Wednesday March 30th 5pm, Phakding

We've climbed to 2,640m.

We had an amazing flight from Kathmandu to Lukla this morning and set about getting our equipment sorted and loaded on to the yaks. This afternoon, after lunch, we started our long hike to base camp with a four hour climb to Phakding which is at 2,640m. Everyone arrived safe and is doing well.

Our expedition party has grown. It is now 17 Canadian hikers and climbers, with a support staff of 48. The support consists of 2 cooks, 8 kitchen helpers, 25 porters, 5 yak drivers, 7 sherpas, 1 manager and 16 yaks! There are further support people along the route.

As we climbed to Phakding we crossed two raging rivers by swinging bridges, safely and had our first glimpse of the spectacular Himalayas with a distant 21,000 ft peak (Everest is 29,028 ft). We walked through several Nepalese villages where the children came running out shouting “bonbon, bonbon”. The children are happy and cute and very pleased to see us. In fact, all the Nepalese people we have met have been tremendously courteous and friendly.

Temperatures are sliding fast tonight as we bundle up to keep warm. Dinner is being prepared. Tomorrow we continue the climb to Namche Bazar, which will be a long arduous climb after today’s relatively short hike.

I’m pleased to say that the satellite communications are working well. There’s always that moment of doubt when you test it in Ottawa and you worry about the lack of an IT help desk support group when you’re on the other side of the world! So far, so good.

More later.
Terry