14 MARCH, 2013 - REST DAY

Mt. Everest View from Everest View Lodge

Everest View

Amazing Day with Beautiful Mountain Scenery 

Up at 6 am, tea in room, followed by porridge in restaurant. As this is a dedicated acclimatization day we knowingly embark on a strenuous day’s hike.

We needed to ascend to a higher altitude which took us first to Syangboche at 3900 meters and onto Khumjung and Khunde.

On the way to Syangboche

We pass the highest air field in the world. We actually were able to witness a chopper landing with supplies destined for a major summit trek. Quite impressive as once the cargo is offloaded from the chopper, it must be carried by porters who strap doors, wood, pots and pans to themselves and continue to carry it up the mountain, sometimes in only flip flops or running shoes.

Passing the airstrip, we continued on to our next stop which was the Conservation Memorial Museum and National Park which gave us our first glimpse of Mt Everest!!! We are blessed with another azure blue sky, free of clouds. The view of these mountain is beyond belief. Tendi states that there is a 25% chance of this good weather but I fee thatl this gift is far rarer than 1 in 4. The museum explores the history of Mount Everest and the surrounding valley, including vegetation, animal life, local Sherpa customs.

Glimpse of Mt. Everest & Amadablam

We continue merrily along to Everest View Hotel, the highest hotel in the world. It is here that we have a tea and enjoy the thrill of seeing Mount Everest at leisure. The sun was out, the clouds were not and this was a fantastic visual!!

In fact the weather has been stunning here since day. I don’t believe we would be too pleased to trek all this way and have the majestic Mount Everest hdden in clouds and fog. How very fortunate we are.

Namche Bazaar – Gateway to Everest

Our final stop of this hike took us to Khumjung where we saw the Hillary School as well as the statue dedicated to Sir Edmund Hillary. Just beautiful.

Back to the Lodge for some tea, a nap and some browsing in the bazaar before dinner.

Khumjung Vally

Another early night as tomorrow is not only our trek to Tengboche at 3879metres but it is our 50th birthday and I could not think of a better way to spend it than being with my twin sister somewhere in Nepal, somewhere on a mountain.

Typical way to cultivating crops

Alison, Cameron, Tendi and Pasang enjoying tea at Everest View Hotel