Gorak Shap to Kala Pattar
Sunday 10th May, 17 000 feet, about 5130 metres, morning
As far I was concerned, it had to be Kala Pattar...
Next day, I woke feeling reasonably good. Soon Colin and Sherpa Dawa were standing in front of me. How did I feel? Did I have any headaches? What did I think I could manage today, if anything?
As far I was concerned, there was no question, it had to be Kala Pattar.
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And then I realised that we couldn’t do both Kala Pattar and Base Camp. Well, there was no view from the latter and the expedition climbers who had been trapped down at Base Camp because of wretched weather further up, were not very welcoming to trekkers by all accounts. There was no other option. Kala Pattar had always been my target . |
The anticipated view of Everest from Kala Pattar |
The Gorak Shap lodge was the only one we went to where there was NO loo. Basically, every rock behind which you could go - well, someone else would have been there before you. Now I began to understand the things people had said about the plague of Chinese pink toilet paper! It was very cold in the lodge although I, curled up in my sleeping bag, was less bothered by this than the porters who crowded in front of the stove.
Kala Pattar in front of beautiful Pumori
Despite the smokiness and coldness, I liked Gorak Shap - and there were some lovely views of Pumori and Nuptse/Lhotse (but not of Everest yet, you would get those from the slopes of Kala Pattar, when Everest would gradually reveal itself as we climbed).
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