A few observations from Lottie:
Food
Having quite enjoyed the food in Kathmandu, the food is getting gradually more awful! The menus in the lodges appear to have quite a variety, but everything is so garlicky that chips and eggs seem to be the best choice at the moment- although the porridge at breakfast is good.
Toilets
Not for the faint hearted! The toilets started out reasonably enough— even sit down flush ones. Now we have two options: a porcelain squat bowl in the lodges, or occasional facilities at tea houses which are a hole in the ground and a pile of leaves to be swept into the hole when you’ve finished. Funnily enough, the latter is preferable- generally cleaner with less smell, which in the former can be retch-enducing! We have to treat the soles of our shoes like hazardous material after visiting these rooms!
Altitude
I haven’t spoken much about how the altitude affects us. It’s hard to explain what it feels to climb up hills when your heart is pounding out of your body and your lungs are fit to burst as you gasp for air. Your legs feel like lead and every step is a major effort – and there are many, many steps! The immense relief when you hit a straight or down hill is incredible! Nearly all the effort goes away and you feel almost normal! Usually this doesn’t last long until the next climb… However so far we are doing really well with other side effects which can include pounding headaches and nausea – once they start we would need to be really careful as it could be the onset of high altitude sickness. We have to drink litres and litres of water to stay hydrated, which unfortunately means more visits to the loo! (see the previous post)
Porters
What can I say about our porters but “we are not worthy!” They are three young boys – Lakpa, Nima and the youngest at 16 is Karma. They are just amazing. Dressed in dirty fleeces, down jackets and sometimes wearing only flip flops, they carry our bags on their heads over the same paths we travel, working hard to get our gear to the next lodge for the night. They are happy and cheerful, and I’m in danger of adopting Karma who has the biggest grin on his face all the time!
