Trekking to Thame
The next morning we started out for Thame still uphill, to Shyangboche and the Hotel Everest View. The Everest View is the highest located hotel in the world and commands a spectacular view of Mt. Everest. Every room in the hotel has oxygen (which is needed if you fly directly here) along with panoramic views of Everest and other peaks including Ama Dablam (this was the mountain that knocked my socks off earlier).
Many Japanese tourists fly in and out of Shyangboche where the Hotel has a private landing strip. They arrive either by small plane or helicopter, and then walk 45-minutes to the Everest View. We were fortunate that this day was sunny and bright with no clouds around Everest or any of the Himalayas. Great opportunities for photos and absorbing the fact that here we were...really standing here...looking at Everest. (Truthfully, Everest isn't half as dramatic or beautiful as Ama Damblam and the other Himalayas surrounding us. Visit and decide for yourself.)
After spending about an hour on the Everest View terrace drinking coffee and tea, it was uphill again on the moderately easy and pleasant trail to Thame. Thame is the last outpost on the ancient trading route over the Nangpa La Pass between Tibet and Nepal, and some trekkers do a roundtrip day hike from Namche Bazaar. We were going to spend the night camping at Thame before heading to Khumjung.
porter carrying cases of Coke on the trail
The trail ran along the Bhote Kosi River and was brightened by masses of differently colored Rhododendrons in bloom. White, pink, red...I had never seen anything like that before...and every stream we crossed also had multi-colored prayer flags blowing in the wind. Especially dramatic against the grey stones, blue sky and snow-capped mountains.
Pink Rhododendrons
ex-Marine was getting more and more nauseous with each step. Whenever we stopped, he'd just lie down along the road, in the house we had lunch at, and drink Cokes when villages sold them. (For some reason, Cokes always seem to settle his stomach.) And then, he'd get back on his feet and keep going...what a trooper. Sanjeev and I had come to the conclusion that he wasn't at risk for cerebal or pulmonary edemas...no headaches...lungs gurgling or other signs....just nauseous otherwise we would have evacuated by helicopter.
kids at our rest stop
One more steep incline and the remote village of Thame, at 12,500'.
Welcome
A beautiful camp site, a good night sleep... and we awoke the next morning to find snow on the ground and all over our tents. As soon as the sun came out, it melted quickly. ...View image... We were heading uphill to visit small, Thame Monastery at 13,000'.
