with overnight stop at Benkar’. (Della)
‘Main street of Lukla
The road out of town
Other trekkers: The person in front is carrying a largish day pack whilst the hired porter behind is carrying the rest of his/her gear. This was normal procedure for almost all trekkers. We, in contrast, proudly carried our own packs with everything we would need for the 9 days apart from food.
Not such a large pack: all bedding, warm clothing, wet weather gear, change of clothes, toiletries, medication, communication, safety.
The first of many road trains: Donkeys, cows, yaks…these were constant and colourful traffic. These donkeys are carrying empty fuel drums back to Lukla to be refilled with aviation fuel and carried back to Base Camp again.
Such a sweetheart! You could always hear the bells as the animals approached, so that you had time to stand out of the way. I had to bring a yak bell home with me so that I can be transported to Nepal every time the wind blows in the garden. See Sounds of Nepal.
A proud Sherpa woman selling her produce outside her home.
Despite the shortage of good, cultivable land, almost all houses devoted space to flowers.
Our first night in Benkar with the hospitable Neema Sherpa. We were her only guests.
Suspension bridges everywhere.
For more about the EBC See:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/12/14/ultralight-hiker-ebc-videos/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/12/01/ebc-gear-list/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/20/ebc-4-5-and-so-onwards-and-upwards/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/19/dos-and-donts-on-the-ebc-and-elsewhere/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/18/ebc-3-and-onward-to-xanadu/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/17/everest-days-1-2-lukla-to-namche-bazar/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/16/ebc-starting-out-kathmandu-to-lukla/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/11/15/9-days-trekking-the-ebc/
From my previous trip, see:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/to-the-roof-of-the-world/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/i-followed-my-footsteps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/i-saw-below-me-that-golden-valley/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thatendlessskyway/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-diamond-desert-everest-base-camp-trek-8/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/everest-base-camp-three-passes-trek/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cold-weather-face-masks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/my-life-was-wide-and-wild-and-who-can-know-my-heart/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2016/12/26/the-diamond-desert-everest-base-camp-trek-8/
Can you share a packing list of what you took on this trek? I’m interested in doing a similar one. (Or at least the major items you took?) Thanks!
Watch this space Brett. I have already begun a post entitled ‘Dos and Don’ts on the EBC’ and another entitled ‘Backpack Tricks’. Together they will answer most of your questions. Della and I each took one of the Amazon packs I wrote about here: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/03/24/budget-pack-mods/ along with some other mods. 350 grams is quite enough weight in a backpack! We carried no more than 6-7 kg each but that included a shelter, satellite phone and Messenger, sub-zero sleeping bags and sub-zero insulated inflatable sleeping pads. A big margin for safety which folks who hump a lot more gear (and employ guides) do not have. Be patient, I am working on answering your questions and many more. Cheers, Steve & Della.
And here it is Brett: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2019/12/01/ebc-gear-list/