A Post about Food on the EBC Trek Becomes More. Or Is it Less?
There is a difference between basic and simple. Especially when you are traveling.
Recently I posted about accommodation on the EBC trek being basic. A comment from a fellow blogger (thanks Miriam) made me rethink how I had labelled the accommodation. It is the very fact the Everest Base Camp Trek is basic, makes it so good. Basic can be seen as a negative. So simple, not basic, is a better word to use. Because it is the simplicity of the EBC trek that makes it so special.
The simplicity of the accommodation, the simple food, the every day simple routine. The early to bed, early to rise. Get up, get dressed, eat, leave. Which way to go? Up or down. Maps to consult? No, not really, there is one path. Just like a pilgrimage, you know where you are going and why. The people you meet, the common quest, the simplicity of the destination but the challenge of getting there make it special. A quest so well rewarded.
No phone calls, television, emails and internet access is limited. All put into perspective in the big landscape or simple path you are on. Up or down.
And yes, simple meals too. This simple meal below in simple surroundings is one I remember well. A bowl of hot simple potato soup made with the broth and grated potatoes. A well earned bowl of soup after a hard steep walk out of Namche Bazaar and a 600 metre trek down hill to the river to Phunki Tenga. Three hours plus of a hard work, it was a meal well earned. A simple meal, simple surroundings the roar of the river, the sound of the yak bells as the yaks pass. Simple stunning beauty all around.
So back to the food, yes the food is simple. But it is good. It is organically grown along the track and cooked in a simple kitchen.
A meal in Namche Bazaar above.
This bowl of potato soup was al fresco at Debouche on the trail down. In a stunning landscape. How much simpler and more beautiful can you get?
The umbrellas above, weren’t the norm. The Sherpa stew was.
Simple, but addictive. Everest Base Camp Trek too simple to say no.
Need more convincing? 25 Reasons to Trek To Everest Base Camp
The Year I Touched My Toes 
So true Louise. The simple things in such surroundings makes it so special. Loved this post.
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Sometimes as humans we seem to complicate things when really, simple has much more impact! Love this Louise!
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Louise, I love the way you put “basic” and “simple” into perspective, and I agree that there is definitely a difference. Simplicity is something that many of us are missing in our lives and it is wonderful to be able to experience it with travel adventures like the one you did to Everest Base Camp. The simple, organic meals sound great, and I suspect they are particularly satisfying after so much strenuous activity. Great Post! Caroline
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I love when other bloggers make a comment that causes us to pause and rethink our original thought. Your post is an outstanding reflection on ‘basic’ vs ‘simple’. Your examples illustrate these differences perfectly!
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Being basic for me when I did Annapurna was the most liberating thing of all! I realized that there is so much I don’t need and that being outside in nature is better than anything.
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It sounds wonderful. How good the simple food tastes after a day’s hard work. I imagined myself there experiencing that.
Alison
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Thank you Lynn, it really did just happen. I’m pleased with it as well.
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Thanks Caroline. Yes most of us don’t have simple lives.
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Thank you Donna. It was simplicity at it’s best.
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Yes, yes that’s a big factor too. Very humbling on those two levels. Thanks for reading Nicole.
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Oh Alison that is very nice. Thank you.
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Thanks Francesca glad you liked it. It just morphed into being more than plates of food. Maybe the subliminal influence of your lovely posts.
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Great post Louise! And you are right it’s simple but gratifying and humbling and liberating and so many other things. I like the fact that every day is easy with getting up, dressing and walking. I enjoyed the simplicity of it all when we walked in Nepal and on the Kokoda Track. It was freedom too. You bring back so many memories for me when you post so thank you. xx
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Thanks Deb. Yes and your second statement sums it up very nicely, thank you. x
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Lovely post.
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Thank you Coral
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You really capture the pleasure of the simplicity and the “small things” in life that make this place in particular, special. I really like the last photo of coming along the trail and of the joy of eating the potato soup. Freshly grown organic food, grown with love and care, reflected in the meal, how perfect! Looks like those plants might be pennywort?
Peta
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Not sure if they are pennywort or not. I’ll have to a bit of research.
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Great post and photos!
I’m always amazed on treks how simple but delicious the food is especially when it’s cooked under such basic circumstances and typically by guides. I think it’s also because everything tastes wonderful after a hard day’s trek! 😉
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Loved this post Louise. Simple and basic is my motto too when camping. Wonderful photos. xo
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Yes very true, You feel you have really earnt the food. We didn’t have enormous serves and it also made me realise how much we overeat.
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Thanks Miriam. Yes simple and basic is the beauty of camping too, true. 10, 9, 8 ….
++++h day when you are camping, true.
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Heavy sigh …yep, can’t wait.
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Yes, we do certainly over eat and it’s not healthy.
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I think it’s also because everything tastes wonderful after a hard day’s trek! You really capture the pleasure of the simplicity and the “small things” in life that make this place in particular, special.
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Yes i think you are right Mark. Thank you the post seems to resonated with people. It just sort of happened I set out to just write about the simple food.
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Yes very true, You feel you have really earnt the food. 10, 9, 8 ….
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Yum yum! ❤
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10, 9, 8 …. I think it’s also because everything tastes wonderful after a hard day’s trek!
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Yes I think so too.
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10, 9, 8 …. 10, 9, 8 ….
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?
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thank you the place seems to resonated with people. I believe it’s also because everything tastes wonderful after a strong day’s trek!
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