Bob's Blog

The Tapping Crow

Everest from Gokyo Ri (Plus Pumori, Changtse, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu)

The crow tapped at my window in the morning, while I was still in bed nursing a slight headache. Seemed like an omen. There are crows everywhere. One of the villages up above and on my intended route was called Gorak Shep, meaning 'dead ravens' because of the total lack of vegetation.

So the acclimatisation day hadn't worked but I pushed on despite the headache. I'd go slow, try to keep it at bay. And that I did, purposely walking at a snails pace, other people were also going that slow.

Got to Lobuche feeling fine, mostly. Then came the mad hunt for a room. I thought I'd gotten there early enough, but no room at the inn, at every place I tried. Eventually found a place, but the running around brought on a big old headache and had me feeling rough as. Dazed and foggy.

Quickly decided that I wasn't in good enough shape. Told the lady at the lodge, that I'd changed my mind, had a headache and was going back down. Spoke a girl who kindly gave me some diamox. And off I went, quite happy that I didn't have to trek the trail with the rest. Mind, body, spirit, not into it. Headed back to the last place I liked, Pangboche and a downhill of 1000m.