EBC Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar...

We were up at 6 a.m. because we had to allow enough time to be packed and at breakfast by 7 a.m. I had a yummy omelette on chapati (a bread similar to pita). It was not safe for us to drink the water. Although I felt guilty when I saw this stack of empty plastic bottles in the hallway, I must confess that I only tried the filtration tablets once a few days later, but opted to keep it simple by continuing to buy bottled water to fill up my hydration pack.

We set off as one bigger group of seven trekkers plus two guides at 8 a.m. for a long day of hiking, starting at 8.700 feet (2,652 meters) and ending at 11,285 feet (3,440 meters)―our largest one-day elevation gain for the trip.

We didn’t only go up 2,585 feet (788 meters), however, because there were a lot of downhills. Unlike in England where we hiked up, up, up and then down, down, down, we encountered a constant series of up and down referred to as “Nepali Flat.” There was nothing flat about it!

We also crossed five suspension bridges.

It was warm enough to ditch the long-sleeve shirt and roll up my trousers. 

Needless to say, I was slow as hell. Ishor took turns with Chandra, the other guide, in babysitting me on the steep bits.