Tibetan Everest Base Camp - We made it
Trip Start
May 21, 2010
1
6
8
Trip End
Jun 05, 2010
Where I stayed
Tent camp between Rombuk and Everest Base Camp
Everest Region, Himalayan Region, Nepal
Monday, May 31, 2010
After a really cold night and no warm water to shower in the morning we had an early start to drive to Rombuk. We all had our thermals and hiking gear on - I'd already slept in my thermals! (makes me a top candidate for a tent share!)
The Top Gear boys were in good form and off we climbed. First we climbed up to Pang-La, our highest pass of the trip. This is a beautiful place to see the mountains. Absolutely mind blowing and, literally, breath taking.
We had a couple more photo stops on the way and of course a quick Hamster Breakdown. Then around lunchtime we arrived at Rombuk Monastery. The guides then gave us a choice, stay at the Tea House at Rombuk (which Mr Palin described as a hell hole) or stay at the tent camp down the road. We couldn't resist the romance of the tent camp but I think to a man/woman/amphibian we regretted the choice by the next morning but anyway....(who was to say the tea house would have been better I suppose)
There is not much to see at the Monastery. It appears you can't go in. In front of the monastery a Yak very kindly placed himself in a position for me to take a fabulous photo though...
The cars took us to the tent camp where we chose our sleeping accommodation. We had to share and mixed sexes who were not couples had to share. Generally this was OK but it made it a bit uncomfortable for some people, I think.We chose to share with another married couple.
Then we started the walk to Base Camp. We did not take anywhere near enough water with us. My other half was dehydrated with a head ache by the time we were back in the camp. The walk itself is not too strenuous. It is a gentle climb and must be around 7km each way. It may be less from the tent camp. If you do it, take lots of water and remember to lather yourself in sun screen. I burnt my hands because I left my gloves off.
We made it. We had, however, lost the guides en route. They were quicker than us back markers and took a short cut that we couldn't see. It meant we all arrived in dribs and drabs and left in dribs and drabs - some people headed almost straight back. We wanted to savour the moment but bugger was it windy - no wonder people were heading back.
It wasn't climbing season and the moraine in front of the mountain that forms base camp was deserted except for a couple of billy no mate expeditions. Shame!
Also it is basically a military outpost and guards are watching you! There is an ugly block that looks like a public toilet that spoils the view from the marker sign to the mountain but once you climb the little hill at the back (nearly killed me that did!) the view is tremendous.
It was incredibly windy, no surprise really, and we were pretty tired so we didn't hang around for too long! Some people managed to catch the bus back but the guide didn't wait for us so we missed it. We decided to walk back though having taken our photos. Other people in our group waited for the next bus but it didn't pass us on the way back so we did the right thing.
The tent camp is certainly an experience. There is a branch of China Post amongst other things. For quite a lot of money you can buy a certificate and get your passport stamped. For what it was we thought it was a bit pricey (sadly though can no longer remember the price!). Every tent has a little souvenir stall outside as well.
The toilets though go down as the worst thing I have ever encountered in the world and I am ashamed to say that I joined everyone else in going behind the tents. This is what the people who live there do, judging by the mess.
The people who 'ran' our tent were very helpful but it became apparent that we had actually kicked them out of their own accommodation, at least that's what it looked like, especially when a woman and her baby moved in to one of the tents!
The ladies who ran the tent were in and out stocking up the stove with Yak dung! For our evening meal we had our noodles but afterwards wondered about the water! Had it actually boiled at this altitude and where had it come from? Looking at the sanitation issues outside we all lost our appetites. I did manage to keep nipping in and out of the tent to take a photo of sunset, each time I popped out it got colder. Then we retired to our tents. My goodness it was cold. I camp but this is the coldest I have ever been. We stacked up with as many blankets as we could plus our silk inner liners! What didn't help though was as soon as you dropped off you woke up fighting for breath. This is the highest I've tried to sleep at and at around 5200 metres is probably the highest I will ever stay awake most of the night at.
However, It is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that having survived it I am so pleased I did it. I don't think though that I am suited to properly roughing it!!!! The Inca Trail and Kili are probably better off without me...
Scoreboard
Yak count - loads, extra points for the photogenic one at Rombuk, loss of some points for the dung on the fire.
Toilets - minus several thousand. This is damnation without relief.
Breakfast - Nil points, Nil breakfast
Sheer amazement at where we are - 1,295,942
