Mon 9^th April 2012 Lobuche Base Camp 4820m to Everest Base Camp 5300m

Awoken at 7am, in our tents by Sherpas with hot flannels and hot tea. We have grown used to being given a hot towel at breakfast in the tea houses along the trek but from now on, at base camps, we will be given then in our tents. This really is the most effective way of waking up and clearing the sleep from your eyes. Does feel a little pampered, but I am sure we are worth it and it’s a good way to ensure that everyone is awake and makes breakfast in good time.

I had a really good sleep, about 8 hours with one small interruption, to change dreams!

We set off at 8.30am expecting to get to Everest Base Camp by lunch at 1pm. It’s quite cold but the sun is shining so as I head off with the lead group. I have gone for a t shirt and long trekking trousers. I have this great pair of trousers which can be transformed into shorts with the flick of a couple of appropriately placed zips. From man to boy in 10 seconds!

The route along the valley across the moraines takes us along the side of the valley but with lots of twist and turns and rises and descents. We are making good time with Adrian, the lead guide setting the pace.

Rule number one on this expedition is; don’t try to keep up with Adrian. Rule number two is....Doing forget rule number one!

However I am feeling good and with Pierre we slide in behind Adrian and hang in there! At one point Pierre pulls Adrian back... brave guy... it works for about 50m.

We stop a number of times for photos en route, including a titillating sneak of the Everest Summit, but soon espy the large collection of yellow tents and the one large central white ‘pod’ which is the unmistakably the HimEx main base camp.

We reach the monument just before our base camp, festooned with bright flags and a stone monument. This marks the end of the Trekkers route. They hoot with delight, take photos, paint or draw on the various rocks, and then they turn back from whence they came. The idea of the monument is to stop the numerous trekkers wandering into the various base camps of the Everest Expeditions.

As we near our camp we are stopped by a Trekker who asks us if the Himex ‘Pod’ is the ‘Everest Bakery’. ‘The Everest Bakery?.... er no why did you think it might be?’  The Trekker shows us her guide book showing the reference to the bakery. We note the date of her guide book ... 2009. Apparently there was indeed an Everest Bakery, sadly there isn’t any more!

We are greeted at the entrance by Russell Brice. It’s not a race, but the trek has taken us 2 hrs 45 mins, we were told it should have taken 3 and a half. It’s not a race, of course, but I am first!!

We await everyone’s arrival over the next few hours and then get a guided tour of this very impressive camp, the highlight of which is the’ white pod’ which resembles a night club and is the communal chill out area for the expedition. Rather ‘cushty’!

We have our own single tents complete with white cotton pillow...Home Sweet Home for the next 8 weeks or so !!