Now THATS a mountain.

Just one of the many amazing views.
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We made it to Gorak Shep, which is the last outpost of lodges before Base Camp, then proceeded to race the weather, which can change faster that Alberta's if you can believe that!  The walk to Base Camp was astounding, and I wqas fighting to keep my eyes on the trail and not on the scenery that surrounded me.  The sun was out and the sky was crystal, with hanging glaciers all around me reflecting the light to a blinding brilliance.  Even with sunglasses, the intensity of the sunlight at 18500 ft. is incredible.  Along the way we saw porters (who deserve everyone's respect and admiration for the loads they can carry) hauling down parts of a helicopter that had crashed five years ago.  We left the ridge of the moraine we were walking on and started walking on the Khumbu Glacier, which was larger than anything I had ever seen, and could be seen to stretch all they way up the valley leading to Everest or Sagamatha as its called here.

A memorial to a Sherpa, One of many memorials to climbers lost on Everest.
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After a very difficult and tiring walk on the glacier we finally pulled in to Base Camp, commonly called tent city, and for good reason.  It's a loose collection of a hundred or so tents randomly splattered about, with no real trail or clear routes to get from one side to the other.  We had heard about a bakery (that's right, a bakery) that was not to be missed, and eventually found it by following our noses.  The apple pie came highly recommended and we weren't disappointed.  Maybe it was the altitude, or exhaustion, or the steady (vegetarian) diet of rice and potatoes on the way up, but that pie was the single most exquisite thing I've ever tasted.  I even begged the cook for the recipe but all I got was a brief list of the ingredients, without amounts.  Oh well.  I made my way around the camp and found a tent that obviously belonged to some Canadians but there was no one home. Still made for a great picture.  After rounds of high fives and handshakes, it was time to head back, but not before we managed to have the good fortune of seeing a very large avalanche come crashing down a nearby mountain.  In the warm sun if everything was quiet, you could hear the ice cracking on the hanging glaciers and we were all praying for a cataclysmic release of epic proportions but to no avail.  Two thirds of the way home it started to snow lightly and I was glad to finally cool off.  Some members of the group were in pretty rough shape, with one Aussie looking like he was going to pass out, probably due to his refusal to eat the food over the last two days, saying he couldn't eat fried food but could consume a can of pringles in less than four minutes.  That and the fact that he hadn't taken his Diamox that day which was a huge mistake, and his acting to cover it up.  We didn't find this out until after the hike, and he was lucky to make it back.  Diamox is a medication that helps the body acclimatize a little quicker, and most of the group was taking it or Acetazolamide, a similar pill.  I didn't have the need for it fortunately, as it comes with some side effects.

Best pie EVER.
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The next morning those of us who were interested got up at 430AM for the hike up Kala Patar, which afford the best views of Mt. Everest and the entire valley.  The hike is a brutal climb up a shoulder of the larger Pumori mountain.  But the view once at the top was indescribable, spanning  almost 360 degrees,  it was the single hardest climb I've ever done, at the highest altitude (5545m/19407ft) and worth every drop of sweat and empty breath.  My flight to Nepal from Thailand cruised at 18000 ft, and here I was sitting on a precipice littered with prayer flags at 19000 ft, an experience that won't be forgotten, ever.  Of course Murphy's Law (that rotten bastard) had to come into effect and my camera battery went dead after three pictures and a video, but the images burned into my memory and the feeling of accomplishing a difficult goal were reward enough for me.  The early start was more than worth it because soon after we made the top, more and more people started arriving and competing for the prime real estate.  So we headed off down the mountain in the direction of breakfast, which disappeared faster than you can say "black coffee."

The good 'ol red and white.
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Once the goal had been reached it was time pack up and start the trip back, which would take less than five days all told, the extra oxygen helping all the way.  Although we got stranded in Lukla airport for two days due to weather, we finally made it out.  Lukla is an airport that has to be experienced, with a runway that slopes at 25 degrees downhill, is only 250 yards long and ends in a cliff.  Watching the planes take off and land was awesome,  and the only source of entertainment while we waited for our flight.

Everest in the early morning, casting a shadow on the sky.
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Back in Kathmandu I've said my goodbyes to everyone as my flight is two days later.  Now I'm just killing time and relaxing in my new hotel ($12 US a night) and watching a lot of cricket which makes no sense and is almost as slow as baseball.  Tomorrow its back to Thailand for me where I'll ship some goodies home and make my way to a beach where I plan to sit and do nothing but read some books I've bought and wait for a friend to show up.