Bob's Blog

The Bottleneck

The Khumbu Icefall, Lho La and the West Shoulder of Everest

After a hiatus I was scrambling back up the hill from Thukla to Lobuche for the second time. I was back with a new blue metal walking stick. The tourists hordes had lessened but not that much. The hill seemed to be a bottle neck. I hope it won't be like this till then end.

Groups of a dozen people taking wacky photos with the mountains behind. Here's me pointing at the mountain, here's me pulling my suspenders, here's me doing a strong-arm pose. People blathered on at the top of their lungs about inane nonsense. People with their stereos playing music. With the majesty of the mountains was all around.

Normally, I'd quick march past, yet I was doing my best to keep it slow. Stuck in the neck of the bottle. I thought even of putting my earplugs in. Maybe I will tomorrow. I think after base camp, I'll need some time in the mountains, away from it all.

Got to Lobuche. Easy to find a place this time. Half the price. Have a decent supply of biscuits, noodles and boiled eggs. Enough so I can avoid the tourist food tax. Still, think they'll give me grief if I avoid breakfast.

The western toilets make no sense here. The water freezes over. Above a certain altitude, as the temperature dips, they just don't flush, you have to scoop the almost frozen water from a barrel. Seems rather a lot of work for something minimal. The Sherpa toilet, i.e. the hole in the ground, is much better, there's nothing to do, except your business.