Today we had a restful Sunday in Namche. After a late breakfast we stroll around the town, past the Tibetan markets laid out in the field below Hotel Norling. The goods on sale are mostly clothing and bedding items. In the centre of town I buy a new book to read ('Making History' by British actor and writer Stephen Fry) having almost exhauseted my current one.
As we were coming along the track through Sanasa yesterday a girl was selling little cloth amulet bags with a Mandala embroidered on the front. I hadn't bought any at the time but I buy a couple of these in Namche as gifts. Since Namche is well provided with Internet cafes I also send an email home to Patricia to let her know what is happening - the fore-shortened trek etc. The email is not expensive - about 100/= Rs for 10 minutes usage.
The village this morning is thick with white and pungent Juniper smoke as people burn it in their devotion rituals.
As we are going to be her for at least another day we suggest to Ang Nuru that he lets Chiring, our porter, go home for a night or two since there is nothing for him to do here. We have been toying with the idea of going over to Thamo for a night when Barry and Shirley get back but we won't need our full gear just for that - we can travel much lighter.
The rest of the day passes peacefully and we are glad of the additional time to let our bodies recover.
At the end of the day the pedometer reading is a measly 1200.
Monday 15th October, 2007
O2 89%, pulse 51 - obviously the rest day at this slightly lower altitude has worked a little magic.
Its another quiet day for us after an 8:30ish breakfast. Dominic and I walk up past the Gompa which is on the way out to Thamo, and then circle around the top coming along the high bypass track. It was very peaceful as we sat for a while in the sun overlooking the village.
Barry and Shirley arrive back mid-afternoon with Pasang having come down all the way from Pheriche today. They had made it up Kala Patar where Barry hung the prayer flags in honour of his brother. Since the Hotel Norling is full up they are staying at Hotel Himalaya which is not too far away.
After a bit of discussion we decide to walk down tomorrow to Ghat which is on the way to Lukla, and then on to Lukla the following day to fly back to Kathmandu the day after that. Barry and Shirley are not interested in doing the Thamo side-trip and we aren't really committed to it either.
Later in the day from our bedroom window we watched some guys engaged in constructing a new lodge. They were using a traditional pit saw. This could be a segment for Tony Robinson's "Worst Jobs Still Being Done" if he ever has such a show.
Pit-saw being worked at Namche Bazaar(centre of picture)
Counting today, we have been at altitudes of 3,400 metres or higher for 11 days.
At the end of the day the pedometer reads 4000.
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