coffee, and at 6:00am Prem ordered me Tibetan bread with honey. He still does not understand that I can not drink after I eat. There were beautiful views of the mountains this morning before the clouds moved in and the monks were singing - it was just amazing!
09/23/2009 4:20pm (KTM)
We arrived in Pheriche at noon. We had a great trek, very slow and deliberate, clouds obscured everything. We saw hundreds of Yak’s. We stopped for 15 minutes to watch two big males fight, but they just kept looking at each other. The lodge here in Pheriche is very nice except the bathrooms, which are Nepali style. I emailed home earlier 20Rs. per minute. I had oat porridge for lunch, it was good. James, James, and Ceri were here having lunch. I met them yesterday at Phunkhi. They are three medical students from Bristol, UK. Awesome guys, who are attempting to do the Everest Base Camp trek, in 9 days. They are all interested in photography and had several questions in regards to ISO, aperture settings, etc. I told them about the pictures of the Golden Eagle I took yesterday, and we exchanged email addresses. They are heading to Loubuche today. It is another 500 meters or 1500 feet above Pheriche, but you have to go down to cross the river. We are in a river valley here, and it is very cold. I’m guessing 25 degrees, with a brutal wind. I got out my big lens earlier and went outside to take some pictures…. I found Prem and Cheeky, out on the steps. I went for a walk through the village, and met a gentleman from Canada. His name is Jeff Wilson, he is 58 years old. Jeff struggled a bit today. I told him about the letter Curtis wrote me, and he showed me in his journal where he had mentioned talking to his parents who he lost when he was 10, and 11. Prem and Diel came along and were heading to a small shop, so Jeff and I walked along with them. On the way back Jeff peeled off at his hotel, and I came back with Prem and Diel. We had some coffee and talked a bit, and then I came back to the room. We only saw one rescue helicopter today. Giles is in the village over the top of the mountain behind us, and Cheeky is down in the village below us, so it is kind of nice to be here in this lode by myself. I am the only trekker here. There was only one lodge open in Tengboche here last night. It was packed and the walls were very thin. Rest did not come easy. Today I wore my NAU hat, white long sleeve Mat’s Quest under armor shirt, black spandex shirt, day two of green pants, day three hiking socks. My toe is considerably better. We are at 15,340 feet, and climbing to 15,000 feet tomorrow. A little bit about the Sherpa people… These people work from before the sun comes up until the last trekker is well into bed. They build rock trails, harvest potatoes, make yak dung patties for fuel, carry nine cases of beer, 30 gallons of kerosene, or huge loads of building materials for days at a time. Whatever needs to be done, no questions asked… Yesterday, I saw two pretty little Sherpa girls along the trail, making yak dung patties, they were singing and laughing, smiling covered from head to toe in yak crap, but that was what needed to be done, so they were doing it with smiles on their faces. I wish I would have taken pictures, but I am still a little nervous about taking peoples pictures when they know that is what I am doing. My face and neck are wind burned, so when I was at the little shop with Prem and I bought a buff like they wear on Survivor. I will wear it tomorrow, because I know it will be very cold in the morning. I hope there will be a fire tonight in the dining hall. Our lodge is located on a hill just inside the village. Outside my window is the rest of the village, the clouds are so low they are sweeping the roof tops of the houses just outside my window.
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