Namche Bazar

I guess I was wrong. There is Internet in the middle of nowhere. I'm now convinced the Internet is like Life itself--it will attempt to populate every corner of this Earth.

These last three days have been incredible and I wish I could tell you about every last detail, but, alas, the rate per minute for Internet use is a bit on the high side so I'll have to keep it short. I suppose that's to be expected in a little village in the middle of the Himalayas that is only reachable by foot or helicopter. I'm in a little village called Namche Bazar. It sits in a bowl on the side of a mountain with snow capped peaks towering above us on all sides. It's absolutely breathtaking. I believe it's the largest of the villages on the way to the Everest base camp. It's mostly filled with guest houses for trekkers and every little shop you can imagine to cater to them, even a German bakery and a pool hall (remember the only way in here is on foot)! The streets are lined with souvenirs and tiny mounaineering shops. We're spending two days here to help acclimatize for the higher altitudes we'll soon reach. AMS or mountain sickness is a real (and fatal) danger if we ascend too quickly.

We arrived two days ago in a small plane in another village called Lukla. We basically landed on the side of a mountain. It was thrilling! The trail we're following is more of a highway of sorts. Trekkers, guides, and porters carrying these impossibly large, heavy loads in baskets with straps around their foreheads support the weight ( a lot of them are wearning sandals!). Everything has to be brought in and out this way. There are also many of these yak/cow hybrids (can't remember their names), with wonderfully melodic bells sauntering along with their cargo, as well. The ecosystem so far has been mostly pine forest and raging, pale jade colored rivers. Waterfalls are everywhere.

We hike and stop for lunch at one of the many restaurants along the way. In the evening we'll stop at a guest house where we'll spend the night. They remind me of the 10th mountain division huts (cabins in the Rockies for those unfamiliar) with a little more laquer polish. The rooms simple and aren't heated, but there is usually a common room where everyone eats and socializes around the pot belly stove. It's very cozy and everyone has been very friendly. It's funny because there'll be people from so many places, Germany, Spain, Poland, Chile, etc., but they're all speaking English. Lucky for me it's the de facto universal language.

This morning my guide, Santosh, my new German friend, Holger, and his guide climbed up to the ridge above the town. I'm at a loss as to how to describe the views and the how they affected me. The peaks here look like they're from another world. It was also my first view of Everest. From here it doesn't look like much as there are much closer peaks that are more impressive from this vantage point.

In a later post, I'll have to tell you more about my encounters with the people and culture here, but I should probably sign off now.