Almost at Base Camp!!

Hiking to base camp
Hiking to base camp

It’s just over a week since we flew into Lukla and later today we will do the final part of the trek to reach base camp.  Last night we stayed in Gorak Shep (5,140m).  Getting to Base Camp itself is no easy task.  I think because it’s called ‘base camp’ it somehow doesn’t sound very high.  But if you think of it in terms of say Mont Blanc you realise it is indeed high. Mt Blanc is 4,810m…  Base camp is 5,300m!

I’m feeling really good.  Being ill in Namche really knocked me off my stride for a few days.  I knew I was back to normal though when I caught myself in a tea house a couple of days ago, cup of tea in one hand, huge tea spoon of chocolate spread in the other!

The hike is really beautiful and now we’re higher we’ve lost the trees and most other vegetation too but the snow and the staggering huge mountains are making a really nice frame for the photos that we are taking.

 

At 5000m - stunning surrounding mountain
At 5000m - stunning surrounding mountain

I’m getting used to living in a tent again and I quite like it, or at least I’m telling myself that as I’ve got another couple of months in there.  I’m enjoying getting to know the others on the team better.  Mitch has the funniest laugh, it’s more of a high pitch giggle, him laughing is really making me laugh.  There’s another guy with us, Alex, and I discovered he
lives just 20mins away from me in the UK!  He’s climbing Lhotse (which means
we’ll all climb together until Camp 3, where he’ll carry on up and we’ll turn left and carry on up.).

This week (apart from being ill) has been a good start.  Now that we are almost at base camp I feel like the trip has really got going.  I’m thoroughly enjoying having the luxury of choice each day when I change my knickers and I’m delighted to report I’ve managed two showers so far (trust me, that’s good up here)…

This is Stew, he's part of our climbing team
This is Stew, he's part of our climbing team
It's always important do a ridiculous pose when standing on a large rock! (There are several people who will appreciate this picture-you know who you are)
It's always important do a ridiculous pose when standing on a large rock! (There are several people who will appreciate this picture-you know who you are)
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