Peaky Blinders

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Elvis Lives Peaky Blinders
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- Nov 14, 2022
- ⛅ -8 °C
- Altitude: 5,289 m
- Nepal Eastern Region Khumjung Lola 28.002284, 86.85232728°0’8” N 86°51’8” E
Day 11
Everest Base Camp!
November 14, 2022 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ -8 °C
We woke not feeling too bad from the exertions of the day before. It was a reasonable easy (aka bloody hard in any normal circumstances!) couple of hours up to Gorek Shep.

We leave as much wieght as we can there, and make our way over a rough trail of large boulders for another 2 hours or so. Just as we are approaching the swirling clouds clear for a few moments and we get our first up close view of the main attraction. She is nestled in behind a couple of other imposing subpeaks, which adds to her air of mystery.

Everest Base Camp (EBC) itself is a little underwhelming if I'm honest. Summitting only happens in the spring season as the ice is too dangerous now, so there are no tents or any real sign of it, as the recent monsoons has disrupted any signs of human activity. You almost wouldn't know you were there if it wasn't for the prayer flags and a sign spray painted onto a large rock. They are moving EBC again after this season, due to the climate impact on the Khumbul ice field, so we are glad to have visited this historic site, even if it wasn't the focus or highlight of the trip.

It is high, at 5384m, but a little lower than Cho La Pass. Despite the height gain, the walk out is as hard as the walk in, due to the condition of the trail. We are pretty tired getting back to the tea house, but we just had an uneasy feeling about this place - partly due to concerns about sleeping at 5100m, but also because it looked pretty ropey.

We asked about going down to the next place, but we're allowed to. It's a shame as our suspicions were right, and it was a bit of a rough place. No running water, sheet ice on the squat toilet floor, and a grumpy owner who refused to put the fire on at a reasonable time insisting 'its not that cold'! It was also so busy that all the rooms were full of tourists, which meant our poor guides had to sleep outside in tents!! Mind you I could see through the plyboard walls, and it felt like I was sharing my bed with an extremely ill person in the room next door!

We did leave our signed Canadian flag given to us by Stuart when he realised he wasn't going to make it, although we felt a little bad about leaving it in such a crappy place.Read more
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Elvis Lives Peaky Blinders
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- Nov 15, 2022
- ⛅ -3 °C
- Altitude: 3,951 m
- Nepal Province 1 Khumbu Pasanglamhu Pāṅboche Tauje Kholā 27.855796, 86.79016927°51’21” N 86°47’25” E
Day 12
Deep Down We Go
November 15, 2022 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ -3 °C
We were delighted to be starting the final leg of our journey and to be heading home. Oxygen levels are down to 9% up here, compared to well over 20% at sea level. Just being at this height for a prolonged period really takes it out of you, then add in the mountain cough and various other ailments, and we were all a little low.

So down we headed, and boy did we go down! Gone were the shortiah days punctuated by tea stops, as you could only go up so much each day, and we put in a long, long unbroken shift. We eventually stopped for a well needed lunch, but were soon back on the trail again. Most of it was walking down a long, gentle but windy valley - so it was pretty tedious, especially when you could see your destination only inching closer over several hours.

When we eventually called it a day we had dropped over 1100m, and the air was definitely warmer and thicker, but you still wouldn't call it warm or thick!Read more
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Elvis Lives Peaky Blinders
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- Nov 16, 2022
- ⛅ 0 °C
- Altitude: 3,414 m
- Nepal Eastern Region Khumjung Jaro Syangboche Airport 27.80418, 86.70979627°48’15” N 86°42’35” E
Day 13
Almost 'Home'
November 16, 2022 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C
The next day was a lot more pleasant and the scenery more interesting as we were out of that valley. I would almost describe it was flat, but I'm sure we were dropping altitude.

The trail led us to a beautiful monastery perched up high on ridge, and from there we did steep, steep switchbacks down to the river far below. After a few hours we hit our first suspension bridge for over a week, which reminded us of warmer times and perked us up. It was just as well, as we now had to climb back up out of the valley we had just plummeted down! By now we were hardened walkers, and enjoying the extra oxygen in our tanks, but it was still a bit of a slog up to a well earned lunch.

Soon after that we rejoined our original trail, and we knew we were on the home run now. A couple more hours on an actually level (well almost!) path and we rushed happily in Namche Bazaar, with its European bakeries and Irish bars!

Showered, stuffed, and watered our spirits were high again. We even had time for a spot of shopping! The complaints about the discomforts on our first visit were replaced with us extolling the luxuries of the place!Read more
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Elvis Lives Peaky Blinders
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- Nov 17, 2022
- ⛅ 3 °C
- Altitude: 2,843 m
- Nepal Eastern Region Sagarmāthā Zone Lukla Tenzing-Hillary Airport 27.68896, 86.73074827°41’20” N 86°43’51” E
Day 14
The Last Leg
November 17, 2022 in Nepal ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C
Leaving Namche we were immediately into the pine forests again. After a few minutes we stopped at the check point and picked up a couple of kilograms of prepared recycling in dry bags that they ask people to carry down. They could do with a little more publicity, and we gladly let the Swedish guys snap away so we could be in their promotional material.

I loved this section of the hike up, and it was almost more gorgeous on the way back down. We wound our way over familiar paths, bridges and tea houses.

The last two hours into Lukla, where the airport is, was a tough up, but we knew this was the end of our epic adventure so we all powered through.

We invited our guides and porters to join us for a final meal, and washed it down with a beer or two. We may have set off with over 20 altogether in our party, but only the 8 of us saw through the whole thing. We turned into quite a tight knit group, and I felt so lucky and appreciative that these were our hiking buddies.Read more
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Elvis Lives Peaky Blinders
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- Nov 18, 2022
- ☀️ 4 °C
- Altitude: 1,308 m
- Nepal Central Region Kathmandu District Thamel 27.717041, 85.31125627°43’1” N 85°18’41” E
Day 15
Out of the Mountains
November 18, 2022 in Nepal ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C
We were booked on the first flight at 7am, but although the fog cleared here by about half 7 the airport at the other end was still lacking the visibility needed. Not somewhere to take any unnecessary risks!

We were comfortable enough waiting in the tea house literally next to the airport.

After a couple of hours the flights resumed and before long we dropped off the end of the world's shortest and most dangerous runway!

We stepped off the plane, picked up our bags off the tarmac and walked out the open gate.

The same torturous drive followed, the only difference was it was light so we could see the shocking state of the road, we had an electric minibus (which needed an hour's charge half way), and we had to deal with Kathmandu's afternoon rush hour.

We got in, showered and were delighted some of our original hiking buddies were still in town. They easily persuaded us to skip the 'cultural evening', and we had a great night catching up on a roof terrace restaurant.Read more
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Everest Base Camp!

Deep Down We Go

Almost 'Home'

The Last Leg

Out of the Mountains