I’m sure today’s post title has got you scratching your head in confusion. Maybe these three words can clear things up for you: Hotel Everest View.
(I know pictures speak 1000 words but I apologise for there not being any pictures to accompany this post (and probably any following ones from now until Base Camp). It is just taking way too long to upload, so, I will inlcude them when I get back to lower ground)
Day 3 Trekking:
Namche Bazaar (3440 masl) to Syangbouche, Hotel Everest View (3880 masl) – 2 to 3 hours, 3 to 4 km.
The short, but very steep, trek today took us to a (not so) hidden gem of a place where we are staying tonight. When I say queen for a day, I mean it. I’m talking in-room space heaters, electric blankets, en suite toilet and shower, toilet seat warmers, free toilet paper (you may laugh, but toilet paper is a sought-after commodity up here on the mountain), free shampoo and soap, towels… This place is honestly like a palace out here in the Himalayas and attracts people from all around the world.
The good news is that you don’t even need to trek a single step to get the magnificent views from this location; the not so good news, however, is that if you go that route, it might cost you an arm and a leg to get here. Access via a helicopter from Kathmandu to the hotel’s private landing pad will allow you to witness some of the most magnificent views of Mount Everest and the surrounding peaks in the area. But be warned, traveling from an altitude of 1400 masl in Kathmandu to almost 4000 masl at Everest View, without any adjustment or acclimatisation time in-between could leave you feeling light-headed or nauseous, and may result in fainting due to the sudden drop in the oxygen levels and your body not being able to adapt fast enough. As a safety measure, there are numerous emergency oxygen tanks spotted around the hotel in case supplemental oxygen is required by any of the guests. I personally prefer to take the long way and hike up from Lukla, as I have done during this trip. But hey, maybe that’s just me, but for a sight like this, trust me, it’s worth it.
Getting back to our trek today, clear skies meant that we had the opportunity to get some incredible views of the mountains around us. Honestly, being surrounded by these peaks towering beside us, most of which are about 6500 masl, is absolutely magical and also very humbling to realise how small we are compared to the great big wonderful world (even though, sometimes, we like to think we are the centre of the universe).
The Hometown of a Legend
We arrived at the hotel around 10 30 am, checked in and then we had some time to relax, look around, and absorb the beautiful, breath-taking scenery around us. We had a three-course lunch, which was fit for a queen, and then head off for an afternoon walk to acclimatise to the new altitude (and also to make ourselves feel a bit less guilty for our rather bold lunch). The trek took us to a small village called Khumjung, which is located in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Now, the interesting and important history about this village is that it is the hometown of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who was the Sherpa that accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary (the first person to reach the top of Mount Everest) during his legendary summit expedition. Since then, the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, which was established with the objective of “improving the quality of life of the Sherpa people of Nepal in the areas of Health Care, Education and the Environment”, has invested significant funds to assist with the upliftment of the Khumjung village, as well as other areas within Nepal.
Let’s Talk Culture
Since today was a short trek, I would also like to touch on a few of the cultural symbols that are important to the people of Nepal, and that we have been seeing (and will continue to see, on the trek. The first one is the prayer flags that are, literally, hung at every corner you look. The flags are arranged in sets of 5 uniquely coloured squares, each printed with auspicious prayers, mantras and symbols. The 5 colours represent the 5 elements (yellow – earth, green – water, red – fire, white – air, blue – space), and the flags are thought to bring peace, compassion, strength and wisdom to everyone around them.
The second symbol that is seen almost as regularly is the mani stones, or a collection of mani stones to form a mani wall. These have important mantras and designs engraved on stone or slate, and they represent the investment in time and effort, as well as dedication to create them. According to Buddhist religion, these stones or walls should be circumnavigated from the left side, and in a clockwise direction, just like the direction in which the earth revolves.
Finally, the third symbol that I would like to share with you is the prayer wheel. These wheels are used to amplify wisdom and good karma, as well as to reduce or clear the bad karma. Again, each wheel is decorated with mantras and symbols, and should be rotated in a clockwise direction to fully harness the benefits of this practice.
So, I hope your cultural experience has been enriched as much as mine has, and that your understanding and appreciation of the culture in Nepal has grown. If there is anything else specific that you would like me to elaborate on in this regard, please let me know in the comments; I will ask Mohan (our human Nepalese Wikipedia and EBC guide) and get back to you as soon as I can.
Looking ahead to our trek tomorrow, it’s going to be a relatively long and tough day as we head down to the valley and then up again to the village of Pangbouche, making our way closer to Everest Base Camp.
P.S. I’ll keep taking pictures and making notes for posts, however, for the next, say, 5 days, I’m not really sure what the signal and Wi-Fi situation is going to be like, but I will definitely keep you guys updated as best as I can. Apologies again for no prictures! I promise to share some as soon as I can, and I can’t wait for you guys to see these amazing places.
Peace, love and happiness to you!
Bye for now.
