April 11, 2009
Namche Bazaar
Namaste:
We had a delightful day today visiting Mingma’s Mom at the house where Mingma was raised in a little village about 2-hours outside Namche Bazaar. The house was built 30-years ago by Mingma’s Mom and Dad. Mingma is now 29-years old. Mingma’s Dad is a cook at Camp II on Mt. Everest and his brother is a climbing Sherpa, like Mingma. They are both at Everest Base Camp now, and we will meet them in a few days. Mingma’s Mom is a very sweet lady. I had the privilege of showing her photos of her new grandson. She was quite excited. She boiled Nepalese potatoes for us, and they were so yummy with the salt, butter and sauces she provided.
Tomorrow we will trek to Tengboche and catch up with the rest of the group. Tengboche is a beautiful village on a hill surrounded by spectacular snow-capped peaks. There is a famous Monastery at Tengboche. I am anxious to get back on the move. Bud is feeling much better, so we should have a good day on the trail.
Sharon reminds me to express my feelings in these posts and not just locations and statistics. So here goes. Last year, my daughters, Lori and Amy, came with me for the trek to Base Camp. Despite my illness (which started right here in Namche), it was a magical trip from beginning to end, and I would not change a thing. This year, as I resume my journey to the top of the world, I am filled with a mix of emotions. I love being back in the Himalayan mountain range, and I am excited about the team that has been assembled to climb the mountain. However, the absence of my daughters on this trip makes my heart ache, as we had planned to return to Mt. Everest to finish what we started last year. I remember with great fondness all of the experiences we shared together in Bangkok, Kathmandu and on the trek to Base Camp. I can remember every place we stopped to take photos, every tea house we entered for meals and every lodge we stayed in and struggled to get a few hours sleep. When I pass these places, it make me sad. But, there is always next year, and I am already formulating great plans for a return trip in 2010. Hopefully, I can convince my oldest daughter (and child), Lisa, to join us and maybe even my son, Danny. My four children and their spouses are all busy building careers and raising families, which makes a trip like this difficult to pull off. But, I can always hope and dream. Sharon, are you interested?
I’ll write again in Tengboche.
Bill
