Namche Bazaar – Lower Trail Entrance
The rain is gone and it was a beautiful morning in the Khumbu Valley! After a delicious breakfast and plenty of COFFEE, we set out for the “big city” of Namche Bazaar (11,280 ft). One of my favorite places! We crossed several suspension bridges, dodged donkey’s and jopkozyo, and continued getting to know each other as we wound our way up the trail. This team is STRONG and we hike as a tight pod. No weak links in this pack. It is hard to describe how stunning the the ice capped peaks are beyond our days hike. And even harder for the mind to grasp that we will soon be higher than those giants. But for today, I’m just happy rolling into Namche. The village suffered damage during the earthquake of 2015. This is my first time back since and the rebuilding is beautiful! There are fountains and a new open entrance welcoming all that trek by. Several teahouses took 2020 to update. After checking into our home, for the next 2 nights, The Namaste Guest House, we unloaded, shared some warm tea and set out in the village to grab any last minute gear needs, or grab the BEST coffee at Sherpa Barista! Of course taking social distancing seriously, different groups hung out in separate corners listening to great music and great stories of legends past.
There are dogs and puppies everywhere, more than normal. Like really not normal. I think I could live here forever. I might just open up a swanky wine bar/puppy rescue. There are huge packs that bark pretty much all night. Good thing they recognize me as a friend to the canine, and they let me live! Ha! The Khumbu valley dog is an adorable mix of fluff and grit. It was hard not to snag a little one and take her on up the mountain with me.
Only 2 days into the climb and our lives are pretty set: eat, hike, eat, tea, organize gear, eat, laugh, organize gear, sleep. The Sherpa Lodge owner, Mia, fed us well and shared stories of all the people featured on her photo wall of fame. People from all around the world, different genders, nationalities, religions, goals and attitudes have graced her fine establishment. She has seen her share. Of course I took a picture with her, promising to send it to her when I reach my goal of 1st Aerospace engineer to climb the 7 summits.
Tomorrow is a “rest” day. I say that lightly, because it really means an acclimatization day. We plan on an 8 am departure for a 3-4 hour hike to a special female monastery that is dear to Casey’s heart. I look forward to another full day in this magical, strange, wonderful village!
Oh, New nicknames inducted today:
Jess will now be known as Skippy! Love it! Jess is a Salomon sponsored distance runner from OK. She is vibrant, energetic, and literally skips down the trail!
About the author : Kim
