Day7: acclimatisation day in tenboche

We woke up to a cold and cloudy day at 4480 meters. I had a superb night sleep despite the -15 temp due to double thermals and double blankets. The others had a less good night sleep. I woke up with a mild altitude headache again but it soon subsided with paracetamol. Delightfully the toilet had frozen as well as all the toiletries in my room and my baby wipes!

Despite the weather we decided to go on our acclimatisation hike anyway. Part of altitude training is 'climb high sleep low'and having an acimatisation day for every 600 meters you go up. 

We headed off up the hill overlooking tenboche and it was tough but I didn't find it any harder than normal. I think the altitude was starting to effect a few of the others. We went up about 150 meters puffing a little. Then I suggested we go a bit higher just to push a little bit, so we went up to 4780 meters above the town.

We turned around and headed down the steep slope then wandered through the village back to the lodge. The river and streams were all frozen over.

We had a delicious lunch of hash brown with egg, put the fire on - burning yak poo, and settled in with another Everest book for the afternoon and ginger and lemon tea. 

With no phone signal, wifi or power it was so nice just being completely away from it all and just be and rest for a while before the days ahead. 

The boys headed off to play pool and returned with twix and Mars from the only open shop in town.

Dinner was early as there was no electricity to light the main room. More carbs. It started snowing and we huddled in the main room chatting until 7pm when we decided we'd had enough and it was time for bed.

The next few days promise to be a challenge. Up to lobuche for a night before heading to base camp the day after tomorrow! Excited. Petrified. Apprehensive.