Most Inspirational Moment
Having a long-awaited glass of wine at the Everest View Hotel on a perfectly clear morning (trek day 14) - that was pretty special. The views from Gokyo Ri, Cho La, EBC and Kala Pattar were more staggering than I'd ever have believed, and the routes in between these high places were beautiful as well. But the biggest inspiration was seeing how the local Nepalese people have bounced back from disaster and continue to make their way in the world. Tourism is the lifeline of that region and it felt good to contribute to their ongoing recovery.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I'd had a great leader on my previous Exodus trip (Hamid on the Peaks and Valleys of the High Atlas) so I'd booked this specific trip because I'd heard good things about Valerie Parkinson. I wasn't disappointed: she *is* Exodus in Nepal and made a great trip into a glorious one. Everything went like clockwork without any fuss or bother; she lives and breathes her job; and she's happy to share her seemingly limitless knowledge. Full marks, and then some!
Advice for Potential Travellers
In no particular order... There's a lot of climbing but the distances aren't too far. I wasn't able to do much in the way of appropriate preparation walking but I cycle regularly, and this helped build the thighs up for the ascents - definitely worth considering if you can't get some prep walks in before you go. I took a Steripen with me to save having to buy "mineral water" which is effectively only UV-filtered anyway - this helps reduce plastic bottle waste and also pays for itself over the course of this one holiday. A water bladder for the backpack is better for ensuring you take on enough liquid whilst walking, though a bottle is also vital in case the tube freezes in the early mornings (happened to me once). I also invested in a 16,000 mA power pack from RavPower, which, although heavy, was enough to recharge my Steripen 4 times, my camera 4 times, my phone once, plus someone else's phone and camera, and still have 20% or so left over - much better than trying to charge your devices at the lodges, trust me. There's plenty of snacking material for purchase in lodges (bars, Pringles, chocolates and the like) so there's no real need to bring stuff out with you unless you have specific requirements/tastes - this also helps you keep below the 10+5kg weight limit on the plane. I managed the whole trek without taking diamox (though a couple of Ibuprofen were needed one night to suppress the altitude headaches) or using trekking poles (that may just be a personal thing - most people used them). Mobile and Internet access is available in most places but is sketchy above Namche Bazaar so I didn't bother, and it was liberating. Bring a pair of comfortable earplugs if you have difficulty sleeping - there can be a lot of snoring at altitude and the lodge walls are mostly plywood so don't exactly cut out the noise from neighbouring rooms. I managed with a good 3-season sleeping bag since all lodges have blankets/quilts to provide extra layers (travelling in March/April). There are more Western-style toilets than you might have feared but you will need to use squat toilets before the end of the trip, promise... And when you're back in Kathmandu make sure you go to Fire & Ice for a pizza/dessert - what a treat!
Suggestions
This was my second Exodus trip and my second 5-star review. If I could have given this 6 stars I would have because I enjoyed every minute - yes, even the 04:30 wake-ups. This is a special trip in a special country, and if you get the weather and a bit of luck like we did, you too could have a trip of a lifetime to the roof of the world.
