February - March 1999

Note:  clicking on any photograph will present a larger version.
	Namche Bazaar.  Namche is a cool place. After climbing the hill, we took a trip with our sherpa guide back down into town to find Dana a down jacket (it's freezing in the Khumbu!). We found one to rent for about 120 rupees per day--steep for these parts, but a bargain for us at about two bucks a day. We took it without hesitation and then treated ourselves and our guide to apple strudel at a bakery. On our way back up to the lodge, we saw this colorful group of Sherpas shlepping firewood and rocks up the very steep hill that the town is carved into.
	Ama Dablam Summit.  Namche is in the middle of nowhere, but one can find almost anything there, including old expedition gear, souvenirs, batteries, a washer and dryer and the "world's highest solar-heated whirlpool." Namche also boasts some incredible views. I snapped this telephoto shot of the summit of Ama Dablam from the hill just above the town on our way to Kunde. Click on the photo for a close up view of the incredible summit glacier that overhangs the entire south face of the mountain.
	Thamserku Silhouette.  From Namche, we hiked straight up out of town to the twin Sherpa villages of Kunde and Khumjung. Along the way, we passed Sir Edmund Hillary's airstrip at Syangboche, which makes the one at Lukla look like Dulles International.  We crossed the airstrip and headed up another hill, where Rich climbed a rock for this shot framed by the knife edges of Thamserku, a 6,600 meter giant.
	Khunde -- Sherpa Village.  Above the Syangboche airstrip, we passed through some shrubland and a sparse pine forest with incredible views of the Everest group and Ama Dablam, as seen here at left. Kunde is located at the top of this hill, right at the base of Khumbila, the Sherpas holy mountain. Like Maccapuchare in the Annapurna region, the Nepali government forbids the climbing of Khumbila.
	Thamserku.  Though not as famous as Namche, Kunde is an important place for the Sherpas, as it is the home of a hospital founded by Sir Edmund Hillary. Kunde is also the home of our head Sirdar, Ang Tshering, who lives right next door to the hospital. We were invited into Ang Tshering's house to (what else) "take the tea." It was very interesting to see the inside of a real Sherpa house. Some things, however, were just like home. Like all proud parents, Ang Tshering and his wife had their daughter's school drawings hanging on the wall. After leaving their house, we hiked over towards Khumjung, where we would spend the night. I snapped this shot of a chorten and Thamserku on the way.
	Khumjung.  Upon our arrival in Khumjung, we were dismayed to discover that the town's water supply, which is temporary at best, had dried up. It made for an interesting picture, as we counted over 110 five gallon water jugs lined up by local residents, waiting for the spring to begin flowing again (see picture at left). Our Sirdar promptly sent the cook boys packing back down the Kunde to fetch water for our dinner. At times like this, we were glad that we opted for the "deluxe trek services."
	Lhotse.  After spending a chilly night in Khumjung, we departed early for Tengboche. The date was March 18, 1999, Rich's 30th birthday, thankfully spent 5,000 miles from home (and far away from friends with "old man" jokes). On the way, I snapped this great shot of the incredible south face of Lhotse, the worlds fourth highest mountain (at left). Here you can see Tengboche on the horizontal ridge in the foreground, the goal of our hike on this day. Click on the picture for greater detail--you can see the huge Tengboche monastery on the ridge just right of center
	Kantega, Saddle Mountain.  The trail to Tengboche unfortunately descends very steeply from Khumjung back down to the Dudh Kosi, the same river we last saw at the bottom of the "Namche hill." Just before starting our descent, our Sirdar took this shot of us with prayer flags and Thamserku in the background. The other mountain in the background (to the left of Thamserku) is aptly-named Kantega, which means "saddle" in the local language. We had lunch down by the river, where we played gin and drank warm orange Tang imported from the Philippines.

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