ISABELLE AROUND THE WORLD
THE EVEREST
[ uncut – as first published on her blog ]
DIARY
(29 September 2006 – 16 October 2006)
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First… The Idea!
After Bhutan, I left to Mount Everest…
I always wanted to see the Everest close up, since my first trip to Nepal in 2003, when I went to the Annapurna region with Exodus.
I got really interested in the Himalayas, so I book myself a Trek to the Everest Base Camp, one of the best treks in the world. I was very eager to make my way up there! I will be under the shadow of Mount Everest, the highest peak on earth with 8,848m! Everest is really special!
An introduction to Mount Everest: (source: Wikipedia)
“Mount Everest marks border between China (Tibet) and Nepal. At 8,848 metres, it is the highest mountain on the planet. Mt. Everest takes its name after Sir George Everest who was the first person to record its height whilst he was working as a surveyor. First it was named Peak XV, in 1852 its high was calculated at 8840m by Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal.
In 1865, the mountain was given its English name by Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India.
Nepalese will also call it Sagarmatha “Goddess in the Sky” as the Tibetans will call it Chomolungma “Mother Goddess of the Universe”, demonstrating the immense respect and reverence that the locals have for this awesome mountain.
The summit was eventually reached at 11:30 a.m. local time on May 29, 1953 by the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal climbing the South Col Route. They became the first men to stand on the summit and be back home safely, 101 years after it was discovered to be the highest mountain on earth.
Sir Edmond Hilary, the man who climbs Everest passed away in January 2008, he was most the known and loved mountaineer. But he was also better known for working towards improving the daily life of the Sherpas and the Nepalis.
Mt. Everest has two main climbing routes, the southeast ridge from Nepal and the northeast ridge from Tibet. As of the end of the 2006 climbing season, there have been 3,050 ascents to the summit, by 2,062 individuals, and 203 people have died on the mountain. To climb Everest there are only about 3-5 days a year when the weather is at his best, it is around the 09 May -12 May.
Only about 10% of the people who ever attempt the ascent actually succeed.
Friday 29 September 2006
Elaine and Derek the couple which I travelled with in Bhutan were leaving tonight, we went up to the North Face shop in Khatmandu where Elaine bought a few things. The shop was empty; I don’t know how they manage to survive as they are so many fake clothes on the market!
Then we went to some of the posh hotels to shop for a nice Buddha for my roommate Mary-Alice, she found really a lovely one! Elaine and Derek also bought one. It was next to my new hotel.
Then it was time to say goodbye to Elaine and Derek, I was also myself moving to another hotel where I will later meet my fellow companions.
Mary Alice came with me to my new hotel, Hotel Gajong, it was really nice, a bit further away from Thamel, in Lamzipat. In the evening we went for a meal together, it was really lovely. As we left on our separate way, it was pouring!
Saturday 30 September 2006
I woke up in my new hotel; I walked to Bishem Tower, also known as Dharahara Tower. It was a very long walk, I stopped in Tudikel Park, it was not open to the public, and nothing much to see. There was a huge market as well, full of smells and colours.
The tower was erected in 1832 by former Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa. The entrance cost me 300NPr, but the view was really good.
I saw Swayambhunath hill behind, all over the city of Kathmandu, Durbar Square, Singha Durbar’s, this building was built in 1903. When completed it was the largest private residence in Asia with 1,700 rooms. Now it is the seat of Nepal’s government.
In the evening, at 17.00, I met my new group in the hotel’s lobby, the name of the leader in Santosh, and I am the only girl, 4 Brits, 2 Aussies, 1 Dane and 1 Kiwi. I knew for good I will have a room for myself all the way, that was the good thing!
We paid our local payments, some other paper works and talk about the trek.
In the evening, we went to a traditional Nepalese restaurant called the Kathmandu Kitchen. Given that most Nepalese people subsist on a diet of dhal bhat (black lentil soup on rice), which is eaten for two meals a day, 365 days a year, it can’t be easy to make a gourmet meal of local food. We also sample the local tipple, rakshi (pronounced “roxy”) a distilled grain spirit drunk from small bowls. Before the dinner we were upstairs for some cultural entertainment, it turns out to be a girl performing traditional Nepalese dances.
It was the same one I have been when I went in 2003. Well it was an ice-breaker; the Aussie guys were really nice.
On the way back, it was really dark and I fell over smashing my knee, apart from hurting like hell it was very embarrassing!
Sunday 01 October 2006
In the morning I went to buy a light rain jacket in Thamel, and Diamox tablets, in order to prevent Altitude Sickness. (You never know! Better safe than sorry!)
In the afternoon, we had a guided tour of the city including Swayambhunath (see my blog of Bhutan), and Durbar square, the guide took some money off everyone, and pulled a face when I show my card (bought earlier for the price as one entry but valid for a month), as it is still valid. It was really busy as it was Dashain festival, the Kumari, the living goddess was making an appearance and people queued for hours!
During the month of Kartik, the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste all over the country.
The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.
Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo.
The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess.
Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess. In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune.
The guide was very cheeky, Durbar square was free today, and he did not give the money back! The guys were not happy! Also when we went to Swayambuddnath he took money to pay for the taxis, but then he wanted us to pay again! I can hear the voice of Sir Allan Sugar from the Apprentice (TV series screen on BBC) “You are a lightweight! You are fired!”
The noise of the city was really starting to get on my nerves. There is a constantly shifting mix of odours: sewage, rubbish tips, car exhaust and dust form a constant backdrop, but this is overlaid with stronger aromas of food and incense. The sound of car engines and horns is incessant, and the pavements are bustling with mangy dogs, and the occasional cow. Car horns as well as rickshaws’ bells are blown almost continually, and they seem to be used not so much as a gesture of annoyance or an emergency warning, but simply as a good natured way of alerting people to their presence.
I nearly have been run over by rickshaws countless times. In the evening we went to Killroys.
Monday 02 October 2006
We woke up early to go to the domestic airport for our flight to Luka in the Everest region. Our trekking bags were not really practical, as it is like the “marine” type if you want something out, you have to take almost everything out!
Waiting to check in, we made our way to the airport restaurant, it took ages to get served and there was lots of mistakes in the bills, which took a long time to sort this out. Jay was really rude with the staff, “Excuse me mate! You are not in Britain here!” I said. This guy should have more respect for the locals! Oh well it was only day 2!
We finally boarded our flight. We were on Yeti airline. Well first we got in, than it was still refuelling, so we had to get out, and went back in again.
Yeti Airlines is a domestic air transportation airline who deserves the remote regions of Nepal which are not accessible by roads. It has a fleet of nine aircrafts at present, five DHC-6/300 Twin Otters and four Jet stream 41 covering major districts and cities within Nepal – mountain, hill and terrain regions.
Out aircraft was a DeHavilland DHC-6/300 Twin Otter, there were two Flight crew and one cabin attendant. The aircraft has got 19 seats. We could see the cockpit as well as the 2 pilots arguing!
Lukla airport is situated at 2,860m high, it is on of the main route of the tourists going trekking in the Everest region, the airport handles over 50 flights a day, weather permitting, if the pilots can’t see the runway clearly, flights are cancelled and delayed. Other tourists will walk from Jiri rather than fly; it takes an extra 5 days. The airport is contained within a chain fence and patrolled by the Nepalese army or police around the clock; this is to make sure the Maoist rebels don’t take over the airport (I will explain later).
The idea for the location of an airport at this location is credited to Sir Edmund Hilliary. When he climbed Everest, he journeyed for weeks just to reach the mountain. Climbers now have the “luxury” of flying into Lukla, and walking 12 days to the Base camp of Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary built the now famous Lukla airport in 1964 to transport building material. Later, Sir Hillary’s admitted his disappointment as the airport became a commercial hub and tourists arrived in hordes to visit the Everest region. It was also here that a few years later Hillary lost his wife and children in a terrible plane crash.
There wasn’t enough flat land to build a proper runway, so the whole thing runs up a hillside, using the slope to stop the plane in a shorter distance than would normally be possible. This is an entirely visual landing, made without any electronic aids whatsoever. The pilot flies straight towards what looks like a sheer hillside, and only at the very last moment pulls the nose up enough to lift us over the edge and onto the bottom of the runway, which cannot be seen until the plane is actually on it. The slope have an angle of 45 degree, with at the end of the 475m runway, is a sharp right turn.
We managed to land safely, at the end the pilot turn back to us with his thumbs up, looking happy to have landed the plane safely. Well there are been more than few crashes at this airport lately!
I got off the plane, were I saw a lot of porters waiting for jobs, here I met our sherpas Thilai and Karna, Thilai looks like Bruce Lee, which will be his new nickname for the time being. We started we a short walk to the village where we stopped at a lodge to have a quick lunch before continuing to Phakding.
Lukla means “the place of many goats and sheep”. Lukla is a small village situated at 2,860m in the Khumbu region. The town developed as a township of lodges since the construction of the airstrip in 1964. Lukla is also full of mountain climbing and trekking equipment shops, so trekkers can also do last minute shopping, if they can’t find what they want here, they have another chance in Namche Baazar further up.
Lukla businesses are very dependant of the weather, if the weather is bad planes can’t land, hundreds of people can then crowd in the lodges waiting to leave back to Kathmandu. I have to admit that Lukla is not the prettiest village in the area, as it does not truly represent the Sherpa culture. After lunch, our bags were already gone with our porters, we left Lukla and started to walk to Phakding we will spend the night. Leaving Lukla we passed through an archway called kani with rows of prayer wheels. Then the trail went down a little bit then flat through agricultural land.
Thilai showed me a school that Hilary built. We saw many stones, with a cat enjoying the sunshine. I also discovered that Thilai speaks French a little bit, he was glad to have me on board! Then the trail went uphill after crossing a suspending bridge, we arrived at a small village called Thadokosi, where we rested for a little while.
The views were really nice. We crossed another bridge, then we reached Ghat at 2591m, shortly after there are some boulders and mani stones with the mantra “om Mani Padme Oum” painted on it. We also pass several chortens, large stone monuments in the middle of the trail with a route leading around them on both sides: these should always be passed in a clockwise direction (although I notice that the local people are not 100% consistent in doing this!).
The scenery was gorgeous, and the mountain views open out as we walk for about two and a half hours. We saw many teahouses and lodges along our way. Teahouses can be found everywhere in this region, and are basically family homes with a large living room, equipped with benches and tables around the walls and a wood stove in the middle.
I was happy to arrive as I was still limping following my fall in Kathmandu earlier. We reached our lodge in Phakding at 03.30, the boys started to order food, I was trying not to spend too much on my first day. The lodge owners looked very friendly they also had a small white dog, he was really pretty cute! My room was at the upper level with a stiff staircase, I struggle to go up with my dodgy knee, but I was fine. In the evening we had dinner and by 9 we were in bed.
Tuesday 03 October 2006
We left Phakding early morning, the trail was really nice through the village, the village is divided into two part to get to the other side of the village to have to get across the suspension bridge over the river Dush Kosi. We crossed the new metal bridge, before it was a wooden bridge.
We saw also Honey on mountain rock, villagers will risk their life to get the honey from here. After a while we saw a lovely waterfall in Bengar, we had a short rest after this. Later the trail was started to go up, the view were really lovely.
Then arrive the moment I dread on that trip, we came across the Maoists (armed with AK-47 guns, by the way!)!
The Maoist insurgency was born in the poverty of rural Nepal, with the first attacks against the government posts taking place in 1996. On the 13 February 1996, the underground Maoist party called a “people’s War” with the aim of overturning the semi-feudal, semi-colonial nature of the state. The Maoists, an extremist faction among various communist groups, were led by a former agricultural student and teacher named Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who assumed the name of Prachanda.
When Nepal’s democratic government ordered crackdowns on Pachansa’s band of militants, the police were indiscriminately vicious. Suspects were tortured, villagers driven from their homes, and women raped. As the rebellion spread, the government’s campaign widened. Killings mounted, and supports for the Maoists grew.
The rebels recruited a spectrum of disenfranchised Nepalis, women, ethnic minorities…offering them hope. To converts the rebels promise land and equality. To enemies they vow death.
The Maoists are a cross between a militia and a sophisticated army. Some wore army camouflage others “Nike” trainers and sport jackets. The war claimed over 12000 lives since 1996. Bandh (strikes) and blockades ordered by the Maoists have often brought the country to a standstill. Maoists have assumed control of at least 40% of the country mainly in western Nepal with over 15000 fighters.
The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has been unable to dislodge them. Everywhere, Maoist operatives depend on intimidation, extortion, and brutality to exercise control.
Maoists, as I saw during my first visit in Nepal in 2003, have been known to abduct children for political indoctrination and as military recruits. Swept up in the excitement of a big enterprise, many young rebels seem incapable of seeing the terrible impact of the insurgency. Maoists will not target tourists to kill them as it will be detrimental to their cause, but will ask a “donation” to maintain the trails, so they say, but if a tourist refuses to pay, they are not allowed to continue. Today (at the time of writing) the situation is still serious and critical, there are ups and downs, but in a regime with corruption, it will take time for that matter to be resolved.
This has been a horrible human tragedy for Nepal, it is sad for the fact it could have been prevented, if only government corruption and indifference had not wasted so much development aid and public money. There were two groups stuck in front of us, the rebels demanded us 2500 NPR (which is about $23), but a lot of money down here, worth 3 days of food at least! We asked Santosh if he can bring the price down, I have told him that last time paid 1000 in the Annapurna region. At the end we only had to pay 2000Npr.
They gave us a receipt so we don t have to pay later, how ironic, it was a daylight robbery and we are given receipts!
A would thought smarter independent trekker try to walk by very fast but was soon stopped by an armed guy, it was very funny as we all started to boo him!
We were on our way again filling gutted that our wallets were much lighter now. We were still walking alongside the river Dush Koshi.
We reached Jorsale, the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park. We saw other painted stones with mantras, at the bottom of the river.
We stopped here for lunch, I took that opportunity to kick off my boots and take my sock off, I think it ’s going to become my ritual! Ken the eldest member looked really roughed and tired, as well as the Dane who was running a fever.
At the bottom of the river, we saw Nepali women washing clothes over stones in the river, some yaks were coming down, when suddenly one charged into the river running wild, every one run for cover, it was really scary! Nobody was hurt, it was the main thing.
At one point we were about to reach a big scary suspension bridge, we had a group photo at the bottom, when I saw the bridge it look so unsafe, in Britain it will have been closed for health and safety reasons. Before we crossed it we saw a train of yaks crossing the bridge it was amazing how they manage to cross it without fear or running wild. Now my big challenge crossing the bridge with my fear of highs.
I started to cross it holding onto the supports on both sides, when I saw the Aussies stopping in the middle of it, the middle of the bridge was beginning to wobble around quite a bit. I made it worse for myself by refusing to let go of my grip of either side, I eventually reached the end, I was very happy or my fear of high bridges was gone.
After that big lunch, we were on the go again, the trail went really steep, it was really hard. Thilai was carrying the bag of the Dane; I was just managing to follow the boys.
After a few resting a few times we saw the welcome sign and through the archway into the village of Namche Bazzar, a Buddhist gompa was on left, and we started to go up the village, I was truly exhausted by now, I could not wait to see my lodge.
We arrived at least, I had a shower into my room for an extra 150Npr, it is like having a 5*! We met at 7 pm for dinner; I treated myself to a Swiss Rosti. We were due to spend two nights in Namche to acclimatize.
Wednesday 04 October 2006
Rest day in Namche Bazaar, our acclimatisation day. Because of the altitude it is necessary to spend a minimum of two nights there. Namche Bazaar is at 3446m, it is the Sherpa capital and administrative centre for the Khumbu district.
The town is built as a steep amphitheatre of hills. It looks like a horseshoe. Namche also hosts the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park and a military post posted above the town just off the trail to Thyangboche.
The town has plenty of lodges, restaurants and trekking shops for last minute shopping as well as a health clinic. In the morning, we walked up to the Sagarmatha National Park museum, well protected by an army compound, we also saw helicopters. Before the entrance we had to sign up with our passport numbers and our names on a list.
The museum showed history of the area with also notes on local fauna and flora, as well as the Sherpa’s life; it was very interesting.
After that we scrambled up a very steep hill to 3,700m for further acclimatization, we saw some nice flowers such as patches of Juniper and blue gentians. The climb was tough! Once we were on the ridge we had great views over the Khumbu Mountains and the horseshoe Namche Bazaar.
We eventually reached Syangoche airstrip at 3900m. Here we stopped for lunch; the weather was getting really bad. The made our way back down, in the afternoon; I walked in the village, stocking up on energy bars.
Thursday 05 October 2006
We left Namche Bazaar in the morning, everybody was ready after a big breakfast apart from….the guide and our Sherpa’s!
The start of the walk was really lovely, we had really nice views over the mountains, mainly Lohtse, beautiful Ama Dablam and our first views of Everest. We also saw many Yaks trains, as you have to get out of their way.
It was a clear day, hardly any clouds in the sky. After a while we reached a chorten built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ascent of Everest (2003) in the honours of Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest; the true tigers of the snow. Without their devotions, skills, and courage the great mountain Sagarmatha/Chomolunga would have never been climbed.
We stop for some photos; the views over Ama Dablam were really great. Ama Dablam means “Mother and Pearl Necklace”, it is 6856 metres high. It is considered the most beautiful peak in the region. It was first climbed in 1961.
We could see the village of Tengboche very far away on the other mountain. We stopped for tea in the village of Kyangjuma (3,600m), here was one of the greatest views I ever saw. The cameras were working hard! Yak bells were for sales as souvenirs. We walk down to cross another suspension bridge, we saw yaks by the river, and then we reached many walls with Buddhist Sanskrit painted on it.
We stopped for lunch in Trashingo, Jay was eating like a pig putting huge amount of food in one go in his mouth, he wanted to stock energy as later on we had stone steps to climb. Then we walk through some forest of Rhododendrons, I even saw some water driven prayers wheels. We crossed another suspension bridge across the Dudh Kosi River at Phunki Tenga.
Then, we had to start the big climb to Tengboche, taking us at least 2 hours. We saw lots of yaks going up and down, we had to get out of their way as they can be very dangerous.
These animals mean a lot to the local population. Yaks are kept primarily for their milk, fibre, and meat; they are also used for transporting goods across for local farmers and traders as well as in support of climbing and trekking expeditions. Their dung is even burned to produce energy as wood is nonexistent at this altitude. Yak milk is often processed to cheese. Yak cheese is very hard!
Half way through we stopped for a more than a welcome break; Thilai or Jackie Chan and Korna made some Karate moves to entertained us, they were really nice, these guys did work really hard. It was really funny.
A little bit more on the Sherpa’s:
The term Sherpa is derived from Tibetan, “shar” means East; “pa” means ‘people’. The term “Sherpa” is used to refer to local people, usually men who are employed as porters or guides for mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas.
The Sherpas are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Nepal. They are highly regarded as experts in mountaineering in their own land, as well as having good physical endurance and flexibility to high altitude conditions.
Today, many people casually refer to them to almost any guide or porter hired for mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas. However, in Nepal, Sherpas insist on making the distinction between themselves and general porters, as they often serve in a more guide-like role and command higher pay and respect from the community.
Sherpas are renowned in the international climbing and mountaineering community for their hardiness, expertise, and experience at high altitudes. Sherpas’ climbing ability may be due to a genetically greater lung capacity, allowing much better performance at high altitudes. It has also been suggested that one reason why they were widely used as porters is that they had fewer dietary prohibitions than most people of the region and were prepared to eat whatever was given to them on expeditions.
We finally made it to Tengboche (3860m) or also spelled, Thyangboche. The clouds were very low covering the mountains.
We went through the Kani at the entrance of the village, it was painted with Buddhists paintings, and it supposed to cleanse people from feared spirits, a few minutes later we arrived in the village next to a white chorten and a big Gompa (monastery). I spotted the German Bakery as well.
It looked really beautiful. This village is a popular place to stay overnight for most trekkers. We settle down in our rooms. I had my usual hot lemon; I am getting addicted to this on that trek!
Later in the evening we went to the monastery, it was very lovely, and we were allowed to take photos as well. We took our shoes off before entering the main hall.
Tengboche Gompa, is Khumbu’s most prominent Buddhist Monastery, it was built in 1923. Inside the monastery sit Buddha Sakayumi the “Buddha of the present”, over 5 m tall is the seated posture. The walls are covered with small scale paintings depicting the Sherpa way of life, and Buddha’s life. The colours were really bright. We saw monks in their burgundy robes, it was really amazing, it reminded me of my trip in Bhutan. There was a small souvenir shop with flags, tea shirts and religious texts. A notice said that the profit from one tee shirt keeps a monk for a day. I bought some prayers flags to put when I will reach base camp of Kala Patthar.
Many expeditions will seek the blessing of the Head Lama before continuing on their journeys.
We also walk to a top of a hill to watch the sunset. We saw a site for sky-burials. We could hear the bells of the Goempa calling monks for prayers. It was truly amazing, we were surrounded with High Peaks, ama Dablam, Lothse… it was very nice despites the clouds, I hope that in the morning we will have even better views.
We were trekkers together, we were there enjoying the beauty of the place, no day trip tourist here! We all walk hard to enjoy this beautiful village.
Sky Burial is the disposal of a corpse by allowing it to be devoured by birds usually vultures or ravens. The birds, which are summoned by incense and revered by Tibetans, later the birds do their droppings on the mountains. They believe that the birds seen as Angels will take the soul into the heavens, which is understood to be a windy place where souls await reincarnation into their next lives.
Sky burial is the most common method and it Buddhists believe that, more important than the body, is the spirit of the deceased.
Sky burial is a very practical method in a land where fuel is scarce and the earth is often too hard to dig. ‘The dead man’s body is used to benefit other living beings’.
Later we had dinner in the lodge where I met a French couple, feeling relieved to have escaped my group for a while! I asked if I could join them for dinner as they agreed happy to see another French tourist.
By 21.00 everyone was in bed! It is like doing some “earlies” at work!
Friday 06 October 2006
I woke up early in order to see the sunrise, very few people were up yet, it was only 05.45!
I did not sleep well as the night was freezing cold, I did not even dare looking at my thermometer, I am sure it will have make things worst!
It was beautiful, really lovely, we had great view over the high peaks, we were surrounded by them Ama Dablam was sublime, I felt so happy to have seen that! Everest was really awesome as well. At 06.00 I heard the bells of the monastery calling the monks for prayers.
Behind the monastery doors I could see the high peaks, I took a really great photo.
Later I came back to the lodge for my breakfast and while waiting I packed my bag, it was ready to go!
When we left, the views were really stunning! I took a lot of photos, the trail was not too hard at that point, and not one cloud in the sky. The views of Ama Dablam were getting better and better, it was really marvellous!
Ama Bablam at 6,856m is considered to be the most beautiful mountain.
The weather was perfect, not a cloud on the horizon!
We saw nice stupas along the way, the views were really so beautiful.
In a village there was some yak dung drying, it has a shape of a galette, as a joke I was pretending that I was eating it, it was very funny! After Pengboche, I saw some painting on the rock of Guru Rinpoche.
We really got run over by a yak again. These animals are really dangerous; you must get out of their way!
We stop for lunch at Orsho, it was a single lodge in the middle of nowhere. We saw a group from Intrepid, it was crowded in there! It is a mainly used as a yak gazing ground.
After lunch it was getting cold, we were starting our long steady climb up.
Just before arriving in Dingboche, I saw some baby yaks, they were so cute! Really adorable!
I was starting to feel really tired, so we reach the lodge in Dingboche, I was really happy!
We were going to stay here for 2 nights to acclimatise, so I took this opportunity to do some washing.
Later we saw the snow of Ama Dablam in the pitch dark of the night! It was sublime!
Saturday 07 October 2006
After waking up twice to go to the toilets, I had a pretty good night sleep; my sleeping bag was so warm and comfy!
It was our second acclimatisation day; we went on a trek above Dingboche. Prat, the Aussie, was feeling sick, so he stayed in.
The aim of an acclimatisation day is to gain high and they come down to sleep. Acute Mountain Sickness can strike anytime; it is a potentially serious condition that can lead to death if not taken care off. To avoid it trekkers need to ascend gradually, after 3,000m high the ascent should not me more than 400m a day. It is not easy, but we should all follow the golden rule of “climb high, sleep low”. Symptoms include heavy headaches, extreme fatigue and loss of appetite. On a more serious note vomiting, lack of coordination, blur vision, bubbly, the only thing to do is to go down immediately as AMS can lead to a pulmonary or cerebral oedema which is usually fatal in this remote region due to lack to health care facilities.
The climb was a bit tough but really rewarding, we saw out lodge from above, as well as the Dingboche valley it was really amazing!
When we arrived at the top of the hill, I stuff my face with sweets and chocolates. We walk to the deserted Nangkartsang Gompa, it was in ruins. Prayers flags were still prayers to the mountains gods. Then we walk down for lunch, it was really steep and you had to watch your step. When I arrived I had a quick cat nap. In the afternoon some doctors wanted to do medical research on test (such as testing our blood pressure, heart rhythm..) and they will also check us a day later in Lobuche, so In the name of science, I put myself forward! They also asked us to take tablets, it was either a placebo or Diamox tablets, they were studying the effects of altitude on trekkers.
The hot lemon was also felt welcome; we had to go to another lodge. Outside the smell was very bitter as all the lodges are heated up with yak dung.
Wood is not allowed to be cut as we are in a national park, and mainly at this altitude it is nonexistent.
Sunday the 08 October 2006
I left Dingboche for Lobuche, the trail was full of stones it was difficult! The views were awesome!
We saw an old abandoned farmhouse in Phulong Karpo, it is called kharla it was used for summer pastures, the views were so stunning!
We are starting to reach the Moraine of the Khumbu glacier. As we were struggling our way up 2 porters overtook me with the equivalent of my body weight on their back chatting and laughing! How do they do it!
We crossed a wooden bridge to cross a torrent, and we continued walking on stones. Later we stopped in Duglha, there were only 2 lodges, a lot of trekkers gathered here to have refreshments, as it was the last point before Lobuche. The altitude is now of 4,620m.
The views of Ama Dablam change dramatically as view from the south you can t recognise its characteristic shape.
After lunch we were warned, the climb will be torture! After a gruelling climb, I reached the top of the ridge, it is marked with a numbers of cairns, chortens, prayers flags and stupas, they were place here to commemorate Sherpas and mountaineers who lost their lives on the mountains. A chorten was dedicated to Scott Fischer from the ill-fated 1996 Rob Hall expedition immortalised in the book from Jon Krakauer “Into thin air”. It was a very emotional moment. (8 people died in a single day on the 11 May 1996, all together fifteen people died in the 1996 climbing season trying to reach the summit. It was the deadliest single year in Mount Everest’s history. The disaster gained wide publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.)
I would like to mention another thing about Sherpas: a climbing Sherpa’s job is to carry, set up and dismantle his client’s tent, to move fuel, equipment and oxygen up and down the mountain and to stick to the client’s shadow ensure of his safety and making sure he is satisfied. Climbing Sherpas are also assuming the role of carers often tucking climbers in their sleeping bags. No matter how fit Westerners can be, most of them will be unable to accomplish the job of the Sherpa, they are incapable of it.
The Sherpa does this work with complaisance and enthusiasm. It is amazing the willpower they have, most scientists think because they are born in high altitude. Some of the Sherpa I was told climbed Everest 22 times, with no sponsors, and they will never be as famous as Chris Bonningtons or Messner. Sherpas don’t do it as a career path; they do it for the money, to sustain a living. They do deserve a lot more recognition.
Even our Sherpas, who did not carry loads but had to help out in the lodges kitchen, kept working hard after walking all day.
Now a little word about the mountain porters, most of them are carrying more than their bodyweights, they are very fit and among the most efficient load lifters in the world. Most of them use a doko, which is a basket on the back supported by a strap around the head called namlo.
I was told that a Nepalese male porter can carry on average 93% of its bodyweight comparing to 15% for a US soldier armed with a backpack.
Nepalese porters have a short but powerful stature and a high count of red cell due to living in high altitude, but their carrying technique by which the strap to the head bears the majority of the load. A Sherpa told me as well that they take regular rest breaks in their jobs.
The nature of portering often leads to exploitation and abuse, where human have to compete for jobs with animals such as mules or yaks. Only desperate people do the job. Unfortunately on most occasions most of them are send on jobs without the proper equipment, wages and provisions. I won’t even talk about having insurance. Many porters have died as the result.
It is important that trekkers (independent or with a group) make sure their porter is well taken care for. (For example, having adequate clothing, have access to a shelter, have medical assistance and have weight-limits). Decades have past and foreigners have not cared about the situation of their porters. Most of them did not even know their names. Nowadays, most (but not all) trekking agencies will provide good standards for their porters.
We reached 4,808m, the altitude of Mount Blanc, the highest Peak in Europe, and we are not arrived yet! I felt really strange, happy as well.
We saw Kala Patthar and Nuptse, the weather was starting to fall down, we eventually reached our lodge, or at least what we thought was our lodge in Lobuche. We enter the wrong one, the porters booked us in another one, and it was embarrassing as all collapse on the benches of the first one!
I went to meet the doctors, my oxygen level was at 88% which is excellent for that altitude, in one word apart from the cough which started this morning, and I was in a perfect shape. I had what they call the Khumbu cough, which is due to the altitude but not armless! It is like a heavy bronchitis.
We were now higher than Mt Blanc, Lobuche is at 4930m high, and hosts various lodges on each part of the stream, in which I nearly fell off on my way back as it was so dark. It was really cold, thanks got I have my down jacket.
I walk back to the lodge with my lamp torch, and join other trekkers, they came from everywhere, I spoke to a girl from St Petersburg. Then just before dinner I sat down next to 2 girls, they left their Peregrine tour, as they did not get along the tour guide and other tour members, they had to wait for porters to arrive. I felt sorry for them; my group was bad, but not as bad as theirs!
At last dinner came, I was really hungry, we were completely piled up in there. The night was freezing cold!
Monday 09 October 2006
We left Lobuche early in the morning and made our way to Gorak Shep. After passing the moraine we had a small break, there was a bunch of Himalayan Edelweiss, and it was a really pretty site!
At one stage we came across some 5 Tibetan refugees, they begged us for food and water, they were really tired, and they said they were shot at. At the time I did not understand, I will later know why, watch the later space…
We gave them water, and they went to Lobuche to find shelter. The Sherpas told us it was frequent to see Tibetans refugees on that route, almost on a daily basis. They were wearing only sandals and very light clothes; one of them was given a parka from someone in Gorak Shep. It was a sad story; some Tibetans are persecuted by the Chinese Government.
We had great views over the Khumbu Glacier as we were walking on its side. At around 10.30, we arrived in Gorak Shep at 5,125m. We ordered some soup in order to have a quick lunch before leaving for the Everest Base Camp. I choose a Garlic soup; I have been told is good for you when you are in altitude, so.
Jay and James were fighting over a Snicker bar, as it was the last one in stock, these guys are so sad! Honestly!
We left the lodge at 12.00, and started our trek to the Everest Base Camp. It will take us at least 5 hours to go there and come back and rough trekking, the Base Camp is about 8 Km from Gorak Shep. Santosh stayed in Gorak Shep only Thilai and Karna were there.
Most of the expeditions choose that spot, next to the Khumbu icefall to prepare for their expeditions, the funny thing is that from the Everest Base Camp, you cannot see Mount Everest…
As we left Gorak Shep, we saw a small lake, some ice pinnacle was uprising from the glacier, it was really nice. The way seems endless; the trail was very tortuous and full of stones as we were crossing the Glacier.
The trail was very hard, by now and I was exhausted, we saw the Aussies making a turn around, one of them was sick, I carried on, at one stage I through my stick away, as I will say I burst a “cable”! My poor Sherpa, Thilai had to go and retrieve it, I was about to give up, when he told me I was only 600m away. I can tell you: Everest Base Camp is well hidden! The only sound that we could here was an avalanche or blocks of ice falling down from the mountains, it was complete silence!
At least! I spotted a yellow tent, that it! I have made it to my first goal the Everest Base Camp, the end of the world at 5,364m! I felt so happy and relieved! It was really great!
Well I have to say that the Base Camp is not the most beautiful place on earth, but it was my goal. We rested for a while, and then I talked to an expedition member, who told us a few funny and dramatic stories. For example one day he saw some Taiwanese that never saw crampons in their life, had no training in mountaineering and wanted to climb the highest mountain on earth! Only 1/10 will be successful in their attempt. Some will never come back home, 11 climbers died last year.
Nepal charges $10,000 per person for a climbing permit, tourism seems to benefit the locals, some Sherpas send their children in private boarding schools in Kathmandu, the villages, around the mountains are among the wealthiest of Nepal. They climb it because they have to, not because it is there. It is true when compared to the villages of the Annapurna, of the Terai village I saw in 2003. To climb Everest a client will spend from $28,000 up to $60,000 on his expedition.
Once can ask the eternal question about climbing Everest, Everest was yesterday’s exploration, today’s package holiday but will be tomorrow’s commercialisation. We can only take the Mt Blanc as an example since it was first climbed in 1786, now it is extremely commercialised, with tourists with no climbing knowledge attempting the summit. On the summit of Everest climbers are often confronted with a “traffic jam” shouting to each others to get a move on as others are waiting they turn for their 15 minutes of fame. The most revolting is that climbers often leave their rubbish behind rather than taking it down with them. According to a National Geographic survey there are 17 metric tonnes of rubbish per kilometre of tourist trail, and that is only to the Base Camp!
To quote Sir Edmond Hillary “I have always thought of mountaineers as being very much aware of the environment. But I regret to say that, on Everest, many expeditions have been very careless indeed.”
We took some photos, when Karna said we should leave immediately as it was about to snow, I knew the weather was coming down a bit, but snow? I picked up some stones as a souvenir.
Well, he was right we had a snow storm, it was crazy, the wind will blow up from the bottom to your face, it was really horrible, the trail was difficult to find! Why did I sign up for this!!!???
The snow eventually stopped, we arrived back at the lodge just before night fall, Nupste was still under the sun it was really beautiful, I took a great photo!
I eventually made it to the nearest bunk in lodge, where I let myself collapsing, and still freezing cold and very tired. I had enough energy left to order my usual hot lemon.
Tuesday 10 October 2006
I had to share my room with Santosh (well do you want me to leave him outside??) In the middle of the night he got up to use the loo but I thought it was time to get up, so I started to get dress in the freezing cold room, and I was ready when Santosh came to the room, he was looking at me with a puzzle look and announced it was only 02.00am, why did I not look at my watch before!!! It was very embarrassing as he must have taken me for a complete nutter!
When we got up at the correct time, the mountains were cloudy, unable to see a thing, and snow everywhere. I asked Santosh if it was worth to go, as we could see a thing. He told me that the clouds will lift up.
At 10.00 we left the lodge, some people where on their way down they climb in the night to see the sunrise, but because it was all covered up they saw nothing. Tired of waiting, they made their way back down.
The climb was tough, but the clouds were lifting up and our efforts were starting to be rewarding. Thilai offered to carry my bag, which I gladly took.
I have done it!!! The top of Kala Patthar 5,470m, my final goal! We have all made it! It was very exhilarating to arrive at the top! I hang up my prayer flags on the top. I was so happy! I made it!
I forgot about my tiredness, about the group who was getting on my nerves. I only wish my grandfather would have been able to see this!
The views of Everest from here are really awesome, really excellent, beautiful…! There no words strong enough to describe how I feel right now. When I am observing the top of the highest mountain on earth, I can only feel glory and respect for the people attempting the top of the world. How do they really feel at the top? They have nothing above them, everything is underneath them!
We could see Tibet, of the mountains marking the frontiers, only 2.8km away!
I strongly believe there’s really a god up-there, Miyolangsangma the goddess protector of Everest. I strongly believe that mother nature is the strongest of all.
But all this look at one end really big and strong but on the other, I read in a newspaper in an interview given by the sons of Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay that the mountain is so ravaged that if their father will come back to the Base Camp now, they will not recognise the place due to dramatic climatic change. Now in 2007, the glacier is 40m lower than the expedition in 1953. Due to melting snow, the face of the mountain is changing.
What a shame that it was time to go back down, I could have stay here for ages! It was a tough climb, but a quick descend! We grab a quick lunch, and continue or descent to Periche.
Jay was playing “sick” only when Santosh was around, apart from that he was flying down the mountain this morning. Santosh could not stand him as well. This guy was so rude; he had no respect for the locals, porters and the Nepali culture! At the beginning of the trip, Jay was shouting loud and clear that he was playing rugby and that he was a tough guy. Now, in front of Santosh, he was nearly crying like a 5-year-old girl, hoping one of the Sherpa would carry his bag as they had done for the last past 3 days!
I thought he was a tough guy! Shame on you Jay, I am a girl half your size, and my bag was carried only for 30 minutes, and it was offered, yours for 3 1/2 days and you demanded it!!!
The clouds were really down now it was really foggy! We made a break at the small village of Phulung Karpo, the landscape was isolated! The village consists of stone built huts. The valley was very broad with poor vegetation. We crossed small streams along the way.
We arrived in Periche early evening; I bought a T-shirt and a badge from the Himalayan Rescue Association.
Periche lies at 4240m, and consists mainly of lodges with a health post. This health post (the Himalayan Rescue Association) is manned by volunteer Western Doctors during the main trekking season. They are here to give lectures on how to avoid AMS as well as helping sick trekkers and porters. We also saw the stainless steel sculpture of Oliver Baratt to commemorate Everest Summiteers who have lost their lives on the mountains.
Then we saw our Lodge (the White Yak), it was really beautiful really great. The best thing they had flushing toilets, I have not seen one since we left Kathmandu!
The Aussies beat me to the hot showers, I decided to wait next to the door, as the door opened to let the Dane out (Yann), I started to walked into the bathroom when Jay arrived and said, “it is my turn get out!”. He claimed he was next in the queue, the queue, is next to the door mate, not in your bedroom! We were starting to fight by the door, I eventually lost the battle as Jay was much stronger than me, the employee of the lodge who was looking after the shower was shocked to see his behaviour and ask Jay to come out and let me in, Jay said “too bad” and locked the door.
I eventually made it last to the shower; the employee told me that I could stay as much as I wanted rather than the normal 12 minutes. The shower was really good, the best ever! We did not wash for … Do you really want the truth? I can’t say it, I am afraid!
Later on, Santosh who probably knew what had happened came knocking at my door and invited me to join them next to the fire stow, best place in the house! Bless him!
It was really nice talking next to the fire with the Sherpas. They told me lots of interesting things about their life.
In the evening the others played card games, while I was still enriching my knowledge of Nepal, which I try to depict in this blog. The owner of the lodge was so friendly!
Wednesday 11 October 2006
We are still in Periche, we had a really nice breakfast, and I saw a Swiss couple with their child. Then we left and started our walk down to Namche Bazaar. I think it is going to be a long day!
We grabbed lunch in Dugla, and stopped at the German Bakery in Tangboche.
The boys, were going a little bit quicker that I was expecting so I started running to catch them up, to my embarrassment I fell over and a porter picked me!
That’s another hole on my knee and my pair of trousers!
We made it to Namche Bazaar, poor little Jay was claiming that he had blisters on his poor little feet. He was walking like a duck: that will teach him to talk behind people’s back and have a complete disrespect of the local culture. At one stage he was behaving like if he was about to die for people to feel sorry. Hey mate, yes we are all tired, you know! You are not the only one!
I was happy to relax for a while in Namche, in the evening we went to a pool bar where we paid drinks for our Sherpas and Santosh who taught me how to play snooker while I was half drunk!
I bought a Yak bell as well.
Off to bed.
Thursday 12 October 2006
I left Namche and made our way down to Phakding, it was hard coming down as my knees were a bit painful.
Poor little Jay was still feeling pain with his blisters. Please note my sarcasm.
At one stage we followed a woman with some yaks, I could not overtake as I was not quicker than them either, and we just had to follow them. Jay was well behind me.
I arrived at that massive bridge, as I was nearly the top of the stairs, when one the yak did not want to move, after a while the yak started to move again, but slipped and fell off, I quickly dived for cover by grabbing one of the tree, it was really scary and I could hear myself screaming the hell out as the yak went tumbling down. After a while I realised that he was ok, the yak was back on his feet and most of the loads (some felt down all the way at the bottom of the ravine) were retrieved with the help of Santosh and Thilai. They also help me out I was still grabbing my tree.
I had a lucky escape; I was nearly squashed by a falling yak!
The others who were waiting for me on the other side of the bridge were wondering what happened as they got scared by my scream!
We continued our way down, we stopped for lunch, and while waiting for the order to arrive the boys played cricket with a dodgy ball.
After a while we reached the bridge of Phakding were we saw the f***g Maoist again!
In the evening, after dinner in which we invited the porters, they organised a little dancing show for us. They were dancing and singing, we were invited to join in, but the boys were far too busy playing cards. Ignoring my pain, I joined the porters and danced all night long. As they put an effort to organise a show for us, the minimum would have been at least to dance once. They did not even do it! Well I had a really good time, it was really good fun. The porters were happy to see that at least one person was making an effort; I really have a great respect for these guys. They are truly amazing.
It was very embarrassing to see the others playing cards without looking, yes I was very tired like them, but they could have dance at least 5 minutes!
I went to bed really late!
Friday 13 October 2006
The last trekking day, or should I say half a day!
It was difficult to get up following the party from last night, but I had good fun.
I have to admit it that I was sad as my trip was ending but glad to see the back of Jay!
We trekked as the way to Luka, Jay was well behind me. I was on my own and very happy!
At one stage, I joined up with the others who were having a rest and we saw a huge packet that a porter left for a while it was about 50kg, Korna lifted it with no problems, and the package was about his size. I then challenge Jay to do the same… as a Rugby player he should have had no troubles… Challenge sent he was unable to refuse… James tried and could not even lift it. Jay was not better! Anyway, that was very funny!
It told me that flights must have been cancelled as there was no one on their way up.
I arrived at the lodge in Luka about 12.30 and order a lunch. Today I was not feeling great so I had a quick nap in the afternoon.
At 15.00 the owner showed us a film called “Himalaya- l’enfance d’un chef”. It was a wonderful documentary telling the story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young boy.
It was really nice!
We had dinner in Lukla. It was our last night in the Everest area, as from the morning we would be leaving for Kathmandu.
Saturday 14 October 2006
We left the lodge early in the morning expecting chaos at the airport following the cancellations because of bad weather. The army was very present to prevent the Maoist taking over the airport. Santosh told me that if Lukla airport closes down, tourism in the Everest Base Camp path and Namche Bazaar will be completely wiped out. It looks like the tourism industry is held hostage by a political situation!
It was not as chaotic as I might as though, we said our goodbyes to Thilai and Korna who would walk back to their.
To pass security we had 2 queues, one long one for men, and a short one for women. It was nice to feel privileged for once! We boarded of flight back to Kathmandu.
It was really weird to be back in the city with all this noise and cars! We were back in our hotel.
I retrieved my passport, some stuff from reception and went into my room. I felt a bit tired so I went for a quick nap.
When I got up I decided to watch the news, and when I saw it I immediately remember the Tibetan refugees we saw.
It was reported that a Tibetan nun was shot dead as she tried to pass the border into Nepal. The shooting happened about the 30th September early morning on Nangpa Pass.
Some climbers from the Advance Base Camp witness the incident but were unable to tell the media until they got out of China safely for fear of reprisal. They saw Chinese military personnel kneel down, take aim and open fire on the Tibetans, some of whom were children as young as ten. Some refugees were later found hiding in their tent.
But they feared that it was very likely that there would be more casualties. The mountaineers said that more of one person was shot and did not get up. How could this happen, I could never believe that there will be border guards patrolling at 5,000m – 6,000m!!!
According to the “free Tibet campaign” between 2,000 and 3,000 Tibetans make the dangerous crossing through the Himalayas via Nepal to India each year, seeking refuge after repression in Tibet, simply to be in the presence of the Dalai Lama, or for other personal reasons.
Now, I wish I could have done something more for the refugees we saw after Lobuche, may be they came from the same group.
In the evening we went to a restaurant: “The Rum and Doodle”
Rum doodle stands as a heroic monument of mountaineering. If you have climbed the Everest, you get a free meal in Rum and Doodle!!! There is a selected club of Everest Summiteers who all signed a wooden panel, it started with the one of Sir Edmund Hillary, and many more followed. The most interesting in the cards board footprint left by travellers, thousands are hanging on the walls collected since 23 years, travellers who left their thoughts, love songs and occasional swear words (mainly directed at the local Maoists), on these boards. Each footprint has a story to tell. We took great care in designing our own!
Sunday 15 October 2006
I have decided to visit the small Newari village of Bungmati, it lies about 20 minutes from Kathmandu.
I hailed a cab and ask the driver to take me there; he sounded surprised when I ask him where to take me.
Apparently very few tourists go there, Bungmati is only for travellers!
According to legend, Bungmati marks the spot where Machhendranath, having arrived in the valley in the form of a bee to save it from drought, was “born” as the valley’s protector-rainmaker.
When I arrived in the village, I asked for the taxi to wait for me.
The village with its mud and brick-houses is really well preserved. The locals were surprised to see “a white-face” around. There was no traffic, and the streets were all paved. There was a lot of wood carver who immediately start to expose their stuff out.
I saw corn drying under the roofs. It is better for preservation as it saves storage space, and it is not eaten by pigs or mice.
A little bit about the Newars:
The Newars are the indigenous people of Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley. The term Newar applies roughly to the descendants of citizens of Medieval Nepal (consisting of Kathmandu valley as the capital and the territory ever changing with extent being the Gandaki River to the west and the Koshi River to the east, Tibet to the north and Terai to the south.)
The Newars practice both Buddhism and Hinduism.
The Newars have a strong sense of community, it is a great importance to them. They built towns in which the dwellings are grouped together in neighbourhoods close to the religious centres. At the time of her marriage, the upright spouse lives with her husband’s family and must subject herself to the authority of her mother-in-law. The Newars have a long artistic tradition: they were architects, sculptors, potters, painters, master-builders, etc.
Several of their towns formerly being situated along the route linking up India and the Tibet, they quickly excelled in the commerce and prove themselves still today skilful merchants.
Most of the houses were 3 storeys high and had a wooden door as well as small windows.
One of my first sights was a temple dedicated to Ganesh. Ganesh is the elephant headed god of wisdom and success is the defender and remover of obstacles. Have you noticed that his elephant head has only one full tusk while the other is broken? He said to have lost in a fight with Parasuram. His elephant head is believed to be an emblem of wisdom and his mount an emblem of wisdom.
I arrived in the main square of a village called Bunga Bahal with its temple, here I saw various members of the community living their daily life, mainly sorting out some crops.
The temple of Raato Matsyendranath Mandir, the shrine is one of the few Buddhist shikhara temples in the Kathmandu Valley.
At the end of the square there was also a Bhairava Shrine.
I as was doing my stroll through the village a dog was barking at me in a nasty way, I thing he had rabbies! Awoman scared him off for me!
I was really happy to come all that way, I really saw how life was in a small village, the locals were really lovely, and it was well worth it!
The village was so nice, it was really well-preserved!
Monday 16 October 2006
My bags were packed; I made my way down to the hotel’s lobby waiting for my taxi to go to the airport. Back to good old England!!
Well the usual flying boring stuff of going through an airport security.
I was back in London safely.
CONCLUSION
Well , I have done it, and I survived!
It was a fantastic journey.
It was really an amazing adventure.
I will never forget the sight of the Everest.
Mount Everest, highest peak on Earth… I was there!
I can only admire people who tried to climb to its summit; so many did not come back.
It was really inspiring.
The locals were really nice, as well as the food.
I miss my hot lemon, now!
I really recommend the trek to everyone!
I would like to thank Korna, Thilai, Santosh and our porters for always smiling and taking care of us.
.
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Copyright © 2004-2012 by ISABELLE GUYOT. Text copyright.
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Copyright © 2012, LDN HOUSE. All rights reserved.
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