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The Himalayas (FINAL) | Lobuche to EBC to Kathmandu

Lobuche to EBC to Kathmandu

Duration: 7 days

Distance – Lobuche to Gorak Shep to EBC (17600ft): 8km

Altitude gain: 450m/1476ft

Distance – Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar (18200ft): 1.5km

Altitude gain: 410m/1345ft

It’s been twelve days since I left South Africa and today I will finally make my way to Everest Base Camp. I’ll climb for the first time through 5000 meters ASL. For this final section of the trek I return to my diary.

22/10/2017

Lobuche to Gorak Shep (16728ft) to Everest Base Camp (EBC) to Gorak Shep.

It was a long day of walking on loose rock. Traffic was very busy as the footpath is pretty much a single lane.

There’s amazing scenery in the Khumbu amphitheatre. Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Nuptse towers above all around us.

I’m pleasantly surprised by Gorak Shep. Its setting is spectacular.

After lunch we set off for Everest Base Camp. It feels like a long walk and I’m tired. No power in legs.

Normally I can run 4 kilometres in 22 minutes but this leg takes us four hours to complete. Progress is incredibly slow.

EBC is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It’s situated right next to the Khumbu Glacier and we can clearly see the impressive and feared icefall. A Japanese couple gets engaged. She’s a keeper in my books.

Before the trip I had read somewhere that the highest altitude where traces of civilizations were found is around the 17000ft mark. I find it fascinating. As it was so long ago there would have been no way for them to tell at what altitude they were living at, except that if they went up any higher they wouldn’t feel too good. Mountaineers talk of the death zone as 8000 meters and above. The real death zone is in fact much lower.

We take photos and spend some time just taking in our surroundings.

This is probably the closest I’ll ever get to China. Tibet is scarcely a kilometre away via the Lho La pass.

I feel much stronger on the way back to Gorak Shep. A local on a horse speeds by us towards base camp. That is one well acclimatized horse!

At Gorak Shep we get upgraded to a better room. The first one which was allocated to Wayne and I was two by three meters without a window and no space to walk or unpack our bags. We’re very grateful.

Moraine — A close up of the moraine. Glacial pools sometimes lie at the bottom of these pits.

A busy road to Gorak Shep. Nuptse towering over us.

The icefall on the left and EBC is just left of where the glacier stops. Everest peeking out left of centre.

Looking back from EBC down the moraine to Tabuche in the distance.

EBC — From left to right: Ryan, Nga-wang and myself.

Ice — The last few broken blocks of ice from the Khumbu Glacier next to EBC.

EBC. To the right is Tabuche and Cholatse.

23/10/2017

I slept badly…short of breath the whole night and excited for the climb to Kala Patthar.

We got up at 03:45 so as to be at the summit before sunrise.

It’s freezing cold outside.

We set off at 04:00. Nga-wang sets a hard pace. Close to the top I’m completely exhausted.

It takes me one hour and forty minutes to reach the summit. We’re one of the first groups at the top and I get a good spot for my tripod.

The first light and glow from the mountain summits are surreal.

The temperature is -9°C before sunrise and a cold wind blow up the mountainside from the valley.

There’s lots of wind and snowdrift on Everest. The weather is clear and the view is stupendous.

Many more people are making their way up to Kala Patthar from Gorak Shep.

My hands are instantly cold when I take my gloves off to take photos. It’s almost impossible to get warmth back into them again.

As soon as the sun peeks over the South Col I make my way down to Gorak Shep. During sunrise the light was good for photography but I can’t help to think that it would be so much better in the late afternoon.

Back at Gorak Shep I’m dead tired. After breakfast we still need to descend to Lobuche.

It’s an easy downhill stroll.

I have a blissful afternoon nap from 2-4pm.

The usual late afternoon mist rolls in and there’s no opportunity for golden hour photography.

The stuffy and busy dinner hall irritates me. I’m early in bed.

The last test awaits us tomorrow…The Kongma La Pass (5535m/18155ft).

Ama Dablam seen from Kala Patthar before sunrise. My favourite photo from the whole trek.

Himalaya — The highest peaks catches the first sun.

Pumori, in the shadow of Everest, waits for the sun to rise.

Lhotse — I took this photo from our room in Hotel XV in Lobuche while lying in bed.

24/10/2017

It’s another freezing cold morning in Lobuche.

I’m irritated by the noisy lodge, messy toilets and crowds. I’m done with Hotel XV. Apparently you get shithole countries. This is definitely a shithole lodge.

We set off to cross the Khumbu moraine. Rock, rock and more rock.

We’re almost through on the eastern end when we’re stopped dead in our tracks by a glacial pool. After an hour’s frustrating and risky tip toeing on loose rock to look for a crossing point we come to the conclusion that there’s no way through to Kongma La.

Our snail’s pace and the weird weather make us decide to abandon the pass. It’s already after 10am. To climb 600 vertical meters at altitude and walk the remaining 8 kilometers to Dingboche will be a tall order even if nothing else goes wrong during the remainder of the day.

We decide to bail out to Dughla and retrace our steps to Dingboche that way.

Just as well… while boulder hopping I pick up a sprain in my left Achilles tendon. It gets progressively sorer as the day wears on.

Instead of going straight down to Dughla we detour towards Chola Tsho to get magnificent views of Cholatse.

It’s an easy walk back to Dingboche with Ama Dablam creating a dramatic backdrop as it plays hide and seek between the clouds. A total of 22 kilometers hiked for the day.

Back in Dingboche I take my first shower in seven days. Words can’t describe the feeling of being clean again. It’s Rs500 (ZAR70) for the two minute shower. I gladly would have paid double that.

More cold weather as clouds move in during the afternoon.

A bit worried about my achilles tendon. We still have 45 kilometers to Lukla and I need to get there on my own steam.

Glacial pool — The glacial pool that stopped us in our tracks. In front of Nga-wang below there was a possible crossing point but it was just too far to safely leap over it.

Wayne admiring Tabuche’s north eastern ridge line.

Our lunch spot. Tabuche and Cholatse with Tsola tso in the front.

Nga-wang taking it easy while we have lunch in front of Cholatse.

Khumbu — THe usual afternoon mist roll in from the valleys below.

The Khumbu moraine flowing down past Dughla (left of centre) toward Pheriche (right).

25/10/2017

The cold has followed us down from Lobuche. At sunrise the room’s windows are frosted over.

I took anti-inflammatories the night before…ankle feels better.

Pancake and honey for breakfast. Ram’s Moon Light Lodge is by far our favourite lodge for the entire trek.

I still have breathing difficulties during sleep. Hopefully it will cease when we get below 4000m.

Trekking to Pangboche(3990m) today and then in the afternoon to Ama Dablam Base Camp (4600m).

There’s a biting wind into our faces. My ankle soon starts to flare up.

I decide to sit out Ama Dablam Base Camp climb so I can rest my ankle. While the others are away I take some long exposure photos down at the river. It’s a long afternoon in the tea room as the weather again moves in with heavy mist. At dusk I start to become a bit concerned about the other three not having returned. Luckily soon thereafter they arrive. It seems they had a great time.

Dudh Koshi — The bridge below Pangboche leading to Ama Dablam base camp.

26/10/2017

20km hike today to Namche Bazaar.

I got up at 5am to photograph the sunrise. While leaving the room I accidentally locked Wayne in. He somehow escapes and soon joins me outside. As compensation for my sabotage he steals my ideas.

We can see climbers’ headlights near the summit of Ama Dablam.

The colours on the mountains’ peaks at first light change from soft purple to dusky pink to glowing orange.

With more anti-inflammatories and rest my ankle feels much better this morning.

It’s an uneventful day. There are lots to reflect on as we descend. On the last quarter my ankle is again very uncomfortable. I’m thankful that the injury happened on the way out and not earlier. It could have been disastrous.

Wayne and I get the best room in Namche’s Sona Lodge & Restaurant. No. 308.

Soon we’re off to Cafe De 8848 and Illy Espresso Bar for a well-deserved cappuccino and Oreo Cheese Cake.

We wash it down with a celebratory pint at the highest Irish Pub in the world.

Lhote — The first ray of light on Everest’s south eastern ridge.

Phangboche — The sun thawing frost just below Pangboche.

Forest — Rhododendron forest just before Tengboche.

Valley — Below Tengboche nearing Namche Bazaar.

27/10/2017

Walking out to Lukla. 18km.

Best uninterrupted sleep I had in eight nights.

We see Kongde (6168m) right in front of Namche for the first time due to perfect weather.

French toast for breakfast.

We leave Namche just before 9am.

There is heavy traffic down the pass to the Larja Bridge.

A funny moment ensues as yaks are turned around on the bridge. Trekkers with big white eyes hastily retreat before the bewildered beasts.

My ankle flares up from Phakding. 3 hours of hiking still to Lukla.

Head down and bear it. Tired and cold as we arrive in Lukla. I’VE MADE IT! Today was just a slog.

Winter is on the way. There’s a chill in the air that wasn’t present when we arrived two weeks before.

Namche early in the morning with open skies. On the right the impressive Kongde.

28/10/2017

Our flight to Kathmandu is scheduled for 09:30.

There’s clear weather early in the morning. It snowed during the night on the upper slopes.

Check-in is nerve wrecking as it happens suddenly, very fast and chaotically.

Then the long wait starts as the weather moves in. We can’t leave the terminal while checked in.

It’s bone chilling cold in the waiting room. I wasn’t prepared to spend time there. I’m not dressed appropriately and pay the price with an uncomfortable and boring day in the terminal.

Our flight is finally and predictably cancelled at 3pm. Unbelievable!

Wayne and I are off to ILLY for warm coffee, a brownie and food.

We walk back to the lodge in the rain.

More boredom sets in. Still a long wait until I’ll finally be home again.

The return to earth

The next morning all hell breaks loose at Lukla Airport as we at last get a weather window. There’s a massive backlog from the previous day’s delays. It is something to behold how fast the turnaround time is for incoming aircraft. I timed a few arrivals and departures. From landing, stopping, disembarking passengers and off-loading luggage to the new passengers climbing on board and their luggage loaded, the plane starting up again, taxi-ing and taking-off…5 minutes flat!!! It is a well-oiled operation that does deserve respect and admiration.

Booked for a 9am departure we finally take-off at 11am just as the weather is closing in again. There are some squirmy moments after take-off as we pass through patches of cloud. Not the greatest feeling when you see, while in the clear, mountains all around you still rising high above the aircraft.

Holy man — A holy man trying to evade me at the Pashupatinath Temple. It’s a famous and sacred Hindu temple complex that is located on the banks of the Bagmati River.

The Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu. The stupa’s massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.

Final thoughts

After an interesting day tour of Kathmandu I finally board my Emirates flight the next day to return home. This Himalayan trek is an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime. Many people ask me how it was and I find it hard to find the correct words to do the experience justice. Each time I fail miserably. Descriptions like, “Unbelievable!”, “Unforgettable” and “Epic!” is all I can utter. How do you express the feelings of wonder and awe those giant mountains impress on your virgin eyes? How do one verbalise your thoughts on a culture that you know precious little about but which had definitely made an indelible impression on your conscience.

The fact of the matter is that no words can do the Himalayas justice. You have to go there to see and experience it yourself. There must be a good reason why the Nepalese are one of the friendliest nations in the world.

The Himalayas (Part 3) | Dingboche to Lobuche

Dingboche to Lobuche

Distance: 12km

Vertical altitude gain: 500m/1640ft

Price for one liter of water in:

Kathmandu: Rs50 (Nepalese rupees) +-ZAR7

Namche Bazaar: Rs150

Dingboche: Rs200

Lobuche: Rs300

Duration: 1 day

Dingboche – Day 6

It’s freezing cold. As I open my eyes the sun has still not risen because Dingboche is caught in the web of Ama Dablam’s morning shadow. As a result our bedroom’s windows are still frosted over. I had a fitful night’s sleep and a nose bleed to boot.

Today we say goodbye to Des, Hein, Chris and one of the guides, Asmit. Dingboche is their turnaround point. Going forward our group now consist of Ryan, Umberto, Wayne, my-self and our guide Nga-wang.

Cholatse Peak — Cholatse rising at impossibly steep angles.

Tabuche & Cholatse — Too big to not take a panorama. Pheriche, bottom left. Peaks from the left: Kangtega (6685m), Thamserku (6608m), Tabuche (6367m) and Cholatse (6335m).

The Dingboche (14 465 ft) to Lobuche (16 105 ft) trek is 12km long, with a vertical gain of 500 meters and it should take 6 hours to complete. This stretch of the trek is a definite highlight. Soon after leaving Dingboche, the Tabuche and Cholatse peaks rise, to our left, 2 000 vertical meters above us. It is a tremendous sight. Our pace is slow as Wayne and I constantly take photos but a biting cold wind on our backs does hasten us along.

Views for days

As on every other trekking day the hiker traffic is busy at the start of the route. The trail has a gradual upslope and criss-crosses the wide grassland. Yaks love to graze here. The uphill gradient is agreeable as long as you don’t push too hard. After an hour’s hike we sit down to marvel at the view in front of us and have a snack.

As we get closer to Dughla (4620m) the Chola Tsho glacial lake at the foot of Cholatse comes into view. Unlike anything I’ve seen before, the lake has a unique milk-ish aqua colour. It formed when the Cholatse glacier moraine pushed rocks into the path off the glacial melt water running down from Cho La pass. The colour contrast between the aqua-coloured lake, Cholatse’s pitch black rock interspersed with snow white ice and the cobalt blue sky is glorious.

Dughla

Soon we have to pass through the Dudh Koshi moraine to have lunch at Dhugla. On the far side across the moraine I can see the Thokig pass snaking up towards 4830m. It’s only a 200 meter vertical altitude gain but the sight of it saps my confidence. At this altitude it’s going to be hard work.

For lunch I have macaroni and cheese and a steaming hot orange tea. It’s getting colder as mist moves in from the valley below. My strategy for Thokig pass is to go at it relentlessly. I tell myself the less I stop the faster I’ll get to the top. The gradient is brutal. Umberto seems unfazed and very relaxed as he scrambles past me up the rock path. I tell myself it’s because he doesn’t have a camera to carry. The uphill struggle seems never ending but after half an hour of climbing we’re at the top.

The top of Thokig pass. Ama Dablam to the left and Dhugla far below. Our guide, Nga-wang approaching in the middle.

Climbers’ Memorial

A miserable cold wind greets us at the top of the pass. The view back down the valley is wondrous. Only the high peaks peek through the rolling mist clouds. Wayne, who has been here numerous times before, gives us a brief background of the memorial to dead climbers and sherpas. I stumble upon the Kazakhstan climbers’ memorial and see the name of Anatoli Boukreev. He was very much at the centre of the 1996 Everest disaster, to only die a year later in an avalanche on Annapurna.

Chilling — Three dudes just chilling between the clouds. Wayne, Ryan and Umberto.

After resting a while the frigid wind moves us briskly along and we enter a new, breath taking world which consists of rock, water, ice, wind and precious little oxygen. It’s the Khumbu Glacier. The glacier is to our right but we can’t see it due to us walking in a shallow valley on the western side of it. Soon Pumori (7165m), Lingtren (6749m), and Nuptse (7861m) make their appearances. An amphitheatre of rock and chiselled ice eight kilometres ahead signal the turning point of our trek and the border between Nepal and Tibet. We’ve arrived at the top of the world.

Entering the Khumbu Glacier with Pumori, Lingtren and Nuptse from left to right.

Lingtren — Lingtrin to the left. (6749m).

Lobuche

Two hours later we trudge into Lobuche. Our lodge, the Hotel Peak XV, isn’t brilliant. Our room on the second floor is small. The whole building is constructed from flimsy materials. Each movement and step, wherever it might be in the building, is heard and felt. It’s noisy. It’s easy to follow conversations next door. The toilets are a mess with water spilled all over the cubicles. The tea room is stuffy and crammed. Water is expensive. Maybe I’m not feeling too well? I do feel irritated and restless. I don’t recognise it but the altitude gained affects my mood.

After afternoon tea I go lie on my bed. I’m too tired to even take off my hiking boots or wet clothes. I can’t fall asleep. The moment my body relaxes I suddenly gasp for air, which wakes me up and the whole sequence starts again. Exasperated I finally force myself out of bed to wash before night falls and it becomes too cold to change clothes. Washing is a dreary affair with wet wipes. It’s too cold and too expensive to take the risk of a cold shower. It’s now five days since I’ve had a proper wash.

Wayne’s World

After sharing a room with Des for the first section of the trek I now share with Wayne. I’m lucky on this trip. Neither he nor Des snores. Wayne is a colourful, affable character. He’s always busy with something, talks a lot, is a bottomless pit of information and has a real passion for the Himalaya because he’s infatuated by its grandeur, mystique and ever changing landscapes. He’s also an avid birder. It’s comforting to have someone like him with so much experience on the team. Very few things get him down and he’s always joking around. A breath of positivity really helps in these trying conditions.

As I lie in bed after dinner I can’t help to pine for my luxuries. First price would be a decent toilet and uninterrupted sleep. Tomorrow it’s upwards and onwards to Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp. Although I’m surrounded by unsurpassed natural beauty I realise that my body is now in a battle for survival. The next few days will be tough.

Dingboche Dughla Everest Base Camp Trek Hiking Himalaya Lobuche Mountains Nepal Sherpa Trekking

Mandevu Cottage | Falls Fish Farm | Destination Photography

For some reason I love to do indoor and destination photography. Maybe it’s the fact that travel is involved or that I have more time to get the shot right than for instance at a wedding. Either way, after my first visit to Falls Fish Farm in Schoemanskloof earlier this year Dee, the owner, invited me once more to take some photos for her. This time it was of Mandevu Cottage.

Of the two cottages Mandevu is lower down on the farm and consequently closer to the Crocodile River. Mandevu features a lovely free standing dam literally on the door step. I’m told it’s a good spot for fishing and there’s even a canoe next to the water’s edge. I asked her about tubing down the Crocodile River. She warned: “Due to the close proximity of Croc Grove crocodile farm I’d stay well clear of the river if I was you.” It’s a pity as it seems that the Crocodile River always have strong flows in the Schoemanskloof area.

How to do it

The biggest challenge with indoor photography is light. There is massive contrast between the indoor lighting and harsh outdoor light. Flash is not an option unless used expertly by the photographer. The only other alternative therefore is HDR or High Dynamic Range photography. This technique involves taking at least three photos with different exposures of the same subject. A tripod is thus essential as the camera should stay still between the different exposures. The exposures should range from underexposed (to get detail on the outside of the windows) to overexposed (to get adequate detail in the dark interior). Lightroom is then used to blend the seperate images together. This creates a pleasing picture that showcases the details in the well lit as well as dark areas.

I’m looking forward to my stay at Mandevu cottage a bit later this year. Hiking, fishing, landscape photography and sipping wine next to the fireplace will be the order of the day at this wonderful and relaxing destination. Thank you for the opportunity Dee.

Destination Falls Fish Farm Mandevu Cottage Schoemanskloof Travel

Lowveld Airshow 2016 | Day 1

Due to a wedding I had to shoot on the main show day I popped over to Nelspruit Airfield on the Friday to get some pics of the Kishugu Scholars’ day Airshow.

From the Kishugu website:

The 2016 Scholars’ Day was held on 20 May and attracted more than 2,400 eager learners from schools in the Lowveld. The day was hosted by Kishugu Lowveld Air Show, in collaboration with the Department of Transport and the Mpumalanga Department of Education.

Scholars’ Day is an annual event preceding the Kishugu Lowveld Airshow, and aims to introduce scholars to the various career opportunities within the South African transport industry, with a special focus on the exhilarating world of aviation.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, encouraged learners to excel in their studies, advance themselves beyond matric and to consider careers within the transport sector. Scholars were later treated to special flight displays arranged by the Kishugu Lowveld Air Show.

But first I needed a longer lens than what I owned and I made a quick stop at the Africa Photographic Services store in Riverside. I wanted a Nikon teleconverter but soon realised it wouldn’t fit on a Tamron for Nikon lens. So I opted to rent the Tamron for Nikon 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens. It’s a long and heavy beast but I could hardly contain myself to get to the airport and try it out.

It was a cold and dreary overcast day and as I arrived even the odd drop of rain fell. Totally underdressed for the sniping breeze blowing from the east I made my way through the throng of school kids to the spectator line. It was weird to not have to compete for a spot next to the fence.

With the formalities and speeches completed the four hour long show started. It was a watered down version of what was to come the next day but there were still some spectacular moments. The skydivers had a scary moment when one of the team member’s parachute tangled when he opened it up. Within seconds he had cut himself away and deployed the reserve shoot which worked flawlessly.

Juba Joubert gave a world class performance in his Aerospatiale Gazelle helicopter. The SAPS’ PC-12 made an elegant entrance and left again soon thereafter. Kishugu’s Air Tractors are always impressive for their raw power. With the overcast and humid conditions they even created propeller vortexes on take-off.

The biggest bi-plane in the world, an AN2 Antonov called Little Annie showcased her extraordinary low speed capabilities. The Kishugu Huey helicopters, with their unmistakeable rotor sound, managed to deliver a solid punch to my gut.

Showstoppers like the jets and Nigel Hopkins were missing in action but the Silver Falcons gave a polished low level display to end off proceedings. To come back to that Tamron 150-600mm lens. It’s not only a beast in looks but in performance as well. It really does bring you closer to the action but panning technique is essential.

To capture propeller blur images generally have to be taken at slower shutter speeds than 1/250th of a second. When you’re zoomed in at say 400mm the reciprocal rule state that the chances for image blur is very good.

A big thank you to Kishugu for the media pass. Until next year.