Next day after visiting Sakya, we set out at 8am and headed off to Everest Base camp at 5200m altitude. We were all pretty nervous and excited at the same time. The air was cold and we couldn't imagine how colder it would be further up there. We were already at about 4800m and by then adjusting to the cold and altitude. To make things less easy however, Gemma dropped her water bottle all over me so not only was I wet but looked as if I wet myself! Luckily, she had a hot water bottle with her, and that helped quicken the drying process.
We got the highway, long, wide and empty and after a few metres, our local guide, Jimmy stopped the troupe and pointed at it. There it was the tallest peak in the world. It was a clear as ever against the limpid blue sky. Showing off it's grandeur and almost saluting us with smokey wisps of snow flying off from it's peak.
Sharon later commented that she had never it like this on any of her tours and so we were very lucky :)
We drove on and soon enough its other companions came into view. The range of mountains were like a perfect oil painting, their canvas, the clear blue sky. We were gobsmacked and asked our drivers to stop at every bend to take pictures.
Later a small Tibetan village welcomed us for lunch. We set on carpet-draped sofas in the heat of the sun which glared strongly from behind the window panes. We discussed hypothermia and frostbite which although out of place in that tiny warm and cosy restaurant, were well within context for the night ahead. We set off again after lingering a while longer on those comfy sofas, stomachs full of of Tibetan eggs, tomatoes, rice and bread. The road to Base Camp was bumpy and dusty but then what did it matter when we were being driven there?!
Just before getting to Base Camp we stopped at the Rongpbu Monastery - the highest situated Monastery in the world. The wind was picking up making the air even colder. I was so cold, I hardly felt like moving. Even taking photos was quite a task. We visited the dorm quarters; a line of small rooms in great need of refurbishing. The walls were worn, paint peeling off, the windows, fragile and wafer thin especially with the North Face backdrop behind them. The rooms were bare except for a couple of hard wooden beds with not enough bedding and blankets on them. There was just one pair of disgusting wooden-fenced squat toilets out in the courtyard, which were well exposed to cold and wind, in case they got too smelly!
So that was it, our stay for the night. Six of us had decided to spend the night there, including myself. By that time I was feeling much better and anyways couldn't resist such a once in a lifetime opportunity. We were so excited and very nervous. Sharon kept warning us of the shear cold we were about to expose ourselves to, having gone through a night herself on one of her previous tours. I was filled with energy and positiveness and was already thinking of having an all-in-one room huddled-up together party.
I really wanted to walk it to Base Camp but Sharon was against that :(
There was no way we could have done it that afternoon as the others had a long drive to get to their accommodation in Tingri and doing it the next day we could have risked poor visibility. Even so, Sharon was skeptic of taking on the responsibility of walking us at 5000m altitude for 2 to 3 hours. So, I went with the majority and visited Base Camp by car.
It was windy and freezing cold despite the sun. We climbed a small hill to get to the yak's skull with horns and prayer flag monument. It was out of this world. The air was getting to us and I started feeling a bit light-headed, more of it due to ecstatic feeling. As I looked up at Everest's peak I wondered what it would be like to start trekking from that altitude up to over 8000m.
Back at our rooms Catherine took out a 'Cadbury's' dairy chocolate bar to celebrate us being there. We gazed at the wonderful vista from our window holding our breaths at it. Suddenly, Sharon burst into our room and like a bolt out of the blue put a stop to our dream, or which could have been a nightmare! The Chinese Military wanted us out there asap. We were given strict orders; the group could not split up, we had to travel as one. Unfortunately, since Simon was ill, we had no choice but to join the others. In other words, leave Rongpbu. I couldn't believe my ears and honestly, thought Sharon was having a laugh until I dashed out almost getting knocked over by one of tall men in green. Disappointingly, we loaded our stuff and set off to Tingri.
Everyone was silent for a long while until Gemma burst into tears. We hardly said anything as all the screaming and yelling was going on in our heads.
Tingri was a place forsaken by the Buddhas! It stretched itself thinly along the Friendship Highway into Nepal. It was actually just a motel stop. Our line of rooms were literally at the edge of the village facing a plain of barren brown land. All across and towards the right were the Himalayas - the only proud jewel of this village. Our rooms were simple; two beds, some bedding and a bulb and even smaller that the ones at Rongpbu. Infact other than that, the difference was minimal well, except of an altitude of about 250m less which made it slightly warmer than up there! Still freezing cold. We reluctantly had dinner over which we tried to heighten our spirits by coming up with some lively thoughts. We discussed bringing 'Secret Santa' night forward to that night or the next day. In the end we decided to exchange our out-of-season Xmas gifts the next morning over 'Xmas breakfast' as some us were still too moody to even come out of their room and join us for dinner. By the end of the evening Flip and I were singing carols at the top of our voices making the locals stare at us then burst into laughter.
It was another splendid morning. I woke up early and decided to go for a walk across the barren land opposite our rooms. I couldn't take my eyes off the mountains and by the time I was back, I sat on the step outside our room in the lovely sun and cried my eyes out. Not sure why. But I was kind of expecting the big mo at any point throughout the journey and probably this was it. Finally, it was a kind of release too. Catherine comforted me and when I was happy again joined the others for the big Xmas breakfast. The dinning room was full of smoke (from cigarettes and the centre fire stove) and sunlight. We ate then Sharon started to go round with sacks of gifts letting each one (inc the drivers) pick their choice. My pair of fluffy carpet slippers went to one of the drivers for whom I was glad. The other gifts ranged from Tibetan music CDs to foldable scissors. Then, my turn came and I picked up one of the biggest...pink panties ever!!! Oh yes, it was one of Michelle's extra surprise gifts. I joked about with it and flaunted it over my walking trousers reducing our (driver) men to tears with laughter :) :) :)
It was great and we all felt good by the end of it. Best part was donating my big down jacket (the one I wore for Base Camp) to the woman who ran the place with her husband and kids.
Luckily, Sharon managed to expedite our trip by a day so we didn't need to spend another cold night in Tingri. We set off for Zhangmu, the border town between Tibet and Nepal. That drive was a long and full of adventures, mostly fun and scary stuff!!
....tra la la la ....
Nicky
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