8 April – Debuche to Pheriche

WE AWOKE TO CLEAR SKIES THIS MORNING, AND OMG THE VIEWS! Ahead of us, Mt Everest was peeking out behind Nuptse ridge on the left and Lohtse on the right. Just the south to main summit portion was visible, but it was there! Well to the right of Lohtse and closer, so very impressive, sat Ama Dablam. Stunning views lay in both the direction of the sunrise up-valley and to the west and south of us at Rivendell. Tomboche was directly above us to the west. Khumbila was directly south – the peak above us at Namche Bazar. Even farther south we could still see Nupla and Kongde Ri, peaks that caught the sun for us at Namche. Southeast of us were Thomserku and Kongtae, peaks we had passed climbing to Debuche.
The main event of the day was visiting the Pangboche monastery. We doffed shoes at the door, went inside (no pictures), and sat cross-legged on the floor for half an hour listening to the lama chant and bang on a large suspended drum. Thre’s obviously a story there! From time to time, our lead Sherpa guide Ang Perba stood to pour some lemon-tea colored fluid into a small but tall bowl and sprinkle rice about. A beautiful Nepalese matron participated in tandem with the lama in the ceremony. She applied a fatty paste to the same bowl as the one fluid was added to. Part of the ceremony blessed to prayer flags that no doubt will be strung at the Everest Base Camp and perhaps higher. Near the close of the ceremony, each of us tossed a small bit of rice into the air. All of us who had folded a donation into a carefully folded ceremonial scarf at lunch time presented that to the lama and obtained his personal blessing.
We ascended to Pheriche (4200m, 13,750ft) around 4pm passing by the fork of the Lobuche Khola and Imja Khola. Jane had a hard time with the long leg after lunch, particularly reaching the final high point before descending into the village. She felt her blood pressure was dropping in spite of trying to rest step and breath properly. We were weary after a good dinner capped with apple pie. No bridge tonight either! As evening fell, clouds obscured most of the high peaks, but Tomboche was visible now and then. Tomorrow will be an acclimatization day for us to include a local hike.
Unfortunately, I can’t access the internet in Pheriche and so have missed this posting … and tomorrow’s.