A rare capture...

Both of us in one photo! Wow!

Please excuse the hairstyle, I hadn't showered or washed my hair for eleven days!

Nope, I couldn’t sleep!!! Having laid in my bag for what felt like ages I decided to open my laptop and do some work. I realized that, once I had got my duvet jacket on, got myself comfy and dimmed the laptop screen, I was very noisy! Though not as noisy as the Nepali downstairs who was talking on his phone, singing, chatting and generally being too loud…though it was probably only about 8.30pm! I worked until I couldn’t feel my fingers and then put the MacBook down and crawled back into my bag. I eventually dropped off but woke to hear Paul heading out to the toilet. I knew he was planning to get up before sunrise to climb up the mountainside beside Tengboche to see the views of Everest, so I wondered if this was the time he was leaving…but no, still hours until then. I struggled to nod off but must have done so eventually. It was a fitful night of sleep.

Paul got up at 6am to run up the mountainside so I got up too, packing my kit up and working on my MacBook until about 7.15am. My hands were freezing by the time he got back, my breathing could be seen in the cold air. We went down for breakfast at 7.50am, just two boiled egg whites for me with some hot chocolate, and then we packed up and headed off to Namche. The first section is steeply downhill, hard work on the toes as they get jammed into the front of your boots. Once you reach the river at the bottom, you have a long climb back up the other side. It seems to be over quite quickly but is a cunning climb upwards for around 70 minutes…lots of puffing!

We walked from Tengboche to Namche Bazaar in 2 hours and 34 minutes. Apparently it’s a bit of a record around here, we are speedy trekkers! We got to the lodge and unpacked, deciding that we were now stinky…having worn the same clothes for ten days and still having to wear them for two more days! So Paul washed my t-shirt and I had a cold wash in a basin…so cold that when I tried to wash my hair, my scalp felt like it had frozen and made my brain scream! If you don’t know what that feels like, try dunking your head in a bucket of ice-cold water. Ouch!!

We hung our clothes out and then went for lunch…a plate of fried veg with some local cheese, really scrummy. Then we wandered down the hill to the little shops, both Paul and I trying on new trekking boots and shoes. After a coffee and apple cake, an American guy we had bumped into in the La Sportiva shop came and found Paul. He was looking for boots to take him to EBC and Paul had offered to sell him his if he couldn’t find any. He didn’t want to spend lots of money on boots so he came to see if Paul would sell them to him. After a trip back up to the Lodge, the transaction was complete. Paul came back in his Merrell Gloves, an old pair of barefoot running shoes, announcing that beers were on the American this evening! Hoorah!

After a second coffee, we went back to the La Sportiva shop and both Paul and I bought new trekking boots. His for our serious treks and mine for walking the dogs as well as our serious treks. Two good purchases, boots we can never find in the UK. Back up the hill, stopped off to buy emergency chocolate for tomorrow’s long trek, and we are now sat in the Dining Room reading and me typing. We have dinner ahead, then beer on the American and then bed before our long walk out of the Khumber Region from Namche to Lukla. Homeward bound.