Out lunch stop provided magnificent views of the distant snow capped mountains and sadly also of the incredibly steep hill that we were soon to climb !
This was our first real test of the trip as we slowly walked the 3+ hours uphill to lovely Sette - appropriately in the setting sun ! A tough day !
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Our 2nd tough day in a row as we crossed the 3,700 metre Lumjula Pass.
The start to the day was a cool 5 c making dressing difficult as fleece and layers soon had us sweating profusely. Today was even steeper in parts than yesterday and the effects of altitude were being felt as we climbed higher.
An entrepreneurial Nepali pulled us up near the top to have some warming hot lemon tea at his guest house with a toilet that must have one of the best views in Nepal - he reckons it has even appeared in the Nepali times - an outhouse with a 7,000 meter mountain for a view !
The pass was conquered nearly an hour later and we took lunch in the single establishment with a biting icy cold wind at our backs.
The hot soup and fried mo mos were just the job - well mostly until an underfed chicken leaped up at Monika and ran off with one of them !
The descent following was incredibly difficult on lose rock making disaster in terms of an ankle injury quite possible !
Finally with the gloom descending we walked into picturesque Junebesi with its many guest houses ours being the Apple Orchard which we found out the next day was famed for its apple pie ... damn !
Never the less the popular guest house had a warm dining room ( temperature falls quickly when the sun goes in) filled with trekkers many whom we seem to be meeting on a regular basis !
Mike -
It was our first altitude day and I really felt it reaching the Lumjula Pass taking only 50 metre stints towards the top because of breathlessness !
It is incredible to note that what we think are difficult trekking paths were not only the original expedition routes to Everest but are also the lifeblood of rural Nepal for business, food, schooling and even medical treatment sometimes a 2 day walk away !
Monika -
More brilliant scenery on another really tough day. Its not just physically but also mentally challenging to keep going when your body and mind are screaming at you to stop.
Was a bit sad to see the amount of rubbish left on or near the paths we are trekking on - it's not the tourist but the locals who risk are spoiling this beautiful country side.
I'm waiting for one relatively easy day please !
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