We have been blessed with the best weather each and every day of this trek. Every day has been sunny or partly cloudy and the rain has only come once in the evening we like the rain because washes the animal dung off the path. This is the reason we have to cover our nose and mouth with our neck buffs when we trek because the dung dries and pulverizes into dust and mixes with the dirt. When it’s very dry on the trail the dust is in the air and it can cause a “Khumbu Cough” which takes weeks to recover from.
The night time temperatures drop below freezing which makes for a chili wake since our rooms have no heat. We packed up our duffels which will be carried by Chirring our porter to the hotel in DeBoche. Chirring is 27 lives in Lukla with his wife and two daughters. He must weigh less than 130 lbs but easily lifts our two 40 lb bags with the ease of a linebacker. Once we launch for the day after a breakfast of eggs and toast and start moving uphill our bodies quickly warm up and we shed layers within 15 minutes. I’m comfortable in short sleeves with Temperatures in the low 60’s because the effort moving uphill keeps me warm.
The trek to Deboche requires a 700 ascent followed by a 1400 descent down to the river and then a 1600 ascent to the village of Tengboche. We stopped for lunch at the river crossing at a tea house and bumped into Heath and Emily from Lincoln NE, who we met on our first night in Phadking.
After a few well earned rest stops as we ascend we are rewarded with a view of a small cell tower, which marks the top of the mountain and the end of the climb for the day.
The Tengboche Monastery is one of the largest in Nepal and sits atop the hill. We paid the entry fee…removed our shoes and entreated the main room where 30 Tibetan and Nepalese monks were chanting to a drumbeat from two 6 ft tall drums hanging in the room at the entrance.
Tengboche Monastery
We were joined by 12 fellow trekkers sitting on pads at the perimeter of the room. The ceremony which has already commenced lasted another 20 minutes.
The trek to our hotel was 20 minutes downhill thankfully and we arrived at the Rivendale hotel.
The rooms were spacious with twin beds with electric heating pads - shower and toilet. Luxurious by most standards on the trail.
Passing a “Stupa”
Today we trekked for Akayla. She told me “Mr. Len your climbing the mountain to honor me and other Hopecam kids like me is so amazing.” Hopecam has saved her a lot of time going back and forth to school to make sure she stays up with her classes by not missing work. She wants to be a pediatric nurse to help kids.