Everest K2 Kangchenjunga and other Peaks

Section 1 The Arun Valley
31st March 1998. Yesterday on tour round Kathmandu in the morning. It rained almost all day but only lightly. We saw a funeral on the burning Ghats at Patupatinash, visited the great Stupa at Bodnath and had a look round Bhaktipur. Kathmandu is extremely chaotic and filthy. Sue narrowly missed a rubbish dump from an upper floor window onto the street; it all lends atmosphere. We are all ready to be off to Tumlingtar now and the weather is fine. Boots still a little iffy.	Bhaktipur
1st April 1998. We had a terrific flight to Tumlingtar. I had the best seat on the plane on the left side window facing the mountains. Flying at 10000 feet and I got some good video shots of Everest and her companions. As we came in to land I noticed the pilots consult the manual, despite this they made a good landing on the grass airstrip. It was good to get into tents and feel close to the Himilaya, I had to tell myself several times that I was actually sleeping on them. We had good views of the mountains to the North including Makulu. Today's walk was short, flat and hot with the temperature about 30. After crossing the Arun River at the end of the day we made camp by it.	Tumlingtar Camp
It is a spectacular spot but without the views of the high peaks we had last night. It is a bit like a large version of the Shoalhaven Gorge. Despite having the runs and a headache this is a marvellous place to be. At last we are in the Himilaya, although only the foothills. It is good not to have to do the usual camp chores. 2nd April 1998: It was another hot sunny day. We had a more interesting walk through paddy fields, rain forest and narrowing valleys.	Ria House
We camped in the village. Guts still dodgy and I was very pleased to see that little blue tent go up at the end of the day. I had to restrain my self a while as they had trouble digging the hole. We washed in the creek. It was quite refreshing if you like that sort of thing. I tend to think a trek is a good excuse to get really dirty and not wash. The new boots and old feet are doing fine so far but it has only been easy walking so far. 3rd April 1998: It has been hot again with a fair bit of up hill. The trail followed rocky river valleys a bit like the upper Ettrema Gorge. I was a long a tiring day and my guts are really loose now and are becoming bit of a problem.	Goate Bazar
4th April 1998: The day started with a really steep climb that seems to go on to eternity. Feeling a bit tired and breathless. We are now at the lunch spot although it is only 10 o'clock. It is much cooler now. It was a long, cold, wet, uphill walk to camp. It seems you can walk all day uphill and still have to face more in the morning. I felt awful when we got to camp, which is at about 3000m. There was a lot of hanging about for the camp to be made and I had got wet and cold.	From camp ar Guruasay
My guts are still loose and I am really feeling the altitude. I crawled into my sleeping bag but could not get warm even in there. The trek leader gave me something that helped enough to get me up for dinner but it was almost impossible to swallow. I did not want to eat and I did not want to talk to anyone. I knew eating was essential so made an effort there but I was not going to talk to anyone.
5th April 1998: I awoke with a crashing headache and Muni, the trek leader, gave me some diamox. This seemed to fix the headache. However I was still not feeling good which was a shame as we were in a spectacular position and the rain had cleared and there were fine views back down the way we had ascended yesterday.
We were up at 0530 and after, what was for me, a forced breakfast we continued up to the Salpa La. I found the going tough and was glad to get to the stupa at the top 3300m. There was scattered snow about and it began to look like more was on the way in. We still had a long way to go to Grudel through forests and steep valleys but as we descended I felt better and started to enjoy myself again.This was supposed to be a holiday and enjoyment is the aim.	Top of Salpa Pass
Thunderstorms moved in around lunchtime and we ate and sheltered in a sort of tea house/shrine. We finally arrived at the village of Grudel, perched over the ravine we had to cross tomorrow, at 1715. We camped in the village square. 6th April 1998: Today we reaped the reward for yesterday's hard work, we just had to pop across the river to Bung. Sadly there was a 1500m ravine in the way but despite this it was not a hard day. We had lunch in Bung schoolyard, then ambled on to Upper Bung where we made camp in a pleasant grassy hillside at about 1440. Sadly the weather had closed in and dark mists swirled around the camp, so there were no views.	Grudel Camp
One of my pleasures when on a trek is to smoke my pipe after a hard days walk and admire the view. Well the view was not there but the pipe still called and as Sue objects to my smoking it in the tent I did my usual thing and went out and sat on a rock. Now, for some reason smoking a pipe in the Himalaya brings out the children. You can be far from any village and as soon as the smoke starts there is a crowd of happy faces staring with puzzled frowns at the pipe. Being dull and foggy I thought no one would come and I puffed away contentedly watching a nearby bush. There was no signs of life till the bush started to walk and sprouted hands and legs.	Grudel from Bung
It was quite a large bush and was being carried by a very small boy who could not have been older than five. He dropped his bush and stared at my pipe. Within minutes there was the usual crowd around. They knew some English and some communication was possible but it is always limited with me. I had a sketch map of the area and they all could read it so I gave it to the bush boy and they ran off home.
7th April 1998: We awoke to a cloudless sky revealing what we had missed the previous night. We walked up as usual, passed a stupa and on to a small monastery (Gompa) set amongst the pine trees. After a good look round we continued up to our lunch spot on the hillside in the sun. By the time we reached the Najing La (pass) we were back in the cloud. I had been carrying a packet of wine gums. They were to last the whole trek so I had to eek them out but I was caught with them on this pass so handed them round and that was all of them gone. There were a lot of happy chewing faces many looking a bit perplexed as they headed down the other side of the pass with out loads into cloud and rain.	Gompa amongst the Pines
Like yesterday, the camp site was shrouded in mist but it was good level grass and comfortable despite the damp. After dinner we were forced to humiliate ourselves playing celebrity heads, the least said about this the better. I didn't know who the celebrity's were so had no chance. It was a good source of amusement though. 8th April 1998: We awoke to a cold dank morning with a few glimpses of blue through the swirling grey clouds. There had been thunderstorms during the night, with terrific crashes that shook the ground we were sleeping on. Our tent remained dry but things were damp.	Najing Camp
As we set off down into the next ravine the few blue patches were engulfed by the grey. It was a steep descent; then across a good bridge followed by a very steep climb up into the cold and mist. We stopped at a tea hut for lunch then climbed on to the Pagum La. This was the pass that gave entrance to the Dudh Kosi valley and the last of the three main passes that we had to cross on the walk. On reaching the top we were engulfed in cloud and as we descended toward Pagum thunder echoed around and we were pelted with hail.
We arrived at Pagum cold and wet. As the porters were still struggling with our bags over the pass, through the thunderstorm, we sheltered in a cosy tea house. We were now in the more affluent area and many buildings were made of stone, as was this one. The cheerful proprietor supplied us with tea. There was a skinhead from Brixton here. A tough looking character who was just getting over a bout of hepatitis. He was travelling alone and doing it the hard way. I explained to him how we were pampered like a bunch of show poodles, tents put up for us, meals cooked, washing up done, gear carried. All we had to do was carry a day pack and go where we were guided. I think he thought we were some sort of ninnies as he just scowled and carried on devouring a huge bowl of soup.	From Pagum
Camp was made on a terrace beside the tea house. The cloud broke that night and the moon shone through to illuminate Khunde and the range of mountains on the far side of the Dudh Kosi. These snow-covered peaks seemed to hover in the air like clouds, glowing in the moonlight. It was a wonderful sight and more than compensated for the fact that it was 0300 and I had been forced to crawl out of my cosy sleeping bag into the freezing air for a pee.
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Section 1 The Arun Valley