Notes and Photos to Remind Us of the Journey

My notebook diary entry from my third trek

Sunday 30 September . 3975 – 4200 metres

Left late (stomach) 9:40 – arrived 2:10 pm. Walked down to Phortse Tenga (3808 metres).Had a lodge break and then UP to Dole. Good track, stairs and then flat.

Staying at Namaste Lodge (second lodge at the start of the village). Six lodges in total. New toilet. European toilet.

Lots of rhododendrons and shiny bronze barked trees and thorn bush, small rose hips.

Noticeable increase in prices.

I have made some notes each day on all of our Nepalese treks. This helps me remember what the photos don’t tell me. My first note mentions a problematic stomach the morning we left Monjo. Trekking independently meant we could leave when we wanted to, but still taking into account the advice of the porter guide. Although it is best to leave your lodge early to to maximise on the sun before it disappears behind mountains later in the day. It doesn’t mean you have to leave your lodge when its still dark.

Unfortunately when we left Australia for the trek I was sick with a cough. So the steep climb up from Phortse Tenga down at river level up to a height above Dole and down again took a lot of effort and a lot of coughing. I had to stop a lot to catch my breath and was exhausted when I arrived.

Our porter knew the people running one of the lodges so we stayed there on his recommendation.