RickMcCharles.com

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting Nepal photos and a trip report over on my hiking blog.

This is Mt Everest as seen from the top of Kala Pattar 5545m (18,192ft).

I’ve always exalted the mystical, magical capital of Nepal.

Sadly, fact is, it’s a hellhole.

Everyone in the polluted city is sick. Sick with respiratory problems. And worse.

The rivers are trashed. I hear that cremations are being discouraged, but there are still corpses in the water.

Everyone you meet is coughing, horking and spitting. The valley holds air pollution.

Tap water makes people sick. There are electrical brown outs almost every night. Can’t they generate hydro-electricity in the Himalayas?

I studied the trash removal system. There is one, actually. But it’s hopelessly bad.

As in India, best case scenario is to feed your paper to a sacred cow.

The only “progress” I can see over the past 11yrs is that the first KFC / Pizza Hut just opened. Is that progress?

I want to blame the Mayor for not improving this city … but Wikipedia tells me there is no mayor of Kathmandu at the moment.

Why am I not surprised.

I depart today.

Tai Pei, Taiwan next week, meeting with some of the performers who will be featured at Lunarfest, taking place in Vancouver January 22-Feb. 28 and coinciding with the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Among the performers are Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Chai Found Music Workshop, U Theatre and LaFa & Artists Dance Company. Lanterns will be a big component of Lunarfest, whose presentations will be outdoors and free. It should be a spectacular festival that adds greatly to the city’s 2010 party atmosphere.

Perhaps she’ll stop in at Dhaka, Bangladesh to meet me for lunch.

Tyler is a recent graduate from the communication design certificate program—Design Essentials—at Emily Carr University and BCIT in Vancouver, Canada.

He’s also got a Bachelor of Kinesiology with a major in Outdoor Pursuits from University of Calgary. Tyler worked for Arc’teryx outdoor gear in Vancouver, as well.

Design and typography have always been passions, however only recently did I feed that enthusiasm with school. I still love the outdoors—backcountry skiing, rock climbing, riding my road bike, trail running—and the sight of good design or a fresh snowfall gets me excited.

check out his new website – TylerMcGowan.com

Revered by Hindu and Buddhist are a series of high altitude lakes. Very tranquil.

Late November they are freezing, groaning and moaning like some distressed beast.

To visit each I walked up the glacier towards my old friend Cho Oyu, the friendliest 8000+m peak. Eleven years ago we did the same thing, walking towards Cho Oyu from the Tibet side.

It was dark by the time I got back to Gokyo Resort. Mine was the finest room in the last village before Tibet. Expensive at $3. But I’m worth it.

Flying back to Kathmandu tomorrow. My 17 day trek ended.

From Starbucks, Lukla, Nepal.

In the Spring Mt. Everest Base Camp is “party central”.

But I found it almost empty, a bleak, unwelcoming place. Not even the famed mobile bakery was operating.

On the bright side, the weather was surreal. To take off sunglasses was to risk instant snowblindness.

A snow storm “blew itself out” leaving perfect cold, clear skies. The high peaks including Everest did not even have spin drift. That almost never happens.

I’ve resumed my 3 Passes itinerary. Will cross Kongma La tomorrow, hopefully fully acclimatized to altitude.

I’ve about 8 more days in the Everest region. Will depart Nov. 30th for Bangladesh where I’m teaching a gymnastics course starting Dec. 1st.

Trust you are well.

photos of the “best view of Mt Everest”

Poor sleep last night.

At first light I saw white stuff piled up on the Yaks. An early snowfall, not all that unusual in November.

I’ll switch to the standard Everest Base Camp route. Assuming nothing else goes wrong, should get there in the next 3 days. MIGHT backtrack on the high pass I missed.

Today headed for Dughla 4620m.

4410m

In the serious mountains now. Looking over at Island Peak.

… hands a little frozen on the keyboard.

Will be doing some acclimatization day hikes next couple of days to 5000+m

So far, so good.

Departing Namche. The mantra is “slowly, slowly” to not trigger altitude sickness.

The Three Pass route I’m planning is only moderately difficult, except for altitude. It’s high and high for a long time. I’ll be at least 6 times over 5000m maxing out at 5535m.

Trekking peaks, for which you need a permit, are 6000m+.

I might find internet one more time before Everest Base Camp.

Ama Dablum

Day 3 of my Everest trek.

I’ve reached Namche, famed Tibetan trading post and high altitude staging centre.

That’s the view outside my window. A little guy, 6187m. … I’d forgotten how HUGE are the Himalayan peaks.

I’ll stay another night here at 3420m to acclimatize. I’m only 10hs walk from a 5535m pass.

Surprisingly, I really like Namche. It’s got character.

The only sour note is the Bazaar. Every Saturday morning everyone from the Khumbu meets here. Tibetan traders dominate the scene. They’re agressive young guys, … chain smoking, talking tough.