My Trek to Everest Base Camp-Part 11

We started Day 9 with a hearty breakfast. I wished my mountain palace a reluctant good bye and we started for the day. The guide book said the climb would take 4-4.5 hours – 2 hours to Dughla(4620m) and then 2.5 hours to Lobuche (4940m). The guidebook recommended an optional stop at Dughla to better deal with AMS. We decided to try for Lobuche.

 

A bird(not likely at these heights) or a plane in sky, looking downwards at the path from Periche to Lobuche that morning would have seen scores of little specks all moving in the same direction – like ants on narrow trail. It was so crowded on the trail that morning, it was easy to forget that every one of those people had walked 40+ kms to get there.

 

It was a straight walk along the valley for about an hour. After which we started climbing a small hillock. Maybe all the walking had done me good, maybe I was thinner now – but this walk did not seem like a struggle. There was no breathlessness, either.

 

After the episode at Orsho, Balaram’s attitude towards me had shifted as well. He no longer tried to decide my capabilities. It was clear to him, as to me, that determination was carrying me forward. He decided he was here to take care of me – and he would just do the best job he could.

 

As we neared Dughla, we saw trekkers coming in from Dingboche as well. Dughla, situated at the edge of a glacial stream, next to a mountain pass- used to be a small village. But much of it had been washed off in floods in 2007. Now, the entire village consisted of 2 teahouses on a small flat landing next to the flowing river. Dughla was rugged and raw. From Dughla, towards the east, we saw a panoramic view of two peaks – Taboche(6542) and Cholatse(6440). Taboche and Cholatse were not entirely new – we had seen them at Periche as well- in fact from Periche, it appeared that one could summit these peaks with ease. But the view from Dughla was much more magical, more unreal – as they appeared together as twin imposing peaks in the skyline.

 

Lunch at Dughla was crowded with trekkers. So we ate a relaxed lunch, while chatting with a cute young German tour guide of a senior citizen tour group.

 

As we started out from Dughla, we met the 3 Philippino girls again. It was one straight steep climb to the top , where there were supposed to be the memorials to the lost climbers and Sherpas - people that died summiting the Everest. I started climbing slowly. Ajit went ahead. I must have gone up maybe a 100 meters, when She came back. In a different Avatar this time. As Giddiness. I sat down and waited for a few minutes to let Her pass. She Stayed.

 

I knew how to play Her game, this time. Descend. Wait overnight. Let her pass. Then continue. I told Ajit and Balaram we should descend to Dughla. And proceed again the next day. They agreed.

 

The teahouse at Dughla was chok-a block with trekkers staying over. We spent the afternoon there chit chatting with the others. We saw some old familiars and well as some new faces. She kept troubling me – lingering on, seeking my attention. I tried to drive Her away, with fluids, with Diamox. But, She stuck around, stubbornly.

 

I tried another approach : Sleep. Yes ! Sleep would fix the problem. The night would whisk Her away. But a walk in the middle of the night to attend Nature’s Call convinced me She was hanging on . Sitting on my head and spinning it around.

 

Morning brought Day 10, and She was still there. It was a game against time now. She had an infinite amount of it, I had only some. I weighed my options : I could go further down –back to Periche and wait her out-for another day may be. Maybe 2. And then try coming up again. It would take us 3-4 days to get to the top. And another 3-4 to get back to Lukla. But we would lose time, and we had a flight back to Bangkok in 6 days. And then there were the floods, my daughter, and my inlaws. We were both now itching to get back home, sooner if possible. But certainly not later. Time was not going to side me.

 
I made my decision. I would let Her win. Bow out of the game. But She would not have the joy of claiming 2 victories! Ajit would go ahead and complete what we started. I would descend to Periche and wait for him. And there would be no tears this time. Nothing to help Her rejoice.

I shared my plan with Ajit. He was torn. But agreed this was the best route. Balaram could drop me and come back to join him, I suggested. He said no. He would go alone. I was afraid. Ajit was a Racehorse with Blinders! What if he did not heed to Her arrival ? What if something happened ? But he was confident and adamant. So outside the dining hall at Dughla, we wished each other good bye.

 

Without me to slow him down, Ajit started his rapid climb upwards. I stayed few minutes longer. I needed to store the images in my head. The Mountains, the Stream, The Clouds, The Blue Skies. And the upward ascent to Lobuche, filled with gravel , that I would never complete. To imagine the rest of the sights I would never see. Kala Patthar. Gorak Shep. Lobuche. Base Camp.

 

And then, silently, I started my downward descent back to Periche. With Balaram next to me. Wishing Kala Patthar, and my decade old dream, Good Bye. It was over. She had won. AMS.