Dispatch 3 - The Trek to Everest Base Camp :
April 7: Everest Base Camp
Click pictures for larger image
In Kathmandu we boarded a small airplane that could seat about 20 people
- it was a relief to escape the smog of Kathmandu. After
a steep landing we were on our feet and finally in the mountains
at about 9000 ft in Lukla. We trekked for two days past idyllic
villages, beautiful mountains, and across many high suspension
bridges to get to Namche Bazar, the sherpa capital. In Namche
we met the majority of our sherpa climbing team and paid them
in advance. 
Just outside Namche is where we had
our first views of Everest. From Namche we slowed our ascent
rate by spending time resting in various towns. The rest was not
necessarily for our weary muscles, but more to allow our bodies
to acclimatize to the increasingly high altitude. At higher altitudes
there is less air pressure and consequently less oxygen pressure,
so your body must adjust to less oxygen - this is the process of
acclimatization. Not only must trekkers and climbers headed intog
base camp deal with acclimatization, but they must also deal with
intestinal sickness associated with travel in third world countries.
Additionally, because the air is drier many people suffer
from upper respiratory infections.
For me the trek in was an amazing experience. The combination
of mountain scenery, cultural richness, and exercise was enough
to more than make up for the minor intestinal and upper respiratory
illnesses that I acquired.
The numbers...
5 German style bakeries in Namche - each serving excellent chocolate doughnuts
8 suspension bridges crossed on the way to base camp
12 children surrounded me while flying a kite on the way
to Dingboche.
Day by Day:
24 March - Final packing preparations & team dinner at a Nepali restaurant
25 March - Flew from Kathmandu to Lukla, hiked to the village
of Phokding at 8,700 ft.
26 March - Hiked to Namche Bazar at 11,400 ft.
27 March - Rest day in Namche.
28 March - Acclimatization hike from Namche to Khumjung (excellent bakery) and Khunde (Sir Edmund Hillary hospital).
29 March - Hike to Thayngboche - site of largest Monastery in Khumbu at 12,600 ft.
30 March - Hike to Dingboche at 14,100 ft.
31 March - Acclimatization hike from Dingboche to Pheriche
to visit the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) clinic.
1 April - Rest day in Dingboche.
2 April - Hike to Loboche at 16,100 ft. This town sits next to the Khumbu Glacier.
3 April - Climbed small rock peak behind Loboche in the morning - rest in the afternoon.
4 April - Hike to Gorak Shep at 16,700 ft. Climbed Kala Patar (a hill behind town at 18,100 ft.
5 April - Hike to Everest Base camp at 17,500 ft.
Photo Captions
(Click images to see larger version )
The View
The views from the top of Kala Patar (above Gorak Shep).
Mt Everest and Nuptse are visible in the background
Paying Sherpas
Eric Simonson (in black shirt) pays sherpa
advance at the culmination of our meeting with the Sherpas
in Namche
Walking getup
My standard set up while hiking - hat and sunglasses
to protect from the sun, a dust mask to keep the dust out
of my nose and mouth (and to keep both of those areas moist
in the dry air) and my headphones to provide a soundtrack.
Kite flying
The group of Nepali children that surrounded me
immediately after I started flying my kite during a lunch
break on the trek to Dingboche.
Lukla strip
The downward sloping airstrip in Lukla that we flew into from Kathmandu
