On to Tengboche Come What May!
After the Namche Rest day, we got up and headed for Tengboche. This is where there is a great monastery. The group set out and I, as usual, am in the back. I am always with Sherpa, and like every day, he took my pack after about the first 45 minutes. I am slow. Real slow. I remember In Junior High Track, Mrs. Campbell always said that my run was more of a glorified walk. It was true. And when Kathy and I were picking strawberry’s one summer…I never made progress down the long, seemingly ever longer rows. I think of some of that on my long walks in the Himalayas all by myself. The Hike in to Tengboche seemed innocuous on the map. We would end up a t relatively the same altitude that we left in Namche. But hikes here are not like walking across a ridge to the next village. It walking down the river, crossing on a hanging bridge and walking up again to the ridge…and then maybe back down and up. This is nothing like I thought it would be. I am expending every bit of energy every day. It is wondrously beautiful. I have never had this much solitude in my life. I am by myself with the Sherpa of the day assigned to me. He is really not assigned to me except that my slowness makes him “my” Sherpa by default. I have hours and hours to my own thoughts. I hear the sounds of traffic, which consist of the slow moving dong of the yak bell and the fast, high pitched chaos of the jingle bells that are around the horses necks. As I pass groups of porters resting aside the road with the baskets heavily laden with all sorts of necessities of life and trekking I do feel transported to another world. But it isn’t another world. It is just different. It is a mixture of worlds that are coming together and the people seem quite happy. Though it may seem odd to me that a young man trekking a basket up thousands of feet on his back reaches for his cell phone when it rings it is life as he knows it. Far be it from me to require that my trekking experience be more rustic because it fits my imagination. At the end of each part of the day, I find myself so exhausted by the up and down work that I seem to have to have a good crying moment. Not sad, not hurt, just emotional to be able to be doing this and to be with the people I am with. Every one to the last one are kind to me and to each other. The Mountain Madness staff is beyond reproach. They are helpful and happy and they love to interact with the group. Some speak pretty good English too!. So arriving in Tengbouche for me, was difficult. I set out the Spot Connect, ate a little bit of dinner and went to bed. No real interaction with the group. The next day was coming.
Posted on April 4, 2012, in 2012 Nepal, 2012 Trek to Mount Everest Base Camp, In Nepal and tagged Everest Base Camp Trek, Mountain madness, Trekking Nepal, WhelanTrek. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Ms. Big Sister: OMG! and again I say, OMG!!!!
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Karen, so what if you are a little slower than the others, you are there doing something that many just dream of. Plus you get your own Sherpa, lol. Keep on trekking girl, you got this 🙂
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Keep up the good work! i wish I was there on that adventure.
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I feel like I am watching a documentary as I read your words & create pictures in my mind, Karen. ;o) You are doing it. Having your “own” Sherpa just adds another layer to your experience and to your memories of it all. It’s all so awesome. Just…a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Lots of prayers, good thoughts and hugs being sent to you from so many! Thank you for sharing it all with us…
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Karen, reading your journals to me is truely an adventure, one in which I can feel like I am almost there, and I am in spirit, feeling your desires in completely your daily goals, again I am so very proud to be a part of this with you, Yay for you having your own sherpa I think is great, you are important! Enjoy the trek, I know I am, Thank You, As always be safe and have fun
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Auntie Karen, like I said, I can only imagine!
I’m sitting here alone in the quiet, reading your blog & I swear I can smell the air & feel the cold! I had no idea you would be crossing hanging bridges either, but knew people would love you like a big sister. And like everyone else, I thank you for taking us along on a once in a lifetime journey!
Please be safe & am happy to hear you are ok after your tumble. Pretty scary…
Amy
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