Trek Dispatches
Satellite phone updates from Todd Burleson's Alpine Ascents Khumbu Trek

Janow

Nicer Than The Place of Dead Birds
Tuesday, April 14, 1998 — Namche (11,300')

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Street in Namche
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(photo: Potterfield)

Hi, it's Gordon from Alpine Ascents, and we just returned to bustling downtown Namche Bazaar. Had a really nice walk today, pretty green trees and the rhododendrons are starting to bloom, so we got to smell those as we were going by.

It's a far cry from places like Gorak Shep which are pretty desolate. Gorak Shep, as you might know, means "the place of dead birds," so we're happy to get out of the place of dead birds and move onto the greener pastures of Namche Bazaar.

We'll have a rest day here tomorrow, mostly people shopping, and we will also be attending the first play in the Khumbu. There will be a theater performance tomorrow night. Actually, it is the dress rehearsal which our group was invited to, so we we'll be going up to see that as well. So, sort of out of the mountains somewhat into a bit of culture, but it's still a pretty stark and intense environment.

KHUMBU TREK
PHOTO GALLERY
Again everybody is pretty happy to be back in Namche. What looked like a bleak and small town as we were going through, is suddenly a thriving metropolis upon return. Full of shopping — I think they have a Danish pastry, or something like that as well, and a multitude of different kinds of teas. It is a luxury afternoon, same as tomorrow, and then we will finally head, the day after tomorrow, back to Lukla which is probably about a six hour walk. It's quite a bit downhill and then again uphill. Hope everybody there is doing well, and I'll send another report tomorrow or Todd will. Take care, bye.

— Gordon Janow, Alpine Ascents International Program Director

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