Everest and beyond

We bushcamped in Everest national park to get an early start the next morning enroute to Everest base camp. So the next morning, or middle of the night it seemed, a very early start saw us make the long and treacherous drive to base camp. Luckily for us it was dark and we did not realise quite how many sheer drops off cliff edges were on the route. It was only on our return journey in daylight the truth was reaveled. So well done to Pete for driving us safely. My first ever view of Everest is one which will live me with forever. It towered majestically above it's fellow mountains and looked amazing. It's one of the best sights in the world and I looked at it in awe. I could have stayed for hours just watching that mountain. It didn't make me want to climb it though, I'm not that daft!! Well maybe a little!!


We arrived at the tented yurk village which was to be our home for the night and some of us walked the remaining few kilometers to base camp. For me base camp was a bit disappointing. It didn't add anything to the mountain and was very strictly controlled by the Chinese. Woe betide anyone who ventured past the control barrier. We had an amusing night in our yurt tent, which including being force fed endless cups of yak butter tea and being tucked in bed at night, which Roberta and Heather loved. Maggs had some particularry interesting 'herbal' tea after which she seemed remarkably mellow and kept asking for snacks! The only trouble is she keeps craving more. We'll wean her off slowly.



Getting away from Everest base camp and Tibet has proved to be difficult. I'm sure the Odyssey blog will go into more detail, but a combination of floods, road closures, bridge collapses and the constant presence of the not so secret Chinese police has made it very tough.  Unfortunately we have had to leave the truck along with Pete in Lhasa and will now use a variety of transport.  As I write this Pete seems as if he will be stuck in Tibet for some time, trapped by a yoghurt festival!  The problem appears to me to be that the Chinese government are not set up for Western tourists.  As we only make up 3% of the total tourism they just don't know what to do with us and seem to panic somewhat.  Having said that on the whole the Chinese and Tibetans people are very friendly. 

We made a detour to Chengdu, the home of the Giant Pandas.  A very busy city full of parks with pensioners practising ballroom dancing and Tai Chi.  Badminton is also very popular with very high standards from the games I saw.  The visit to the Pandas was amazing.  I was a bit unsure about going as I did not know the conditions these gorgeous creatures are kept in, but I was reassured.  The Pandas are obviously well looked after in a good enviroment and even seemed to play to the crowds.  We all tried to smuggle one out to no avail.  It was certainly one of the highlights of the trip.

A few more cities, which for me was a few too many saw us arrive at the border with Laos.  On the whole I have enjoyed China, it's certainly fascinating, extremely frustrating, but I have to say I'm glad I've been.  One thing I won't miss is the Chinese toilets which have to be seen to be believed.  Suffice to say I had a panic attack in one where I thought the pyramid of poo was reaching up to grab me.  I was one poo away from disaster!!  I got out of there smartish!