Everest Base Camp (5200m)

  Zhangmu, Tibet, China
Sunday, September 24, 2006

The highlight of our trip to Tibet was no doubt Everest Base Camp. While Everest can be reached from both Tibet and Nepal, from the Tibetan side it's possible to drive 10km away from the camp and then hike the rest of the way. We thought it would be a piece of cake, but we were so wrong! It wasn't the distance or the slope that made the trek challenging, it was the 5200-metre altitude. We walked super slow, and even then, we had to take breaks often to catch our breath. The area was barren and depressing - we were on a plain filled with rocks and surrounded by big hills that made us feel very enclosed, and just when we made it over a hill and thought we were finally there, we would be faced with yet another hill. It took us 3 very long and difficult hours before we reached base camp.

Everest Base Camp wasn't exactly what we thought it would be. Even at 5200 metres, you can't get away from the souvenir sellers! There are also permanent but basic tent accommodations and restaurants, and get this...a post office too (the highest in the world)! We decided to spend one night at base camp to see Everest at sunrise, and that night, we had the worst sleep ever! We had on warm clothes, a sleeping bag, and wool blankets, but we hardly slept at all. It was like trying to sleep in an ice box, and on top of that, we were having trouble breathing. Although the previous evening was cold, the morning felt even colder. It was only -4 degrees Celsius, which isn't cold by Canadian standards, but I just couldn't take it. I was cursing my made-in-China 'North Face' jacket that I bought in Lhasa for about $20. The only consolation was the amazing view we had of Mount Everest. It was sunny and blue skies, and there was a clear view of the peak. We've seen Everest in photos and on tv, but seeing it in person we just couldn't help but be awed by it...and I couldn't believe that there are people who actually climb it! The experience at Everest Base Camp was truly breathtaking (pun intended), but we were glad to leave...been there, done that, and never again!



After leaving base camp, we drove to the Tibet-Nepal border town of Zhangmu. On the way, we entered the area known by Tibetans as the 'Gateway to Hell' because the road descends down the Tibetan plateau on a very long and winding road, next to a very deep gorge which was continually shrouded in mist.

Despite the influence of the Chinese government, it was great to see that many places still retain a Tibetan authenticity. But in certain respects, we wished that there were more western influences, especially in the toilet department. Tibet has got to have the WORST toilets we've come across in all our travels to date. In Zhangmu, as we wandered the streets, we came upon the filthiest toilets we've ever seen. Long before we even saw it, we smelled it, and Ed bravely ventured in to take a photo. The nastiest hotel toilet that we had was in the small town of Lhatse. Our room was on the second floor of the motel-style building, and the only toilet on the floor was a communal 'drop toilet' at the end of our floor. If you're wondering how that would work on a second floor, basically, there's what I call a "sh*t room" directly below the toilet. The room is literally full of sh*t! I don't even want to know the poor sucker who has to clean out the sh*t! Or maybe they just tear the whole place down and build a new one when the room gets full??? But I guess that's just one of the many special things that made our trip to Tibet so unforgettable.