Acclimatization Day
Trip Start
Feb 23, 2007
1
7
25
Trip End
Mar 18, 2007
Namche Bazar, Nepal
Friday, March 2, 2007
As there was a lot of guests at the hotel last night and many had already had their acclimitization day we waited until most were almost ready to leave before I had breakfast.
The temperature had dropped overnight and it was cold. There was still a little snow on some of the rooftops but it had almost gone.
We set off out of the village and hiked to the army barracks to see a view of Everest from there. There is a view point near by and as we walk through Namche Bazar an inquisitive yak pokes his head over the wall.His mate is busy eating.( You can tell a thoroughbred yak by its long hair ) These animals only live at the higher altituded and carry large loads.We passed the sub station as we walk which is how they have lights and TV reception in the area. We saw several skinny dogs but not sure if they belonged to anyone. At the view point Everest was hardly visible and we gad had to walk through snow to get there. We visited the exhibition while we were there but decided that as the weather was detereating we would return to the hotel. As we return we pass a crashed helicopter at first glance it looked like a tank but you can just spot the blades. As it crashed and it is impossible to move they appear to have buit a wall around it and left it there.
When we returned to the hotel it had started snow , not large flakes ,powdery snow so we made the decision it would be better to stay in the warm. As there was several sherpas waiting around whilst some recovered and others had not any work yet they set up to playing cards for the remainder of the day. The game appeared to be simular to rummy but they appeared to be playing with three packs at the same time and they were playing for beans.( Its cheaper in the long run than money which they have none to spare.) As I was the only guest who was up and about I was invited into there room so that I could watch them play.
Later the TV was switched to an english football game ( I later found out it was the previous Wednessdays game) and we both started watching it with some of the staff. We had just got to the half time interval when the signal went so I still have no idea what the final resault was.
I wrote a postcard to home and Ashok took it to the post office for me with the young worker from the hotel as he had an erand to run. When they came back although it was still snowing the two young guys from the hotel started playing badmington on the pathway outside the hotel. It was very entertaining as by now the roofs were covered in a layer of snow and the shuttlecock kept landing in the snow on the roof.
As the day passed the snow continued to fall. We had definately made the right decision not to venture too far today as it would be a hard walk tommorrow. It would normaly take about 5 hours but with the snow fall which was unusal at this elevation for the time of the year ( it is almost spring here as well) we do not know how long it will take.
