Altitude Sickness !

In simple forms it can be just feeling lethargic or fluey or having a mild headache - in more serious forms it can make you feel like your head is in a vice and that you're about to projectile vomit - whatever form it can be fatal if untreated so in hindsight the decision to descend Monika was the right one !

AMS was a common issue as we found ourselves climbing higher. We'd sighted a couple of trekkers being assisted by Porter's to descend - we'd heard about the 8 helicopter evacuees at Gorakshep - we'd also heard about 6 UK teenagers forced to retreat after 4 came down with AMS at Goykio and we'd even witnessed the distress AMS can cause when our Japanese neighbor in Gorakshep awoke in a panic and started hyperventilating !

While the trek by itself is not overly tough its combination with altitude makes the EBC trek far from a walk in the park !