2015 Nepal - Everest Base Camp and Island Peak

Day 6 - Kathmandu - Jiri [244kms]

We left Kathmandu at 6:00am in the morning as the trip was going to take some time, and my driver needed to get the car back before the evening!

We stopped along the way for breakfast, which was bought at a street stall - was some kind of potato which was quite good! And then later on for lunch at another little village - and was my first experience of traditional dahl baht. The food was good, but eating with my hands was not very pleasant!

The drive took eight hours in total and went through many little towns, and hit heights of over 3000m!

We arrived at Jiri after 1:00pm, the town didnt look good. We drove to a small market where my driver asked a few questions before getting back in the car and heading back up the road. Almost every lodge in Jiri had been destroyed by the earthquake, so we were lucky to find one that was still standing. Actually it was still being built, but hadnt been damaged by the earthquake.

I made my driver stay for some tea before he jumped back in the car for the eight hour return journey!

I spoke to the owner of the lodge to discuss getting a guide to take me to Jiri. Of course he had just the person :) Mr Ram turned up some time later and we discussed terms for the week on the road - a total of $200USD was the fee which to me sounded pretty good for the peace of mind of having someone guide me all the way to Lukla. Next time though, I am pretty sure I'd manage to get there myself :)

At dinner I met another hiker that was heading to Lukla, Andrew. I would bump into him many times in the coming week - his story was pretty crazy, but a nice guy. Also some locals there that were happy to talk, and offer help if we needed it.

Finally the walking begins!

Day 7 - JIRI - Deurali [12kms]

We left at about 7:30am, with a light rain falling - not much, but enough to make the ground, and me a little wet! We headed down the main street of Jiri before continuing past the local hospital and on to the dirt road. The trail left the road pretty quickly and we headed along a small track up a steep and slippery hill. There was the occasional sign which reassured me that my guide was taking me in the right direction!

It wasnt long before we started gaining some elevation and the views began to open up all around - they were amazing! We stopped for morning tea at a small tea house, which I would find out in the coming days was run by one of my guides many friends on this trail. The story I was given was that the owner here actually served tea to Sir Edmond Hillary!

As we started heading down hill towards our lunch at Shivalaya, the track started to become very muddy. So muddy in fact that when we went through the town of Mali, there was a bunch of people trying to push a tractor up hill that got stuck in the mud! Mr Ram gave them a hand for a minute before we continued on down the hill.

We eventually made it to Shivalaya for lunch which was a town devastated by the earth quake, but was well and truly coming back to life. We stopped at a brand new timber lodge next to the river - and yes, a friend of Mr Ram. Our friend Andrew caught up with us here too, so we compared notes and ate lunch together.

Shivalaya is also a police checkpoint. So after lunch we had to explain to the police why I didnt have any passes! They were ok with it, and put my name down in the register and gave me the necessary paper work.

From Shivalaya we started heading up hill towards the town of Deurali. It is a very small town on top of a ridge line. It took some time to get there, and once again the track was steep and muddy. Once we reached there it was mid afternoon so Mr Ram decided we would stay here the night. Apparently the next town along had been damaged even more the Deurali so staying here would mean we would get a bed for the night. (we later learned that in Bhandar they had been putting people up in tents as there were no standing lodges left) Again we were lucky to find a friend of Mr Rams, as he opened up his damaged lodge for us to use for the night. We shared a room which was a little odd - especially my first night on the road, but it worked out ok. There were lots of people in the lodges restaurant for dinner, which was a new tin shed built next to the lodge. Even a family with a young child that were planning on spending months on the road with him...wonder how that worked out!

Day 8 - Deurali - Sete [13kms]

I was really looking forward to today because the lodge we were heading to was one of my favorites when I did my planning a year before!

We set off from Deurali with the weather looking great. There was fog in the valley bellow as we head down a steep hill into the town of Bhandar. It was true, the town was devastated. Mr Ram stopped to do some shopping from a market - apparently he needed a mirror! I would have thought some proper shoes were on the list! We were also given a good tip that the main trail was closed due to a land slide so we had to take the old trail out of town. Some of the views this morning have been amazing with crops and animals being farmed along the river side.

We stopped for lunch in Kinja, which once again had been mostly destroyed by the earth quake. While I sat and ate lunch, I watched the locals pretty much tear down a whole building with their bare hands!

From Kinja, we only had a short distance to walk, unfortunately it was all up hill - and we needed to gain over 1km in elevation! It was a really tough walk, the humidity was high and temperature mid twenties so it was really tough. We eventually got to the lodge I was looking forward to, and Andrew was already there! He had showered already and was sitting reading a book and sipping on some very cheap local whiskey!

Shortly after arriving, the weather closed in again and the rain started - I was happy enough with that though as I was already showered myself and settled in for the night.

Day 9 - Sete - Junbesi [11kms]

The morning was still cloudy with a little rain, my clothes from yesterday were still wet but had to go back on - I wasnt ready for change yet! Andrew had been sick all night, drinking too much cheap whiskey so he decided to spend the day here recovering as Mr Ram and I head off for the next town.

I had been struggling with some health issues already, with a sore throat and a numb foot starting to take hold. I was also having back spasms.

I pushed on though and later in the day started to think I was suffering from the altitude only to be told by Mr Ram I was suffering from the cold temperature, get closer to the fire!! This was at lunch time where we stopped at a small house to eat with another of Mr Rams friends and her children. This was just before we topped out at 3500m as we crossed Lamjura Pass. It was tough walk, and still in the clouds. I was definitely feeling the altitude, but was able to keep going slowly. Unfortunately we had no views as we went over the pass as the clouds had settled in for the day.

As we dropped down to the town of Junbesi, the weather started to clear a little which gave us a good view of the town bellow. We stayed in a lovely lodge which amazingly, hosted Sir Edmond Hillary so many years ago!

We also suffered from leeches today - not something I had expected, several got through to my skin but no real harm done.

Day 10 - Junbesi - Nunthala [13kms]

This morning I saw my first snowy peaks. I also saw some planes overhead travelling to Lukla! This gave me great excitement because I knew we were heading in the right direction.

Once again it was still cloudy today. We had to leave early as it was going to be another long day as we headed to Nunthala. We stopped for morning tea at another friend of Mr Ram. This home was quite typical of the area, other than its fan forced cooking fire! Seriously an electric fan blowing air into the base of the fire pit. This was the village of Phurteng and from here it was a slow walk up hill to Ringmu which was quite an ordinary place, cold and damp. We stopped here for lunch at a warm lodge which was very comfortable. We had been trudging through the mud at this stage (I remember reading this in other peoples reports!) and making our way past several donkey trains.

After lunch we continued hill climbing to Taksindu La which was 3100m before starting back down the other side. We had some issues with rain here so we took shelter at a small home, where Mr Ram bought an umbrella! Of course while we sheltered, the donkeys passed us!

We eventually started again, and practically running down the hill past the donkeys - probably not such a safe thing to do but we were running late. We eventually made it to Nunthala which was a lovely town with plenty of lodges. Aptly, we stayed at The Everest again!

We met lots of people today which I would go on to see again in the coming weeks. A german girl Sabine and her Phillipino partner (I see them again in a couple of weeks coming back from EBC) and a couple of french women that pretended very well that my high school french was very good!

Day 11 - Nunthala - Kharicola [7kms]

Finally I get some good news from Mr Ram today - just a short walk today to Kharicola!!

So we set off a little later than normal at 8:30am which was late enough for the weather to clear and to be walking in the sun shine for a change!

We started off heading down hill again through lush forests until we reached the Milk River at the bottom. We stopped here for tea before starting another long and tedious climb. We went through the beautiful town of Jubhing which was lined with beautiful flowers. Arriving at Kharicola shortly after lunch I was happy to sit outside in the sunshine watching the people and donkeys make their way up the hill. Not long after I sat down, Andrew turned up! He had rested a day in Sete, then powered through and caught us up!

The accomadation here was really good, with very comfortable bed, great food and a view from my room right down the valley.

Day 12 - Kharicola - Lukla [15kms]

Today being our final walking day before Lukla, we had to make an early start. The weather was good though, but still a little warm for climbing mountains! The trail today wound around the edge of the mountain and slowly climbed higher. We bumped into many people again, including a new Canadian trekker with his guide that we bumped into at lunch time. He was not very happy, having been attacked by leeches which I tried to help him with.

Eventually we started the long climb up the final hill, marked by a sign to Namche actually, not the expected sign to Lukla! This last hill was the steepest so far, and wet and slipery. I fell a couple of times and once I nearly lost my water bottle as it started rolling back down the track!! Eventually made it to Lukla late in the afternoon. The track into Lukla approaches from the bottom of the runway and takes you up through the local part of town. Mr Ram took me to The Himalayan Lodge which sits behind the airport. Its an old place, very large but run down. I did have a shower in my room, which didnt have any hot water! But I made do with a quick wash before settling in for the night.

I would stay here the next day too, while waiting for Edwin and Kelly to arrive. I was hoping to find a laundry to get my clothes done, but no luck, so a bucket had to do! They did have a line at the lodge so at least things dried out ok.

Lukla is quite an interesting town. Not much going on to to be honest, but lots of people around and small shops. I spent some time in the local Starbucks where I chatted with people that had returned from base camp and other places. The beer was cold and cakes were plentiful!

Day 14 - Lukla - Phakding [6kms]

I was up early and everything packed up ready to go once Edwin and Kelly arrived at Lukla airport. I was really glad to finally have my companions with me for the rest of the trip. They arrived just after 7:00am and we headed back to my hotel to do some re-packing and to have some breakfast. Mr Ram blessed us with prayer flags for good luck before we set off out of town via the police check point at the end of Lukla. Interestingly enough with the paper work they fill out, they want to know what type of camera you have!

Todays walking was so much easier than the last week as it was mostly flat all morning. We passed through some amazing little villages, and the views all around were incredible. There were a few people around now too, but not very busy.

We arrived at Phakding at lunch time, with the sun shining but the air quite cool. We had lunch outside in the sun at the lodge we also choose as our accomodation for the night. This was Edwin and Kellys first night on the road and I am pretty sure they were happy enough with the rooms!

We actually spoke to two strangers here - Steve and Shogo. Over the coming weeks we would all become good friends and spend quite a bit of time together.

After lunch, we dropped our packs and went for a walk out of town. There is a monastery high up above the village which we headed for. We didnt get all the way there, but got to see some amazing lodges and cross the mighty Dhudh Kosi!

Day 15 - Phakding - Namche Bazaar [9kms] [7kms]

We didnt have too far to walk today so there was no need for an early start. We left Phakding around 8:00am and headed back over the Dhudh Kosi and on towards Namche Bazaar. We stopped for lunch in the town of Jorsale with Steve and Shogo before one of my favorite sections of the walk along the river side.

From here the day became more difficult as we had quite a lot of elevation to climb. We also had to cross the very high Hillary suspension bridge which again crosses the Dhudh Kosi river. Once over the brdige, the climb really started, all the way up Namche Hill to the bazaar.

Just as you enter the town of Namche, you have to register at the checkpoint where Edwin had to forage through his pack for our paper work. The guards were happy to hear that we already knew some of the local language.

So then on to Namche Bazaar and we were hunting for a lodge that was actually owned by the sister of the lodge owner at Phakding! She had called ahead for us and lined things up. Namche is an amazing town, lots of streets, lots of people, animals and all sorts of things going on. We eventually found the lodge and settled in for the afternoon.

We spent another day here at Namche Bazaar to acclimatise to this altitude. The recommendation is to gain some elevation then come back down for the night, so off we went in the morning towards the Everest View hotel. Surprisingly, we again bumped into Steve and Shogo with their guide Jami so spent the day walking with them. First off we stopped at the Everest lookout which gave us amazing views down the valley (even though we identified the wrong mountain as Everest!), then off to the Everest View hotel for tea. From here we went to Khumjung which is down a little, and a town that Hillary spent a lot of time in, helping to set up the local school. We had lunch here before heading back up and over the ridge which was now shrouded in cloud, and then back on to Namche Bazaar.

Our lodge had an amazing shower, which was so good at the end of the day before a wonderful dinner of spaghetti in the common dining room. All lodges had these common dining areas which were great, bringing people together at the end of the day.

Day 17 - Namche Bazaar - Tengboche [7kms]

After resting in Namche Bazaar, it was soon time to hit the road again. The first part of the day we lost some altitude as we dropped down to the village of Phunke Tenga. This was a great spot for lunch next to the river. Food as always was delicious and filling. Quite a busy spot though as people all build up their strength here for the climb up to Tengboche, which is the site of a huge monastery. During lunch we saw what we assumed was a very important monk, riding a horse over the river bridge. Assumption was that he was heading up to Tengboche monastery.

After lunch we started the slow climb up the hill. It was very long and tiring, and gained about 600m in elevation! Once at the top there was a choice of a couple of lodges, both with plenty of room. Some people would continue on to the next village which was about 30 minutes further on. We chose to stay here.

We spent some time investigating the monastery, and also the bakery which was selling some chocolate treats.

At dinner, we saw a few familiar faces again including the german guys heading out to Island Peak, and the two thai girls, one of which was not looking well! We would continue to bump into these girls that were attempting two of the three famous passes (leaving out Kongma La).

We survived another day though, and looking outside, the skies were full of amazing stars so once again we were preparing for a cold night!

Day 18 - Tengboche - Dingboche [9kms] [4kms]

We travelled with Steve and Shogo again today as we were both heading to Dingboche for the night. There are a couple of small villages with accomodation not far down the track, the towns of Deboche and Pangboche. We stopped at the town of Somare for an early lunch at another amazing lodge. The views here were spectacular up and down the valley.

We were prepared for another hard afternoon as the trail turned up again after lunch. But we were not disappointed with the views along this section. It was an area of amazing meadows with wild flowers and Yaks grazing all around - very beautiful. We arrived in Dingboche early in the afternoon and set off looking for our lodge. We needed to stay at the Good Luck lodge here as we were planning on making contact with our Island Peak guide from here.

The town is very odd in its planning. There is a main trail through the middle of the town, but our lodge was over on the other side of a bunch of paddocks, divided by stone walls. We had to climb the walls to get to our lodge! Once there though, the lodge was great - they had the solar heaters outside boiling water, and a great shower which we made use of later.

After we set down our bags, we managed to find another bakery for some treats. This one had large glass windows, and sitting inside with the sun beating down on us was somewhat like an oven!

Another acclimatisation day was spent here. We got up in the morning, met up with the boys and took off up the hill at the back of the town - the peak of Nangkar Tshang, and our first 5000m peak!

This peak was the first real challenge that I had not done well at. It was so difficult to climb with the thin air, that I really started to doubt my chance of making Island Peak. We did eventually make it to the viewing spot (which is not quite at the peak) where we were treated to amazing views - including of Island Peak!

After heading back down the hill to the lodge, I started feeling much better. Very luckily for Kelly, she dropped her iPhone over the edge of the mountain but Jami went above and beyond to clamber down the cliff face to recover it! Much less damage than you would expect though, but next time keep the phone safe.

Our rest day had coincided with the running of the annual Everest Marathon! Yes they run a marathon here every year from Everest Base Camp down to Namche Bazaar. Amazingly, one of the guides we had been bumping into ran in it, but not only that, after the race he ran back to the lodge here in Dingboche to continue his guide duties. He ran a DOUBLE marathon, at altitude! Apparently he did well too, top 5 finish I believe. Amazing.

Day 20 - Dingboche - Lobuche [7kms]

After our rest day here, we were keen to keep moving up the mountain so we tried to leave early today. A slight delay as I realised I still had my room key in my pocket so it was my turn to run down the hill before we finally got away. The section of track here was amazing. It was very open, with fields of Yaks, old homes, and views of mountains in all directions. It was also getting busy here as this is one of the more common trails to base camp.

We stopped in Dughla for an early lunch, as we needed plenty of energy for the next section which was Thokla Pass. The pass is where the climbers memorial is, but before you get there you have to climb the 400m of elevation. Once at the top, its quite a humbling experience with so many memorials for so many lost climbers. The memorials included one for Scott Fisher whom I'd been reading about this whole trip. You can see why this spot has been selected for the memorial, it has one of the best views in the whole valley.

Once through Thokla Pass we spent some time walking on the rubble ridge created by the ever moving Kumbu glacier. The trail slowly winds its way up the valley towards Everest. We were stopping at Lobuche for the night, which is an odd little village of several lodges. There is some space out the front where it appears some people pitch tents! We spoke with some other hikers here that had just returned from base camp, they appeared to be a little frazzled, perhaps some altitude sickness setting in. They weren't sure where they were going for the night either...

Day 21 - Lobuche - Everest Base Camp [10kms]

Today was our big day. So we were up bright an early, with the temperature quite low but the sun was out and warming things up nicely. There was more of the scrambling type trail again this morning as we made our way to Gorak Shep. The trail crossed several small rivers which were created by melting glaciers. We arrived at Gorak Shep at 10:30am where we found some lodgings, and settled in for some lunch. This was a much bigger village than Lobuche with a couple of very large lodges and a huge flat area in between them.

After lunch, we packed a light pack and headed off for Everest Base Camp!

The trail was more of the same, but was much more exciting knowing that we were walking along side the Khumbu Glacier on our way to Everest Base Camp. We had great views here too, of the glacier as well as the surrounding mountains.

The trail eventually turns out onto the glacier itself. The track is dirty, as is most of the glacier which is affected by the rubble that the ice churns up. Walking on the surface was a little slippery in places, and you could also hear the cracking of ice occasionally!

We were so lucky when we arrived at Base Camp as the weather was perfect, and there was only a few other people here. It was 2:00pm in the afternoon so we had plenty of time to sit and take it all in, snap plenty of photos and enjoy the moment. The views were still pretty good, although you cant see Everest, you can still see many other peaks around and also the Khumbu glacier and Khumbu icefall.

Once our time here was done, it was time to turn around and head back to Gorak Shep for a well earned feed, and a good rest.

Later in the evening while we were having dinner, there was a party that was moving through the village. It appeared as though they had been helping to bring another hiker down from altitude that was suffering even worse from the altitude - just goes to show that you have to be so careful. We were all doing well though, nothing more than fatigue really.

Day 22 - Gorak Shep - Dhugla [11kms]

One of the many traditions of the base camp trail, is to also climb up Kalar Phattar which is a 5600m peak at the back of Gorak Shep, which provides great views of Mount Everest. Many people do this really early in the morning to capture the sun rising behind Everest - we were not that keen so decided to have breakfast first before heading out. The boys were touch and go with illness this morning, but eventually we headed out to Kalar Phattar together. It was yet another challenge for us, because this was the highest elevation we had reached so far on the trip (still 600m shorter than Island Peak!). We all struggled a bit, but by taking it slow with plenty of breaks, we all made it to the top which was covered in prayer flags. And yes the views were pretty amazing here, not just of Everest, but of the whole valley.

After our morning adventure, we had lunch at Gorak Shep before packing up again and heading down hill for a change. We stopped first at Lobuche, where I was feeling particularly spent. The last couple of days had taken their toll and I was really just running on fumes at this point. We all had a discussion on what we would do next, and we decided to keep going to Dhugla which shouldn't take too long, since it was all down hill!

And sure enough, we did make it to Dhugla. The views when walking the opposite direction were still amazing. And coming up to the climbers memorial was a real high point for me today.

Eventually we made it to Dhugla where I bumped into Sabina and her boyfriend again. They had a few sickness days earlier in their trip but are going strong now. Unfortunately it was Edwins turn to fall ill tonight, with a nasty stomach bug which came on suddenly.

We sat in the lodge circling the fire in the middle of the room - which was being fed with bricks of Yak Poo!! Some of us shared storries, some of us just listened, others (me) didn't have energy to speak or to listen!! Despite its rustic look from the outside, this lodge was very comfortable tonight.

Day 23 - Dhugla - Chhukhung [8kms]

Today would be a sad day, as we would be farewelling our friends Steve, Shogo and Jami on the trail today. We head off from Dhugla at around 9:00am, and cross the river and back on the familiar trail towards Dingboche. Part way along the trail we said our goodbyes as the boys turned down the hill and we turned up the hill to go around Dingboche towards Chhukhung.

We had been walking quite a while this morning without too many places to stop, and the weather was a little ordinary, cold and windy. Eventually we found what appeared to be a tea house so we stopped outside, sat down and ordered some tea and dhal bhat for lunch. Our tea came out quickly, and after a while, feeling very hungry I went inside to see what was happening with the food. Turns out something got lost in translation - this tea house only makes tea! Not much we could do but pick up our packs and continue up the hill.

As it turns out, Chhukhung was only another 30 minutes up the hill. The main lodge there is amazing! Easily the biggest lodge we had seen so far, and also the best finished. It had a huge dinning room with polished wood floors, and amazing furniture.

Our rooms were also great, with views out towards the mountain range, and not too far from the toilet!

Food here was great and we chatted with some other guests that had travelled here via Kongma La.

I was still doubting my ability to climb Island Peak after the experience I had gained so far on the trip. Fortunately we have a rest day here (a real rest day), which will give me time to build up some confidence.

We managed to do some laundry on our rest day, although the water we used was so cold it hurt our hands! But we did need to get some clothes clean. We spent the rest of the day just wandering around the lodge until it was time to start prep work for our climb. At the lodge, we organised climbing boots, cramp ons and ice axes! This was getting real!!

In the evening, our guide Dillip turned up and we were introduced. His english was fine, and he briefed us on what to expect before he headed off to bed. And with only one more real sleep before we summit the peak, it was time for us to sleep too. I was feeling a little more confident tonight, after my body had a chance to gain some more strength.

Day 25 - Chhukhung - Island Peak Base Camp [6kms]

Early the next day, we all set off for Island Peak Base Camp. Dillip was not a big talker, so we all just followed along in silence. The views were amazing again, mountains on all sides, rivers to cross, rocky outcrops, this morning had everything! We eventually spotted base camp, as we clambered onto the ridge of a glacier wall.

The camp was made up of dozens of small yellow tents and another large central tent they used for meals. We were shown around the camp, assigned tents, and then went back to the meal tent for lunch. As we had arrived, a group of climbers had just returned from their summit day. They were all fit and strong young men, but all looked totally spent!! We chatted with them for a while as they recovered from their experience, and we were able to get a really good idea of what to expect.

After lunch we went back to our tents for some rest, just as the snow started! And just as the snow got to its strongest, Dillip got us up from our tents to start our climber training! We had to learn how to use the climbing device, and how to hook/unhook from the safety line. We practiced climbing up a small hill next to camp, tied off to a large rock. We spent an hour training before heading back to our tents again.

Later in the afternoon, we were up for our last meal before retiring to our tents again to try and sleep before our big night ahead.

Day 26 - Island Peak - Chhukhung [12kms]

We were woken by Dillip just after midnight - I had slept better than I expected. We rose quickly and headed to the meals tent for some breakfast before strapping on our boots and heading out of camp.

It was after 1:00am before we set off, and there was still some snow falling. Not far down the valley we found another base camp team that were preparing to leave. It was still very dark, so all we could see was illuminated by our head lamps - and then the trail turned up the hill.

At 3:00am, we stopped at High Camp so that Edwin could have a toilet break. At this point, Kelly and I were really starting to feel the cold on our extremities - fingers and toes were all screaming out in pain, but we had to keep going. The trail was very rocky, and even in the dark we still had to do some scrambling to keep moving up.

One of the greatest feelings of the climb was when we started to see the first faint glows of the sun as it started to rise behind us. Shortly after the sky started to light up, we hit the snow line. This is where we stopped to strap on the cramp ons, and start preparing for the last leg of this amazing journey. I remember at this point feeling particularly uncomfortable - my thoughts were not working too well, and I ended up deciding to leave my pack and everything in it, here at the snow line. Dillip decided he would carry my camera for me, and my water for which I was very grateful.

We were still climbing alongside the other group of climbers as we walked out onto the snow. The skies had cleared too, so there was nothing but blue above us, and nothing but white snow beneath our feet. The walk from here was amazing, we were tied together on a rope to help prevent one of us disappearing down a cravas! Seriously though, there were crevasses all around us! Walking on the snow wasn't too hard, and we got to stab the ice axe in the ground to help with our balance. The track was quite well trodden, so easy to follow. Before long, the incredible sight of the ice wall came into view!

We could see the first of the mornings climbers already coming down the ice wall - they looked like tiny ants! I was struggling at this stage, partly because we were at nearly 6000m, but also because we had been going non-stop for about 7 hours! We reached the base of the ice wall at 8:00am. It wasn't long before we started the climb, I went first, with a guy from the other group right behind me, Mark. The climb was slow, because, well we were now over 6000m above sea level and breathing was getting difficult! Mark and I would stop and chat along the way, then turn and look at those below us getting ready to start their ascent. We eventually got to the ridge line, where Dillip was there to help us switch to the next safety rope. And again, Dillip pointed up the ridge and told me to go - this section was definitely single file so it looked like I was going to be the first to the summit!

The ridge climb was particularly stressful. The ridge was less than a metre wide, with a drop off both sides which would have ended in certain death. But slowly I managed to make my way up the ridge, and finally, at about 9:30am I made the summit!

The summit area was quite large, so eventually we had about 14 people up there. I was lucky being the first there that I managed to get some photos (from the gopro in my pocket) from the top without it being filled with people. I was also lucky that Dillip had been taking plenty of amazing photos for me, and of me.

We spent twenty or so minutes here celebrating our amazing achievements before the weather started to close in, so we turned around and started the descent. Turns out my brain wasn't working too well at this stage and I really struggled with the ridge line, going backwards. Eventually Dillip tied me off directly to him to prevent a disaster, and then helped me to the end of the ridge. It was here that we then sat for what seemed hours - the other group was ahead of us and taking quite some time to descend the ropes. Cant rush people in this situation though - its a tough climb, so we waited it out.

Eventually we made it to the bottom, tired and cold, and then started the traverse back to the snow line. This is where things again turned a little difficult. Dillip wanted to wait from some equipment of his that another group was using, so he just pointed down the hill, told us to go! Well I can tell you that climb back down the mountain was just as hard, if not harder than the climb up it! We were also not sure if we were going the right way some of the time! Eventually Dillip did catch us up, and then he led us back to base camp safely around 3:00pm.

I was suffering from severe fatigue at this stage, and a nasty migraine - I dont think it was just altitude, but more of such a strenuous day and probably some serious dehydration. So I went straight to my tent for some sleep. Unfortunately before the sleep could help, I was woken up as we needed to eat, pack and start walking back to Chhukhung! Yes thats right, no time to rest, we had to make the trek back to town.

We left base camp around 4:00pm, and I still don't know how I made it, but eventually, as the sun was setting, we made it back to Chhukhung at 6:20pm, in the dark! The friendly faces of the staff at the lodge were a pleasure to see, and I think they were also glad to see that we succeeded in our challenge!

And then we slept.

Day 27 - Chhukhung - Deboche [13kms]

With the highs of our trip behind us, we now had the long trek back to Lukla to complete. We started off from Chhukhung about 9:00am. Fortunately much of the morning we were headed down hill. We stopped at the lovely bakery in Dingboche for morning tea, where they were having some sort of smoking festival. There was juniper branches smoking all through the village - amazing really.

After morning tea we continued on to Somare for lunch. The weather had started to turn at this stage though with the first few drops of rain forcing us to eat lunch inside - which I think is one of the first times this has happened on this amazing journey! After lunch, we bumped into Mark and the rest of his group from Island Peak. Their team had been able to stay at base camp for another night, so they had come from there this morning. A little further to walk, but I think it would have been so much more comfortable to have another night in a tent.

We ended up all staying at the same lodge, a place called Paradise Lodge. It was the first time we had stayed somewhere that was so busy - and this place most definitely did NOT live up to its name! Probably the worst lodge we had stayed in on this trip with the rooms being dark and damp. The dinning room was also packed full in the evening, we were almost lucky to get a seat! And because everyone (not us) wanted batteries charged up, not long into the evening the power system overloaded and all the lights went out!

I had been suffering from a chest infection for several days now, and finally started a course of antibiotics which had got me feeling much better - or was it the drop in altitude? Either way, I was feeling pretty good right now, especially when thinking back on what we had achieved.

Day 28 - Deboche - Namche Bazaar [8kms]

From our Paradise Lodge, it was just a short walk up the hill to the village of Tengboche which is where we stayed on the way through. On the other side of Tengboche is a long descent down to the Milk River. We stopped at the bottom where a bakery had tempted us previously with their large baked produce. I had a huge apple strudel which tasted great - unfortunately it didn't sit well in my stomach and I felt unwell for most of the day!

Before getting to Namche Bazaar, we were stopped on the track by a herd of Musk Deer. Apparently they are quite rare these days so we were very lucky to see them. We spent some time watching them and taking photos before continuing on to Namche. It was great to again arrive at a familiar place. We got a room at the same lodge and then started to walk the streets, before ending up at another bakery! It was time to sit back again now and absorb our success. We bumped into Mark and his group again!

We had another rest day here, more about using up our extra travel days so that we didn't spend too long in Lukla - Namche is a much nicer place to spend time. We again spent some time in the local bakeries, one of which was showing a movie on the Sherpas of Everest. We later wandered down to the local museum which contains many photos and newspaper articles on the Everest region.

Day 30 - Namche Bazaar - Phakding [10kms]

After leaving Namche behind us, the trail began to get very busy. Not just with people, but also lots of yokyo too. And add the mud and the steep track out of Namche, this morning was a tough one. We eventually stopped at a very small village named Toktok. There wasn't much here, but of course there are always tea houses that are willing to serve up tea and dahl baht. This place was cooking up food so fresh that we saw the cook picking vegetables out of the garden to cook for us!

We pushed on though and finally got to Phakding. We made the call to try out a different lodge this time, so we checked into the very large Shangrila which was just across the road from where we stayed on the way through. This place was pretty big, rooms were big, stairs were big, everything was big - but I think we were the only ones here! Very strange at dinner too, some guy trying to get information out of us which didn't seem to be appropriate.

Day 31 - Phakding - Lukla [6kms]

Our last day on the trail, and we didn't waste any time getting back to Lukla! The pace was probably a little fast for me as I was still recovering from illness. But we pushed on to Lukla before lunch. I decided to sit and rest at Starbucks while Edwin and Kelly went looking for some accomodation. They found a room at The North Face lodge, which was another large premises, with just us in it! The rooms were great though, with views down the valley. We even decided to splurge on our last night, and get rooms with an ensuite!

Unfortunately there was still work to be done today as Edwin needed to get his plane ticket replaced so that we could all fly out together tomorrow morning. This turned out to be more difficult than expected, without your paper ticket there is no record of you being on the plane - unlikely, but that was their story. In the end, Edwin got onto Shanker who spoke to them on the phone and told us to just turn up at the airport, he will sort things out. Of course that left us with no confidence at all!

Day 32 - Lukla - Kathmandu [140kms]

We set off for the airport nice and early, with the uncertainty of Edwins ticket still hanging over us. There isn't much in the way of organisation at the airport, so we were not really sure where to be. We eventually sorted things out though, and to our relief, they had a ticket for Edwin. From there it was into the holding room, before being ushered onto the runway, and onto the plane.

The flight was amazing. Dropping off the end of the runway with those amazing views was definitely something I will never forget. Would be nice if they had windows that were easier to see through, but even so, the views were incredible.

We landed in Kathmandu, and the heat immediately hit us - much hotter here than in the mountains. We then located a taxi to take us back to Kathmandu Home Hotel. Manesh was very happy to see us all arrive safely, and I think he was especially impressed by my success!

Day 33 - Kathmandu [9kms]

We had a couple of days to kill here before our flights to leave the country. We spent the time wandering the streets of Thamel, resting, showering and generally taking it easy.

Edwins mothers friend took us out for dinner one night which was great. And we also took the long walk into Patan on one day. The walk was a long way, but we got to see a different side of the city. Patan was amazing though, with lots of tourists, but also lots of history and herritage of the old city.

Day 35 - Home [9800kms]

And finally, after 35 days, it is time to leave Nepal and head back to my normal life.

Although the drama was not yet totally over. There was a fuel strike at the moment which was restricting taxi movements. It was also restricting refuelling of aircraft at the airport! This meant our initial leg to Singapore was interrupted by a detour to Calcutta to refuel! Wow, is that city polluted!

I also said goodbye to Edwin and Kelly at Singapore as they were spending a few days here with Edwins family.

I eventually arrived back in Sydney and then endured the long train trip home, and my final walk from the station to home.

An amazing journey that I will never forget. I know I will make it back to Nepal, just counting down the days until this can happen again.

2015-10-22 10:09:41 TOUCH DOWN SYDNEY!

2015-10-21 21:57:35 As bad as it sounds, my first meal out of Nepal is Burger King. Great big beef Burger :)

2015-10-21 11:08:00 At the airport checking in and my bag is finally heavier than Edwins!

2015-10-21 06:59:04 It's home time today finally. Heading to Singapore after lunch, with a stop at Bangladesh for fuel due to the border protests blocking fuel from coming into Nepal.

2015-10-20 11:49:02 Patan is quite special, been around the museum and now relaxing at the beautiful cafe.

2015-10-20 08:25:36 Feeling good today so we are planning on walking to Patan today to check it out.

2015-10-19 14:33:31 Taking it easy in Kathmandu now our trip is over. Going to need some time to regain my strength!

2015-10-18 09:31:44 Finally made it back to the hotel in Thamel safely.

2015-10-18 09:05:54 Landed safely :)

2015-10-18 07:45:56 Tickets are sorted out, now waiting at gate - which smells like a toilet - not sure what flight we are on yet, all going on Nepali time!

2015-10-18 06:48:08 Weather looks good, just need to sort out tickets and we are Kathmandu bound!

2015-10-17 11:49:18 Made it to Lukla safely. Weather is good again and should be ok tomorrow morning for our flight to Kathmandu.

2015-10-17 08:31:55 Final day of walking today up the hill to Lukla

2015-10-16 14:43:23 End of day at Phakding. Staying at the Shangrila lodge

2015-10-16 12:27:49 Stopped for lunch at Toktok. Been a hard slog today with so many people and animals on the trail.

2015-10-16 08:18:39 Bye bye Namche

2015-10-15 09:27:58 Rest day today at Namche

2015-10-14 16:55:16 Made it to Namche today with a highlight of a herd of musk deer on the trail

2015-10-14 10:18:31 Dropped down to the Milk River so time for baked goods. Then up the hill to Namche

2015-10-14 08:29:57 Not the best lodge ever but now off to Namche

2015-10-13 15:50:55 End of day here in Debuche

2015-10-13 11:53:45 Recovered from yesterdays triumph enough to start our slow walk back to Lukla

2015-10-12 18:18:18 And now finally back at Chhukhung

2015-10-12 14:57:58 Finally made it back to camp. What a big day

2015-10-12 09:29:46 Summit finally so hard

2015-10-12 07:57:40 Almost there waiting our turn to scale the ice wall

2015-10-12 03:07:52 High Camp 5420m. Snow stopped and stars are out. Currently -4 degrees

2015-10-12 01:22:10 Off we go! Still snowing

2015-10-11 18:14:53 Completed our training during the snow storm. Permit stamped by official. Now waiting for 11pm wakeup call!!

2015-10-11 13:13:02 Just finished talking to some guys fresh from summiting, they were shattered! Then the snow started

2015-10-11 11:31:29 At base camp. Our home for about 14 hours before we start our push for the summit at 1am

2015-10-11 08:37:21 Our Island Peak adventure starts today as we set out for base camp with our trusty guide Dilip.

2015-10-10 09:29:33 Resting here in chhukhung at the beautiful chhukhung resort, for $2 per night!

2015-10-09 16:31:03 Finally made it to Chhukhung. Beautiful lodge where we hope to have a rest day to build up some energy for the summit day

2015-10-09 10:09:49 On the road to Chhukhung to start our island peak adventure

2015-10-08 14:53:19 Plan change Kongma La not passable so going on to Dhugla

2015-10-08 10:00:39 Kala pattar - 5500m. Tough walk. We all made it, all hurting except Edwin

2015-10-08 07:11:55 The boys are suffering a bit of altitude sickness this morning, but the rest of us are heading up Kala Patthar - wait - Steve is now good to go!

2015-10-07 16:45:39 Big day today from Lobuche to Gorak Shep and then on to EVEREST BASE CAMP! Now returned to Gorak Shep for the night exhausted

2015-10-07 14:04:49 Everest Base Camp people!

2015-10-07 06:57:06 Today is the day we attack Everest Base Camp. Quite cold to start the day but clear skies will warm things up soon enough

2015-10-06 15:12:24 Made it to Lobuche okay. More primative here but warm and clean

2015-10-06 13:14:49 What an amazing view from Thokla pass. On top of the world 4820m

2015-10-06 11:07:43 Beautiful walk with Edwin and Kelly today on our way to Lobuche.

2015-10-06 06:26:56 Time to move on from Dingboche today and up the Khumbu valley to Lobuche.

2015-10-05 12:05:07 We climed part way up Nangkar Tshang - 5083m. Hardest thing i have ever done.

2015-10-05 07:04:18 Cold night here at last I have had to put on a second jacket! Rest day today coinciding with the everest marathon!

2015-10-04 15:06:12 We all made it to Dingboche safely. Very big town with unusual use of boundary walls

2015-10-04 11:56:33 OMG! What an amazing walk so far today. Best morning so far with views in all directions. Lunch now at Shomare - 4040m

2015-10-04 10:13:59 All doing well most amazing views all morning 3800m

2015-10-04 08:31:52 Amazing everest views this morning. Now heading off with Edwin and Kelly in perfect conditions

2015-10-03 20:16:04 Finished dinner with Kelly and Edwin, we are all doing well. Looking outside the stars are out!

2015-10-03 16:01:20 Hard work getting to Tengboche and there is not much here! Also starting to feel colder here.

2015-10-03 11:41:39 Our rest day at namche is over. Now on the road to Tengboche. Just a 600m clim to do after early lunch.

2015-10-02 13:28:41 Amazing morning climbed to the top of Namche and were blessed with views of Everest!

2015-10-02 06:52:21 Woke up to spectacular views here in Namche Bazaar. Snow peaks all around and 1000m high waterfalls.

2015-10-01 16:28:41 Made it to namche bazaar. What an amazing place

2015-10-01 12:00:01 Passing through the gates into the sagarmatha national park

2015-10-01 06:29:04 First day walking with Edwin and Kelly got us to the beautiful village of Phakding. Slowly acclimatizing we are off to Namche today. Weather good.

2015-09-30 07:51:48 Remaining members of our party arrived safely, just going to have some breakfast before hitting the trail.

2015-09-30 06:37:39 Edwin and Kelly are about to hop onto the plane to Lukla. I'm lacked and ready to hit the road. We decided to set off to Phakding a day ahead of schedule. Skies are clear, peaks are white, let the next phase begin!

2015-09-29 17:03:57 Not much going on today, did my laundry and wandered around town. Chatted with some Aussie trekkers back from EBC while relaxing at Starbucks :)

2015-09-28 17:56:21 Finally made it to Lukla! Need a hot shower before doing anything else :)

2015-09-28 07:56:04 Early start today try and make it too Lukla!

2015-09-27 14:28:43 Short day today stopped attack Kharicola for lunch and the night. Lovely lodge with views along the valley

2015-09-27 10:22:23 Leaving late today avoided the rain but not the heat and humidity.

2015-09-27 07:17:03 A long day yesterday in the wet but we finally made it to Nunthala.

2015-09-26 08:08:58 With clear skies i have my first glimpse of snow covered peaks!

2015-09-26 06:01:27 Spent the night at the Sherpa village of Junbesi. Beautiful place with views up the valley. Off to Nunthala today, more climbing!

2015-09-25 12:26:48 Lamjura pass 3500m and i felt every one

2015-09-24 17:24:10 What a tough walk today. Lost altitude then gained it again, and now staying at the most excellent lodge in sete. And the rain has just started.

2015-09-24 13:02:31 Very tough morning dropping down to kinja. Now just a lazy 1.2Km vertical climb for the afternoon!

2015-09-24 11:16:56 Safe night in deurali. Made it down to the river now need legs to stop shaking

2015-09-23 12:12:12 What an amazing morning walk to shivalya. Now having lunch at tea house

2015-09-23 07:30:31 From Everest Hotel, to Everest Base Camp, I declare the walk has begun!

2015-09-22 14:26:04 Made it to jiri, only two lodges still standing . Raining heavily.

2015-09-22 09:57:21 on the road to Jiri now higher than any point in Australia! And still climbing!

2015-09-22 06:02:52 Leaving Kathmandu shortly for the start of my walking adventure from Jiri to Lukla.

2015-09-21 17:39:01 organised private car to get me to Jiri as buses are not so good these days. Guide getting permits failed for me so hope to get them at the checkpoint on the road to Jiri. 6am start tomorrow for the long drive to where I finally start to walk :)

2015-09-20 16:11:44 Been a tough couple of days here in Kathmandu. Difficult getting bus to Jiri so I have the hotel driver take me. Been very hot, lots of people out to fleece you - beware of anyone that talks to you! And to top it off, I got the trots last night. Hopefully things can get much better :) the adventure has started!

2015-09-19 07:00:53 Spent my first night in kathmandu - takes a bit getting used to, but today I feel more up to the challenge :)

2015-09-18 13:40:42 Made it finally to my hotel - its hot and smelly here but people are friendly hotel is clean.

2015-09-18 04:47:46 After a long wait, I only have three more hours in Singapore! Next stop Kathmandu.

2015-09-17 17:16:07 Good flight to Singapore. Full plane though. Watched a couple of movies and started reading my Everest book. Sorry for Instagram messing things up - not much I can do from here.

2015-09-17 08:33:28 All checked in, heading through customs and then the wait begins :)