Hi Friends, My name is Rishu Kalra (Aarkay). This is the link to my personal Facebook profile -
https://www.facebook.com/Kalra.Rishu

Last Christmas break, I went to Everest Base Camp. There I bought one local sim and posted some pictures daily on FB as I passed 12 days trip to Everest Base camp - the same I am posting here in this blog. I will rate those days as most beautiful 12 days of my life so far but also physically most challenging.

Please go through them slowly like you have been travelling along with the pictures. Hope you will like it and appreciate them with your up-votes and comments. Thank you and stay connected :-)

Lets, start it -

After check-in - Kathmandu to Lukla

The pic at Kathmandu airport

Kathmandu airport arrivals

Another mesmerising beauty pic in Kathmandu airport

The display at Kathmandu airport

The Expresso

The Guide - Kumar

Waiting in bus for plane to land and refill. Already tanned and rugged from last one and half weeks travelling

The entire flight. Lol

Servings of earplugs and toffees

The daring air hostess for the flights to 2nd most dangerous airport in the world

The flight with views. Ensure to get seat on left side while traveling to Lukla and right if you manage to come back. Lol

Another one with views

The luggage collection belt.

The first breakfast at Lukla. Not bad at all.

The entrance Lukla market

1st day breakfast Teahouse

The library - Teahouse

The Mighty that you will encounter many times during the trek. And they don't like sharing the path at all. Make sure to slide from the hill side and not trench if you mind falling steep.

The Shop to buy handkerchief lol.

They posed happily..

The starting gate. You can see the statue of first female Everest conquerer Junko Tabei. Not only Everest but she was the first woman to ascend all Seven Summits by climbing the highest peak on every continent.

The Chorten - these are the memorials of dead people. You will find them at many places just in middle of the way. You always pass from their left side for good luck.

Cheplung - a small town during trek

The Stupas...

A lot of teahouses on the way at least for today

You always rotate them with your right hand to purify your soul

The toilet on the way - Inside view.. if you spot the hole you know where to target. And you always carry at least one roll of toilet paper in your handbag. You never know when that could be your best asset

The toilet on the way from outside

The first wobbly bridge of trek. Apparently they are quite strong though

Kushum khangaru - Another sneak peak of this peak on our way

Dudhkoshi river. We came across this on and off a few times

The teahouse for lunch, dinner and crash for the day

The teahouse from inside.

A view from the window of teahouse

The corridors of teahouses

The room that may go in minus early mornings and you ought to pack up tight

The best bet during trek - Nepali Dal Bhaat. My lunch for the day and perhaps dinner as well

The night ambience of teahouse. They boil water just in middle of restaurant to keep it warm and later to sell the boiled water.

With chilling water and no warm water at all, a warm towel served just before dinner seems like heaven to hands

Another Dal Bhaat for dinner. This time it was kinda boring. I should have tried something else

They don't provide toilet paper at all but all carry them. So this message is for all who don't like shit cold water on their ass.

The room while packing again. Interestingly all evening and in morning everyone's light was going on and off. They had a single quota and if their restaurant TV or any other light pulls more electricity, someone's light will be off. On complaint, they switch off one unused or not needed light and then give it a try and in almost all cases it will fix the light

Good that I am carrying my power bank

The breakfast for today

These relatively self sufficient and simple communities struggle a lot in their day to day chores. However they seem to be happier than most of us.

What could be better than trekking along views like this

With temperature -4 in the start of the day, the duffel jacket is out and so are the poles

My shoes are struggling like I am

A short tea break on the way. With sun shining and long strenuous walks, duffel jacket is out hanging on bag and the cap is back inside the bag as well

Another checkpoint

Finally the 2nd day lunch in site

Another bridge..

Toilet at place we had lunch. This was Indian style old toilets where you had to lean down to shit. There was a lock but the door will not close and hence can't be locked. Luckily I had to only pee and could stretch my leg to keep door closed. However I pity ones who intend to shit. No chance you can hold the door while shiting

And another bridge

This was one of the point where we could have seen Everest but it was very cloudy. Everest is just behind these clouds

And the views again. There were many other views throughout as well but the walk is so strenuous that after some time you start walking like zombies to reserve your energy. Haha

Finally the Namcha checkpost. For my side it is always taking bit more time. All others come to Kathmandu and spend at least one (or most likely more than one) day, and during that time they get the formalities done. However me didn't had the time at all. I reached late night a day before yesterday. My hiking company owner picked me up and filled in all my forms there itself while he drove me to hotel. Next day I was in Luka without any permit and started my journey. By the time I reached first checkpost, he had already got all sorted in Kathmandu next day early morning and sent the picture of permit to my guide. And that picture itself worked good so far. Lol

When you spot something man made after four hours trekking. Lol. Second half of the trek of today didn't had any teahouse at all until we reached Namcha. Total 9 hours for today. Phewww..

View near Namcha

And we made Namcha. Comparing today, yesterday's trekking seems like short casual walk. Lol

The pleasant feeling to reach your todays teahouse

The room looked OK but I took no time to mess it up. Lol

The dinner for today - the veggie pizza that I hardly ate - partially because they made it weired and it tasted more like lasagne and partially I am so tired that I didn't feel like eating

And then to fill in something I settled for these fruits that you don't get in teahouse but my guide kindly got a lot of them for me from Kathmandu itself and will offer me after every dinner

I could feel the air coming out from somewhere even when the window was closed. And that was how I slept - one sleeping bag and two blanket coupled with fleece top and bottom and two caps. Lol

The view from the window of my teahouse at Namcha

Today's morning breakfast. If you want to know what these fried potatoes are, these are their version of hasbrowns. And they actually taste better than our Aussie hasbrowns

Daily morning check. My oxygen level came out 90. That was actually flashing on top of the pulse. I took the pic but didn't realize until now that the moment camera clicked, the blink was off. Lol. As per my guide the oxygen level was pretty good given the altitude we are in. His own oxygen level came out around 89. Lol

Namcha Bazaar. Today's Aclimitization day. We go up and some site seeing and come back again to Namcha to sleep at same altitude. This is supposed to train our body and mind for further altitudes we will be going next few days and to avoid altitude sickness.

View of Namcha from some height after just being started for the day

Another view

The statue of Tenzing who climbed Everest first with Hillary

Khumbila mountain. This is a sacred mountain to locals and they actually worship it

A monument at Sagarmatha National Park. Sagarmatha is Nepalese name of Everest. And the two stones on either side show the difference in them. One from sea level taken from dead Sea in Israel and other is from Everest.

This is traditional Sherpa dress. Sherpas are very influential community here and highly regarded. All Everest summits business is owned by them. They are considered to be fearless to take you to Everest when some other will fear for their life going to Everest

A pic in Sagarmatha museum. This is how exactly Everest looks from kala pathar

Another day, another struggle. Lol

First Yak in site

And more Yaks

Another view

And yet another

At Everest View hotel

A view from outside of hotel

Everest is just behind my head. This looks bit on lower side from here than the peaks on side because it it far away

The peak in middle just right of grey one is Everest. Looks bit smaller than other on sides because it is farther

And we make buddies wherever we go..

Visited this village during our Aclimitization day - Khumjung, also known as Green village. All houses are of same color with green roof

High school of Khumjung

Statue of Hillary in Khumjung. Locals call Hillary 'Papa' there out of respect

One of many stupas

All these round ones have written Mantras on them. Rotating means you actually enchanting them

And another view :-). In next few days we will actually start walking in these mountains. Like no more trees etc but just the desert kinda look, mountains on both side and we stepping up

At Khumjung monastery

This supposedly reserved one Yeti scull. Yetis were many in numbers by 16 century that gradually became extinct by 18 century

We paid for this donation ticket for us to have a look at scull

And this man opened the door and subsequently the almirah showing us the scull

And this was the scull. To be honest I was explained front back and the sides etc, but I couldn't understand fully

Another shot at Khumjung monastery

And yet another view

Lunch in sight at Khumjung

And this is how it looks when the sun is just behind the peak

Finally going down and down and we could see Namcha back again

Dinner at Namcha Bazaar

This is how you pack your stuff when no electricity. There was supposedly some major electricity issue in Namcha Bazaar and we couldn't get electricity from evening till our checkout next day. Moreover a lot of teahouses here have some combined wifi that you can get the connection and recharge to be used in teahouses but because of this major power down, none of those wifi was working and I couldn't get local ncell network as well up until just today. Another tip is always carry head light. Electricity will keep on getting on and off but you can't be late for your next day's trek

Dining hall at Namcha Bazaar teahouse

Daily oxygen check. Well and kicking

Final goodbye to Namcha until we see it way back

Another day another trek. Heading to Tyengboche

Another fast food restaurant on our way to Tyengboche. They were also selling Nepalese ornaments made of Yak bones for good luck, fortune and health

Lunch in sight at Phunkithanka

Another bridge for day. For that day it was the only one.

You will find different Meenas throughout the trek that you rotate with your right hand. But I spotted a few of these. They have linked them with a flow outlet of nearby river that keeps on rotating it fast throughout.

Checkpost at Phunkithanka

On reaching Tyengboche , we spotted this monastery. Although relatively big but this one was the biggest in whole Solukhumbu district.

From middle to right - Nuptse, Everest and Lotse peaks

Crash at Tyengboche

This is my room key that I couldn't fit in any of my pockets if I need to go out. Lol. And starting today there aren't any more in-suites. All toilets now on are sharing basis

And the stairs to room are no less steep. Lol

Room at Tyengboche. Looked OK.

This is how we hiked day after lunch to Tyengboche

After putting our bags in room we visited this monastery which will open for a brief time at 3 pm for prayer.

These are supposedly the footprints of great monk Ringpoche all the way from 16h century

I guess I looked OK even after day's trek. Although I got tones of dust out from my face in my room just before visiting this monastery

A view inside the monastery. The peak half cut on left is Khangtenga and the one in middle is Thamserku peak

Another view inside the monastery.

Entrance of monastery

Central heating as well as water boiling system in dining hall. Lolz

Breakfast for day . Heading to Dingboche

Inside the dining hall of Tyengboche

And today my water pipe hanging out of bag freezed. Lolz. This actually happened a couple of times and after that I started putting full pipe inside the bag. Will only take it out at time of actually drinking

Final goodbye to Tyengboche until we meet our way back home

The magnificent Amadablama peak.

We were trekking just along this so called river for sometime and that was almost frozen

Lunch at Shomare

Pale tired look at lunchtime. Lol

Another teahouse, another lunch

Another frozen one along the trek

Village Dingboche. Final goodbye as the path to downhill is different.

Just felt like getting into this pose. Lol

Tea break

In room selfie. Lol. Look at my chopped hair after taking off my cap

This is how you warm water at Dingboche

Dinner time.

Tried panaroma first time.

The peak Island in middle

Another pose. Lolz

And another panaroma. This time better I guess

Getting our breath back. With my guide Mr Kumar

2nd Aclimitization day at Dingboche. This is how we rocked in last few hours. We went up to Nagarjuna peak. But couldn't make it full. We were just little less than 100 m far from peak. I was panting like a dog and my guide suggested that it is enough of Aclimitization and we should head back to save energy for tomorrow. Moreover we saw a lot of people going back halfway.

Another view - Peak partially covered in clouds

And yet another - left one is Khangtenga and right one is Thamserku

You will see these kinda flags everywhere in your trek. Locals tie them for reason and belief. Red color is Fire, Yellow is for Sun, Blue is for Sky, White is for Water, Green is for Earth (my guide was not entirely sure about green though lol)

Another exciting thing you will see throughout - a lot of jumbled and loosely adjusted stones. Putting them like this believes to bring good luck as per locals

And the down track after the Aclimitization

Veg Sherpa Stew - Last Dinner at Dingboche

Another view and on right you can see stupa

Another day, another start. Heading to Gorakshep. We were meant to stop at Lobuche initially and from there go to Gorakshep tomorrow followed by Base Camp and Kala Pathar. But I insisted to head directly to Gorakshep so that we are left only with Base Camp and Kala Pathar tomorrow. This could mean too much for today but that's OK - why to take chances on d-day ;-)

This is how our trek looked at least start of the day. Lol

Thought of taking selfie while I was out of breath and trying to get my breath back. This is quite a common phenomena because of less oxygen on higher altitude. Also throughout today there was little bit snowing. I was wearing two caps, gloves and three layers inclusive duffel jacket and muffler around my neck but still shivering. Lol

Village Pheriche

Mr Kumar - the Guide

Mr Arjun - the Potter

Stones like these are balanced by locals everywhere to bring good luck

Another selfie during quick break. lol

I must have interacted more than 30 people during my trek until now. But talking to this young lady Adelaide Ford from Western Australia, about Lukla airport - she was not sure if Lukla airport being 2nd dangerous as I previously mentioned but she was sure that the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is world's most dangerous one. From her very personal experience she waited for 2 days for weather to clear since no flight was going to Lukla because of bad weather. And after 2 days when she was finally boarded the plane, that was heck of a bumpy flight and plane seems to go sideways because of air. And finally on reaching Lukla, wheels came out and plane just hit Lukla ground. But as soon as it hit the ground, plane took off immediately and started flying back to Kathmandu. The reason being pilot couldn't see anything on runway because of clouds and bad weather. What an intimidating as well as disappointing experience.

Memorials of people who lost their lives to mountains

And more memorials remembering people who lost lives during mountaineering here

Village Lobuche

Another pose

Room at Gorakshep

And the moment... (at temperature -20). I couldn't feel my fingers and kinda feel my blood getting freezed just after seconds taking off my gloves.

Thank you for reaching till end. If you like it, please don't forget to write your views in comment.

Best wishes.