EBC Day 9: Heading Back Across the Alien Landscape...

We covered a lot of ground today since there was more downhill than up. We had lunch again in Thukla, but knew better than to use the outside loo (more on that later).

We hiked for six hours from 16,950 feet (5,165 meters) down to 13,950 feet (4,250 meters) for our biggest one-day descent of 3,000 feet (915 meters). We had a short stop to contemplate life at the Everest memorials.

Along the way to Pheriche Bates Motel, we climbed up and down boulders beside rushing glacial waters

....and crossed a bridge with no railings.

It was much less scary the second time around.

There was still no 3G or WiFi, so we still didn’t have any contact with our families and couldn’t share our good news.