EBC Day 12

Sorry, I've been a bit behind in my daily updates of the boys' trip. As they are ahead of schedule by a couple of days now, the given plan has gone by the by but as I have nothing else to go on as we haven't spoken, then I will stick with the paper plan.

PLAN: 
- Gorak Shep (5288 metres elevation); walk approximately 3-4 hours.
- Climb Kalapathar (5546 metres); approximately 4 hours.

Today, they are high amongst the glaciers of the world's highest peaks and will trek along the Khumbu glacier. The trail heads towards the high village called Gorak Shep. After a rest, they'll climb Kalapathar, a small, rocky peak on the south-west ridge of Pumori. It won't be an easy climb but it's worth it by all accounts;

"...the view from the top surpasses the wildest imagination.'

They may hear the glaciers creaking under pressure (I'd love to hear that!) and the surrounding peaks will be pretty awesome - Pumori, Nuptse, Changste, Ama Dablam, Tawache, Kanega and of course Everest.


About 3km east and 200m below the base camp can be seen in a bowl at the bottom of the notorious Khumbu ice fall. Many trekkers find this point at Kalapathar an emotional experience. It's back to Goark Shep for the overnight stay.


After sunset it becomes very cold despite the strength of the sun during the day.

EBC Day 11 + Amendment

Plan: Lobuche (elevation 4630 metres); walk approximately 5-6 hours

The early morning sunshine is welcome after a cold night. They'll wake up to a beautiful panorama of the peaks. They will be walking in the flanks of Awi Peak, above the village of Chola and carry on past Cholatse Lake. Beyond the lake the Chola Glacier flows from the saddle between the cliffs of Cholatse and Tawache.


The walk will continue to eventually join with the busy trail to Everest Base Camp itself. The slopes will be barren above the tree line and Cholatse, Lobuche and Pumari peaks will be in view. Rock cairns will be seen dedicated to the memory of the climbers who attempted the high mountains at Dugla Ridge.

Walking on to the moraine of Khumbu Glacier (the longest in Nepal) to Lobuche for the overnight camp, they will notice the drop in temperature as they are more exposed.

Amendment: I spoke to Hubby very briefly this afternoon. They are two days ahead of schedule! So this plan and blog are to be read just for interest's sake rather than definitive factual placing of them day to day! That's gone out of the window!

They are extremely tired now, I'm not surprised, it sounds like they've really gone for it. They went to see the actual Base Camp today rather than the planned morning excursion on the 7th May (Saturday). I think they'll have a few extra days back in Namche Bazaar. They had better rest and recuperate before flying back here to be thrown back to reality (well, as far as you can call living in Oman reality! ;-) )

EBC Day 10

PLAN: Chola Pass (elevation 5335 metres) and Dzongla (4843 metres); walk approximately 6-7 hours.

Another early start to take advantage of the stable early morning weather pattern in the Himalyas. It takes about 3-4 hours depending on the weather conditions to reach the saddle of the Pass. They'll have time on the trip here to stop and take everything in. The guide sees this point as a special highlight of the trip with the peaks rising above them.

"Words fail to describe the beauty of Nature and sense of achievement to be on the Pass"

EBC Day 8

PLAN: Gokyo (elevation 4754 metres); walk approximately 5-6 hours.

It is another gradual ascent again, this time to Gokyo village. They will now be in alpine country.


They'll see the Ngozumpa Glacier ( the largest glacier in Nepal) and cross on to the moraine and rock that extends from it. They'll have views of Kantega to the south, Cholatse to the east and Cho-Oyu to the north. Once they have ascended the snout of the glacier the path starts to level and runs parallel to the Ngozumpa Glacier; separating them from the glacier is the huge lateral moraine - this is a parallel ridge of debris deposited along the sides of a glacier. 

Picture from yesterday to help with today's geography lesson!

They will pass Longpongo (first lake) and Taochelake (second lake) where Tibetan ducks are often seen swimming in the freezing water. Then they will reach the third lake called Dudh Pokhari at Gokyo village.

Not much detail to add to these last few posts as we have not heard from them since Friday.

Kiwi's wife (new name Mad Murphy until she tells me not to call her this!)  has just spoken to her man.  No detail as yet, but just good to hear they're all ok.

EBC Day 7

PLAN: Macchermo (elevation 4410m); walk approximately 3-4 hours.

The plan is to ascend slowly through the Dudh Koshi valley - as you can see from the image above they will walk along the Dudh Koshi river, but higher up in the valley. The guide in the itinerary states that although they will probably find the walking easy, they might start to feel the effects of altitude in even the smallest hill.


So they should start to be above the tree line and the hillsides turn brown and barren, with only the odd small cluster of juniper ("they're MY juniper bushes!" for you Python fans) to break it up. So a bit of contrast now it seems to the snowy mountains and blue sky they have been seeing.


After lunch there is an option (bet they take it) to take an excursion across the rocky moraines (A moraine is a rock formation that was created by the movement of a glacier; the glacier would have deposited rocks and stones as it moved) to the base of Kyojo Ri (6168m) and Macchermo Peak (6073m).

And this is where they have to keep their wits about them...they have to keep their eye out for the Yeti!!! Dah dah DAAAAAAH! It is here is 1974 that three yaks were killed and a Sherpa girl was badly injured when trying to fight off a hairy ape-like creature.

A saunter up a hill, weekend camping, Toad-in-the-hole cake

A saunter up a hill

The Captain is off to Everest Base Camp in April with 3 other guys. So he's been training intensely the last few months. He's been walking and running up a few of the 'hills' nearby and for the first time I went walking with him. Not to his level or speed though! Just a nice husband-and-wife walk... I couldn't help get worried when he put his camel-back on, adjusted his walking boots, set his heart rate monitor and GPS and extended his walking poles...

This is where we were heading...the highest point of course!

Did I mention my neeeeeeeeeew Camera takes black and white photos?!

At the bottom of the steps that appeared randomly halfway up

It was so worth it in the end, the views are always beautiful. I'm glad they still take my breath away.

On the drive back I saw the ruined claybuild watch towers:

Last weekend camping at Sifah beach:

Hubby had made friends with the Omanis that camped next to us. Mohammed on the left of the picture is his new BFF! He gave us loads of fish from their catch and even called hubby on Friday evening asking if he wanted more!

They caught a huge sailfish...it's my favourite fish so I didn't really like to see it there in the boat. BUT this is worth at least 50 OMR to these guys AND it made a good picture.

Once a month I manage to cook a half-decent dinner; February's culinary amazement was Toad in the Hole.  I got a recipe online from Queen Nigella Lawson. She comes to the rescue again. I have never made a good Toad in the Hole...until now. Although it did start to look like a massive cake! Nigella needs to be made a Saint.

School Field Trip

The Captain and I helped out today on Bear's school field trip to Wadi Fanja. She's in year 2 (Grade 1) and it was a geology and fossil hunting trip. We were so excited! Geology and fossils are our thing in this family.  I had this vision of the teachers trying to keep the Mitchells in check as they wander off along the wadi or up the hill!

We had a group of 4 children each and went through the questions listed and talked about the formation and types of rocks evident in the area. It's a great thing to hear little children talk knowledgeable about igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

It was also amazing to see the range of ability in this one class, from the kids who copy others work and really have no interest in what's around them to those who could articulate their answer and were writing in more than one full sentence in joined-up writing.

Hubby has limited patience when it comes to dealing with more than 2 children at a time so it was fun and quite lovely to see him keep his group in tow! (He would make a great teacher...apart from the patience!) Well, not so much the group but the one boy who absolutely needed to run off and get that 27th rock and put it in his backpack!

Quote of the day heard by the Captain: One of Bear's friends runs up to him and says " Look! Look what I've found! It's igneous rock!....Or it could be dog poo......"

We found nummulites in another location near Al Khoud.

I read that there are fossilised stromatolites near Al Khoud too as well as other parts of Oman.

'The earliest fossils known in Oman are of stromatolites from Mukhadba near Duqm (570 million years ago). Stromatolites are dome-shaped or pillar-like structures built by primitive single celled algae which secrete calcite and trap sedimentary particles.'

So that's my next plan to try and find these.
[when I've found or taken a picture of these, I'll post it!]

So well done Mrs. K. and Mrs. H - this was a brilliant trip (I'm a little biased admittedly, I love this subject)...what better way for them to learn and study than out there in the field.


Post-edit: here is a picture of Bear the evening after her field trip...reading the core text from my University days. Those of you who don't know her, she is  actually reading it properly! (She was reading at 4 years old...never ceases to amaze me...)