Nepal Trekking

Trekking in Nepal Himalaya ( 17 Feb ~ 8 Mar 2009)

http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2009/Everest#
http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2009/Everest2#

Introduction

It was the second time to go to Nepal while the first time was in 2002. You might be invited by your friends to hike / walk in the countryside. However, it would never use the word "trek" in the countryside. Trek was usually translated as "健行". The translation was very good. It was a healthy walk. In fact, the trek was normally in the high altitude (3000~5000m) without help of any technically equipment such as crampon, ice-axe and harness. Nepal was famous for tea house trekking.

I was fond of hiking / trekking. Nepal was my dream destination and wanted to go for a long time. The Everest base camp trek took at least 14 days and the trekking season was from Oct to April. It meant that I could not do it in any school holiday. Therefore, the passion was hidden in my heart for a long time.

I could do nothing, but only read books, magazine and blog. I was envious to others' sharing. The more I read, the more passion was developed in my heart.

The dream came true in Feb, 2009. I had chosen the route called "Everest Base Camp, Chola Pass & Gokyo". It was a 17-day trek and the highest point was Kalapather at 5545m. The highlight were Kalapather and Gokyo Ri (5357m). I could see panoramic view of the Everest (8844m) from these two different places.

Tea house trek

Normally, I waked up at 6:30 a.m. and took breakfast at 7:00 a.m. The trek was started at 7:30 a.m. The average trekking hours was about 7~8 hours each day. Lunch and dinner were taken at local family run tea house. The menu was simple and similar among various tea houses. They include fried rice, spaghetti, pizza & tea... The pizza was very small and was just enough for one person. The cost of a cup of tea was from $4 to $7. The higher the tea house was the higher the price. The price of main course was from $30 to $50. I stayed in the tea house which was built by stone with elegant look. The room was made by wood and the room charge was $10~$30. The cost of living was about $US 20 per day in the mountain.



The toughest day

It was date 11 and waked up at 7:00 a.m. I waked up my personal guide. However, he was sick and I myself decided to go to Kalapather(5545m) from Gorak Shep(5140m). It was only 400 m hike uphill.

After started to climb for a few minutes, I felt fatigue! I did not know why!! It was just the beginning! There was a long way to go. But I could not forgive and had to continue as I waited for more than 10 years to come and had already walked for 10 days to come there.

It took me an hour for the first slope. I stopped between every 5 minutes. The second slope was less steep and easy to walk. It would be warmed up already. The trail was passed though the back side of the hill and I could see the top of Kalapather. As the weather was very good ( Sunny day with a little bit windy, the temperature was about -5oC), I could also see Mehra Peak (5820m), Nuptse(7864m) & Pumo Ri (7165m). The Everest (8844m) was also in my sight. These mountains formed an ice-filled curtain in front of me. The Tibet was behind the curtain and seemed to be within touch. I could see better view when I hiked higher in the mountain. The more fantastic view of the Everest came into my sight.

After hiking three hours and passed through the gentle slope, the last part was steep climb. I needed to stop for breathing for very few steps. I had thought to abort and return. But I had not made the summit in recent trips. It seemed that instead of acclimatization in the past few days, I had weakened my body. However, I must finish it and used almost very once of energy to reach the summit. Although the temperature was about -5oC, I did feel cold as it was sunny and cloudless. I took 360o view of picture in the Kala-pather. The downhill took about 1hr and 30 minutes. I was nearly collapsed when I came back Gorak Shep.

The trek took about 6 hours while it was only 4 hours two days before. However, the weather was excellent and the scenery was stunning. It was worthy of hiking up there again to take the picture.


The longest day

Dzonglha (4830m) > 6hr > Chola Pass (5330m) > 5hr > Thangnag

The guide told me that it was the longest and toughest day. The pass was not easy and its height was 5330m. I did not know the difficulty before the trip. I had already weakened my body in climbing the Kala-pather. I needed to walk 8 hours and arrived at Dzonglha at 4:00 p.m. the day before. Even it was snowing that night, I had a good sleep as I was very tired.

The toilet was outside the tea house. It was freezing cold to go toilet at mid-night. I waked up at 5:20 a.m. and found that the water of my water bottle was frozen. I started at 6:20 a.m.

The first part from Dzonglha to Chola pass was gentle and easy to walk. Although it was only 4800m, I was weak and reluctant to move. But, there was no retreat and I had to move forward. It was a steeper slope later and I needed to cross glacier river. I did not remember how many rests when I walked upward. It was awesome when I looked upward. There were beautiful mountain and glacier but I needed to climb the steep slope, it was more appropriate to use the word "VERTICAL".

My guide waited me at the bottom of the cliff. Well! It was a cliff not a slope. Was it kidding? I came there for trekking, not for rock climbing! I needed to rock climbing at 5000m altitude! The cliff was easy for me in Hong Kong. Now, I just crawled and climbed step by step.
People said that "粒粒皆辛苦"，now it was "步步羅我命".
I needed to cross the glacier after climbing up the cliff. The view of glacier was breathing-taking in the shadow of blue sky. I walked on the moraine at the rim of the glacier. However, I needed to walk across it later. It was crazy to walk on icy surface without crampon. I paid extreme care in every step. The same word was in my mind : "Only forward and no return".

Finally I passed through the risky Chola pass after 6 hours walking at 12:20a.m. I took my lunch at the rim of glacier and took some photos. The descend was not easy one. It was a 70~80 degree screed slope. It took another hour to reach the bottom. When I look forward and upward, my guide told me that we needed to climb the hill and downhill. Ha! It was another hiking up after 7 hours-walking.

Help! Help! Help!

I crawled up to the pass and saw a road sign to Dragnag Friendship Lodge. I could not see the guide at this junction. Someone whistled to me from the valley below. But I could not recognize he was my guide. The time was 3:30 p.m. I read the map and decided to go toward the top of the hill and thought that the direction was correct. I myself arrived at the top at 4:00p.m. I could not meet the guide or see the destination. Anyway, I walked along the trail and found out that it was seldom walked by people. I saw the village Dzonglha (4830m) in the bottom of the valley at 4:30p.m.

However, I checked my altitude was 5100m. It meant that I needed to descend 300m. There was no path to go down and I tried to find a less steep slope to descend. It was already 10 hours walking. The descend was tedious and tiring. I cut back to the right path after an hour. The altitude was 4900m and I thought I could arrive at Dzonglha within an hour. I met my guide after half an hour. He had come from the Dzonglha with bare hand. He just said o.k. Slowly! Slowly! He then turned back himself without helping me to take the backpack!!!

As a rescue procedure, he must take some water and food to me. He also needed to go with me together to the lodge. I was very angry but without strength. Finally, I arrived at the lodge at 6:10 p.m. after 12 hours. I only ate a simple bread and one sticker after breakfast. All my drinking water was only 1.5 litre in the past 12 hours. I was totally exhausted! Dehydrated!

Conclusion

If you were generally fit and had some hiking experience in Hong Kong, you can handle the trekking in Nepal without much difficulty. However, the altitude was needed to concern. I spent most of the time above 4000m. Normally, people would have mountain sickness over 3000m.

The local people were kind to tourist. House keepers were undergone some training in tourism. Most of them could speak good English. The food was reasonably good. The night sky was extremely clear.

The most memorable experience was that I had not taken shower for 12 days and taken an hour-long shower!


17天行程如下:

Day 1 – KTM > 26min > Lukla (2800m) > 5hr>Manjo (2835m)
Day 2 –Manjo > 3.5hr > Namche Bazar (3450m)
Day 3 –Namche Bazar > 5hr > Tengboche (3860m) > 1hr > Deboche (3820m)
Day 4 –Deboche > 6hr > Dingboche ( 4410m)
Day 5 –Dingboche > 3hr > Chhuknung (4243m) > 2 hr > Dingboche
Day 6 –Dingboche > 5 hr > Lobuje (4930m)
Day 7 –Lobuje > 4 hr > Gorakshep (5140m) > 4 hr <> Kalapattar (5545m)
Day 8 –Gorakshep > 6hr <>Everest Base Camp (5364m)
Day 9 – Gorakshep >5hr <> Kalapattar (5545m)
Day 10 - Gorakshep > 7hr > Dzonglha ( 4830m)
Day 11 – Dzonglha (4830m) > 6hr > Chola Pass (5330m) > 5hr > Thangnag
Day 12 – Thangnag(5369m) > 4hr > Gokyo (4790m)
Day 13 - Gokyo > 5hr <> Gokyo Ri ( 5357m) > 3hr > Machherma (4470m)
Day 14 –Machherma > 9hr > Namche Bazar
Day 15 –Namche Bazar > 5hr > Phakding
Day 16 - Phakding > 3hr > Lukla
Day 17 – Lukla > KTM

South America Trip D1~D9

http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2008/Bueno_Aires#
http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2008/Iguazu_fall#
http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/cshum2008/Valdes_Peninsula#

Day 1 Date : 30 Oct 2008 Hong Kong ~ Toronto

I arranged all financial matters in the morning and would take the Air Canada Flight at 3:30 p.m. My luggage was about 20kg. My seat numbers was 27B in the flight AC-12. Although the plane was not a giant one, it was spacious. The air hostess (Hong Kong) was beautiful and the food was delicious. I saw several movies during 14 hours flight. I arrived at Toronto at about 6:00 p.m. local time.

I was surprised that I needed to clear the immigration even in transit. I felt that the airport was very modern or it might not go to modern countries for a lone time. I just ate a Hamburger at $7.99 during the transit time. The final cost was $9 including various taxes.

I had made a firm determination in this trip. Resigning the work! There was three nothing : "No work! No $$! No Girl friend!"

I recalled my first long trip to the United States 20-years ago. It was in the first summer vocation of teaching. I only had about $20,000 saving in the bank. There was no idea of investment as well as no need to bother about finding a companion. I was very excited and happy. I stayed in Youth Hostel at the $US 10 per bed. Now I was no longer young and was already a middle age man. I did not know weather I still had the strength and stamina as in the past 20-years.

勇 ! 勇 ! 勇 ! in front of my heart.

I took the flight AC-92 at 23:55 to Buenos Aires via Santiago.

Day 2 Date : 31 Oct 2008 Toronto ~ Buenos Aires

The plane arrived at Santiago after 8 hours flight. I needed to take off the plane and re-board it after 30 minutes. The plane flied over Andes. The scenery was fascinating. However, my seat was not window and could not take picture. I arrived at Buenos Aires at 5:00 p.m. All gates had HSBC logo. I exchanged $200 US after the immigration that process took only 30 minutes. One peso, Argentina $, was about HK$2.4. I saw a HSBC ATM machine later and drew another $500 using my HSBC card. In fact, I could draw money from any ATM in Argentina.

I brought a bus voucher($45) to the hostel at the counter "Manuel Tienda Leon". The bus took 40 minutes to downtown and changed a taxi to the hostel. I arrived at 7:00 p.m. at the Milhouse Youth Hostel. One bed cost $36(HK$90) and including breakfast. My bed was in a four bed room with locker's space for storing large backpack. It was quite clean. Toilet and shower room were in the common area. Every place was clean and well kept.

I went outside walk after a shower as my normal practice. I took dinner at 8:50p.m. and ordered a steak at $48. It was not better than Cafe De Coral in Hong Kong. I sent email to home and checked bank account when I was back to hostel.

I spent only one hour in B.A. The city was not attractive to me as said in the Lonely Planet. The building was mostly about 6~8 storey height from airport to downtown. I had not lied on bed more than 40 hours and had to sleep at 10:10 p.m.

Day 3 Date : 1 Nov 2008 Buenos Aires ~ Iguaçu Fall

I waked up at 6:30 a.m. and took breakfast at 8:00 a.m. The breakfast had simple bread and tea. I also ate an apple and orange. I called a taxi ($45) to domestic airport and the ride took only 20 minutes. It was surprising the airport was new and modern. The plane took off at 11:00 a.m. and arrived at Iguaçu Fall at 12:50 a.m. Airport($15) to Peter Pan Hostel took about 30 minutes. It was $30 one bed. I had mixed feeling when I wrote my age in the register book as most clients were 20 ~ 30. My age was double the average!

As time was short, I went to Omibus station at 2:00p.m. after check-in. The bus ($4) went to Iguaçu Fall ( Brazil side ). When it crossed the border into Brazil, I needed to change bus($4.5). I arrived the fall at 3:00p.m. The entrance fee was $36. I needed to take shuttle bus to the fall. I started to walk at 3:30 p.m. There was a well-marked trail. The water of the fall was muddy. Although it was a great fall, I did not think it was so grandeur. I could not take good picture as the weather was cloudy. The walk only took an hour.

I came back to hostel at 6:30p.m. and took dinner at "Charo Restaurant". The set menu of steak was $30 only. The steak was unexpected delicious!

Day 4 Date : 2 Nov 2008 Iguaçu Fall

I took a bus ($10) to Iguaçu Fall ( Argentina side ) in the morning. The bus ride was 40 minutes and the entrance fee was $60. The entrance was not as grand as Brazilian side. I walked 15minutes from entrance to Estancian Cataratas in order to take the small train to Garganta Del Diablo. Each compartment consisted of 10 blocks and each block could sit for 8 persons. It was raining all the day. I got off the train after 10 minutes.

I ran to the suspension bridge where I could see the amazing fall! There were various trails to appreciate the fall and the major trails were upper circuit and lower circuit. The feeling was wonderful in the upper trail which was 1.4km long. I was also impressed by the lower circuit (1.3km). The most impressive moment was that I had "0" contact with the fall and was wet from head to toes. As raining and the water level were too high, I could not go to San Martin Island which was more closer to the fall.

I went back to hostel at 2:00p.m. and brought bus ticket to Buenos Aires($155). I booked the hostel in Puerto Madryn on 4 Nov. I took dinner before getting on bus at 7:30 p.m. It was the first time to take long distance in Argentina while I had taken a year ago in Peru. However, this time was more comfortable. The seat of bus was divided into cama-class, semi-class & classic-class. Cama-class liked business in plane and hot meal was served during the trip. My ticket was cama-class and I would get a good sleeping during 17 hours from Iguaçu Fall to Buenos Aires. I slept at 9:00 p.m.

Day 5 Date : 3 Nov 2008 Buenos Aires ~ Puerto Madryn

I waked up at 7:30 a.m. It was a very good 10 hour-sleep. The scenery was not spectacular. It was only grassland, cow and house. Breakfast was served at 10:00 a.m. I arrived at B.A. at 12:00a.m. I asked several bus companies and finally chose "Andesmar" bus ($240) to Puerto Madryn at 18:00 departure. I stored up ($12) my luggage in the bus station.

Now I had 4 hours for the city tour. I had a steak set menu($26). The taste was not good. I went to downtown plaza and took some pictures. I also withdrew $600 (Maximum amount each time. But it could be drawn many times) from HSBC ATM. I took some photo before boarding the bus. I thought the bus station was the largest and there were 75 gates in which 9 gates were international.

Day 6 Date : 4 Nov 2008 Puerto Madryn

The bus came to a check point after breakfast. All passengers were required to take off and luggage was checked. I thought it was unnecessary! I arrived at Puerto Madryn at noon. I walked 10 minutes to Hostel Viajeros. $40 one bed for a night and the room was very small. I had not seen the roommates. I asked about the price ($230) of whale-watching and thought it was not cheap. I went out for getting more information at 2:30p.m. Other company's price were $280 and $325. So I decided to book it through the hostel.

I ate half pizza ( 4 pieces ) + coke as lunch ($19) and strolled in the beach later. The sand was fine and the sea breeze was comfortable. The scenery was very good in the sea shore.

I had asked the bus service to Ushuaia. However, there was no direct bus and I was advised to go to Rio Galleous (15:00 ~ 7:15) and changed bus there (9:00 ~ 22:00) at the price $208 + $150.

I brought some food from the supermarket "VEA". I went outside for leisure walk after dinner and asked the air fare to Ushuaia. It was incredible $1500!! It was surprising that a single flight of just 1 hr would cost $US 500 which was enough to buy a return ticket from HK to London in low season.

I saw my roommates at 10:30p.m. They were two beautiful Switzerland ladies. I had a short talk with them and I was too tired to sleep. I felt that they go outside again and returned at 2:30 a.m.

Day 7 Date : 5 Nov 2008 Puerto Madryn

I wake up at 7:00 a.m. and wanted to take breakfast. However, I was informed that it was 6:00a.m. in the morning. I knew that there was two time zones in Argentina and I slept an hour less. The travel agent picked up me at 7:20 a.m. and two more guests also stayed in the same hostel while the total number was 11 in the tour bus.

We arrived at Puerto Piramide at 9:15 a.m. It was a small whale-watching village consisting a few houses. All passengers were required to wear life jacket on board. The boat was made in USA and it could carry 50 persons. It was towed into the sea. The briefing was firstly in Spanish and secondly in English by a pretty girl.

I saw several seals after 10 minutes' sail. The boat had gone into rough sea after 40 minutes and I could see the first whale and its baby. They appeared just in front of our boat. We followed them for 20 minutes. The boat turned back. I supposed that it was the end and talked with the pretty lady guide.

All of a sudden, I saw some blowing in the far and also saw some whale's tail and they were playing. There were whale from far to close. The captain sailed closely to a large whale. This whale demonstrated a great show to us. Sometimes, it capsized, flicking it tail, flashing water, sideward swimming,,, it liked dancing.

I really felt the grandeur of whale and I had "0" contact them it. I though the largest one had 15 meters. They were called southern right whale. I saw more than 10 whales in the morning and back to shore at 11: 15 a.m.

I went to Punta Cantor after lunch. It was temperature grassland and like a semi-desert within an hour drive. I was some American deer which was similar to Alpaca/Llama in Peru.

I went to look-out point after getting off the bus and saw five killer whale (Orca). However, I could not take good picture as the distance was too far. Moreover, there were more than 10 elephant seals sun-bathing in the shore. It was only a small number. I recalled the memory from the A1-channel that there were hundreds of them in there. Killer whale could come to the shore to catch the seal and towed it into the sea. In addition, the seal would be flown in the air several times before eaten by killer whale.

It took another hour drive to Punta Norte where I could see some seals. I also saw some Magellan penguin on the way to Punta Norte. I went back to hostel at 6:00p.m. The tour covered 500km within 10 hours including the whale watching cruise. The cost was $230 and it was value for money.

I took dinner in Mr. Jone's Resaturant. I ordered a steak ($34) and it was not so good. I had already come there for one week. I was surprised that I had not met any Chinese and see any Chinese restaurant. They main course was steak, pizza and potato. The cost of living standard was high. It was very different from Peru which had many Chinese restaurant.

Day 8 Date : 6 Nov 2008 Puerto Madryn ~ Rio Gallegos

I had no specific sightseeing in the morning as I would take the bus at 3:00 p.m. to Rio Gallegos. I went to the museum ($6 entrance fee) at 10:00 a.m. It had three storeys and the first floor had a very detail description of Orca. Orca caught seal could only find in Punta Cantor and a remote island in India. The museum was small and much lesser than that in Chiu Heung in Sai Kung.

I had a short walk on the beach and brought a take-away pizza ($20) as lunch. I only ate 5 pieces and reserved other for dinner.

I walked to the bus station at 2:15 p.m. and brought one 1.5l water ($6). The bus should be arrived at 3:00 p.m. I got on the bus at 3:45p.m. and decided not to take "Viatac" bus again. The bus was a semi-cama class and it was quite dirty. I could occupy two seats as it was not full. All passengers were taken off the bus after 1.5 hr at Trelew. We waited hopelessly for 30 minutes at the bus station. I thought the bus had went to clean.

The dinner was not good. Now, I was already in the Patagonia. The landscape was boring temperature grassland en route. There was no phone signal once I left the city. However, there was SOS station ( Phone station ) on every 10km in the highway.

Day 9 Date : 7 Nov 2008 Rio Gallegos

I waked up at 5:30 a.m. and saw the road sign that it still had 275km to Rio Gallegos. I thought it was difficult to arrive at Rio Gallegos before 9:00 a.m. in order to connect the bus to Ushuaia. The bus stopped 10 minutes in Puerto Santa Cruz at 6:00 a.m. Finally I arrived at 9:45 a.m. and asked various bus companies in Rio Gallegos. All bus was already left and I needed to go on tomorrow. I brought the bus ticket($150).

I asked the tourist information in the bus station and I was advised to stay in Hostel Cytheria. The dormitory bed cost $40. I walked 15 minutes to the hostel. The hostel was a home stay one and the room was very small. However, it was very clean and tidy. The kitchen was opened for use. I went to supermarket to buy some food for lunch and dinner after shower. The main course was spaghetti with ham and sausage.

I had a very sweet sleep (1.5hr) after lunch and walked to town centre at 3:00 p.m. The street had quite a lot of rubbish. The town centre had a few street only and the price of goods was similar to Hong Kong. I walked until the beach which was muddy one. I saw an exchange shop for the Chilean peso. The rate was $170/$220. The price different was too large! Surprising, I saw a HSBC bank there. It was so kind and nice to see something from Hong Kong. It was pity that it was closed.

I came across a restaurant. Its office hour was 12:00 ~ 15:00 & 19:00~1:00. Normally, the shop office hour was 9:00~1:00 & 17:00 ~ 20:00. It meant that there was at least 3 hour afternoon break which was for lunch and rest. I walked already for 2 hours and the whole down town and found a bakery near the hostel. It was only $1 for one bread and it was also the cheapest food since I came to Argentina.

I came back to hostel at 6:00 p.m. and took a rest till 6:30 a.m. to prepare the dinner (Spaghetti + 3 sausage + 3 ham). It was the fullest meal! I thought it was not too bad to stay a day there. I could cook myself and took a rest after 4000km bus ride.

『塞翁失馬，焉知非福。』