Tengboche Monestery
Well, don’t need an alarm in Namche. The dog packs start barking up and down the hillside about 6 am every morning. So, I guess it’s time to pack up and move to our next destination, Deboche. On the way out of town, we stopped at a small store, friends of Casey, who gave us each another Sungdi. This is a blessed string worn around the next, giving protection and safe journey. The prayer is blown into a knot tied in the middle. After a steep climb out of the city (so steep I am questioning my fitness, ha!), we enjoyed breathtaking views of stupas, Ama Dablam, Lhoste and the QUEEN BEE… EVEREST. The sun warmed our trail throughout the day. Some of us broke out the shorts. To quote The Matador “Skies out, THIGHS out”.
We stopped at the Ama Dablam Lodge for a tea break and to say hello to Tashi and Lakpa Sherpa. I’ve met them on my last 2 trips through the Khumbu and they are dear friends of mine, Shannon and Jeremy in Winter Park, CO. Tashi and Lakpa spend summers in Winter Park, but have not been back since the pandemic of course. She shared with me how devastating the pandemic has been to their economy, but also have very grateful she is that her, her family and friends are all alive. There is little support from the government, so they have all had to just do with what savings they have. We could have chatted all day, but we needed to keep moving onward to Tengboche. The trail was empty, accept for the occasional porter (carrying twice their body weight), yak, donkey and us. This is rare and a special shared moment with the Dream Team. We are one of the first waves of Everest climbers, so the teahouses have more visitors to look forward to.
We reached the Tengboche Monastery a few hours later. Another one of my fondest memories on this trek. The monastery sits at roughly 12,600ft on top a ridge. We were greeted by a lone monk that took us in for another blessing from the high monk (sporting a pretty sweet pair of shades). Our collection of Sungdi’s grows and I can feel the love! BONUS: they gave us each a little mint on our way out the door. Monk Mints: fresh blessings that last!
A short downhill decent later, we arrived at our next home for the next 2 days, Deboche (12,530 ft). Again, I am BLOWN away with the upgrades and new builds through the valley. The Rivendell Lodge is gorgeous, clean and all ours. The plaque on the wall of the dining room explains that this lodge is named after the special place between two high forested mountains, split by a roaring river, from Lord of the Rings. Here lives special people known as Elves, who netter have illness, never die and can see the future. I am going with that plan. I see the future, and it involves an Everest summit soon.
It did not take this team any time to bond and form a “dream team”, so every evening we continue telling stories, getting to know each other, sharing French fries (unofficial food of the Khumbu valley) and preparing for what brought us all here, Everest. Most turned in for bed around 8:30. However the “Khumbu Valley Social Club” had one more “final final” and turned in around 9:30. I will sleep extremely well tonight and dream of yak bells and prayer flags.
*Please be patient if misspellings occur. I AM dyslexic and have little time to edit. dhanyabaad
About the author : Kim
