Bob's Blog

Enter Khumbu

Chyangma Gompa, on the outskirts of old Bhandar

Arrived to the magical (quaint and serene) village of Shivalaya yesterday after almost 10hr bus ride from Kathmandu, complete with puking ladies as we rolled round and round, up and down.

Shivalaya is just down the road from Jiri, which is the original starting point for southern approach to Everest or the Solukhumbu region, and remained so until the airport was built in 1969 at Lukla. Indeed it was the route that Hillary and Tenzing took.

I stayed with some Tibetan Nepalese dude. It wasn't quaint but clean and new. He'd just renovated and could still smell the paint. He had two dudes arrive from Kathmandu to turn his shower into a hot water one. Place could have done with more than one bathroom.

I only agreed to stay with him to be nice. Didn't haggle. Should have. Dinner 400 rupees for dal bhat, expensive but maybe reasonable if it included meat. I should have asked, it didn't. This was EBC prices even though Shivalaya is on the road network.

Pulled over to pay the park entrance fee, which I'd already paid in Kathmandu. In previous days I would have tried my best to avoid it. They even put the price up 1000 to 3000, post covid. Lazy extortion if you ask me. Everest route poss reasonable if you want to limit numbers/pay for environment clean up.

Hiking is nice. Pretty quiet. The sun is strong. Stopped for lunch now. It's slightly depressing, a pass on the hill with a handful of empty guesthouses and a restaurant. 90 rupees for a usually 10 rupee chai. Think I'll make my own.

Barefoot shoes are wet, and not drying. Quite possible I'll get blisters. So have switched to flip flops. Crocs would be good. Maybe I'll find a pair in Namche.

Stopped for tea in Bandhar with the children shouting give me a chocolate. Heard quite often on the route. Though quite understandable as none of the shops seem to sell chocolate or sweets.

Made it to the village of Kinja by 4.15pm. Staying in Sherpa Guesthouses. 200 rupees, seems like the price, which is very cheap, then they expect you to stay for dinner and breakfast which is relatively expensive. A good deal put together.