Another decidely average sleep. Early start 075 hit out to Monjo for morning tea. W hit the Namche Express - dozens of porters carrying loads from Lukla up the valley. Eight cases of beer plus miscellaneous, a six inch valve body, 2 metre long six inch flanged pipe, coils of high pressure pipe, and five guys carrying immense loads of reinforcing steel. Stone masons all the way building paths, retaining, walls, houses - the entire infrastructure is made from hand cut stone blocks.
We walked past a quarry where guys with sledgehammers were breaking huge boulders. The other key infrstructure is the steel swing bridges, some over 100 metres long - these are clearly put in using machinery, I guess flown in. We also saw a couple of micr-hydro power stations.
Stopped at Phakding for lunch. Breakfast had already evacuated. I didn't want to feed the beast, so just had tomato soup. It took an hour to come out and turned out to benot much more than a bit of stock with chopped tomato - gutted.
Three hours from Phakding to Lukla. The scenery became more and more lush as dryness gave way to green farmlands.
We saw schoolkids coming home from Lukla even though we were more than an hours walk out. For the last hour I decided to drop the hammer and go for it. It was very satisfying to be in good air and testing the fitness with normal breathing. I got to Lukla at about 5.
It was a great feeling to have the whole team together for a couple of beers and dinner. The Sherpas, porters and jobkyo driver all got tips.
