Tasmanian Himalayan Expedition 2011
Discovering the path of the Sherpa
Reports from the Tasmanian Himalayan expedition.
3rd-21st September 2011
(Expedition completed)
Day 19 Wednesday 21st September: Going Home
Day 18 Tuesday 20th September: Bhaktapur
Day 17 Monday 19th September: Around Kathmandu
This morning we were able to sleep in a little longer than usual as we were heading off to Durbar Square at 9am. After a yummy breakfast at the Radisson, it took us about half an hour to walk there. Once we arrived and payed our 300rp to get in, we wandered past a little market area before getting into see the temples. While admiring a temple Doug had picked up a man who was determined to be our tour guide, though Doug was persistent with saying no and walking away, the guy was utterly determined to give us a tour. We eventually detered him and we wandered into a different area. We saw a massive flock of pigeons all eating on the ground. While we were standing there we witnessed a gigantic cockroache which some of us took photos of, but sadly when it attempted to cross the road it was run over by a car. Alice then excitedly ran over and took a photo of it's remains. We walked about for a while longer with Larissa being the first to be pooped on by a pigeon (turns out it was just a seed from a tree). After that we wandered back to the other part of Durbar Square and the man continued insisting that we should get a tour from him. He followed us into the Home of the Child Goddess, of which we were lucky enough to see her. The group was filled with mixed emotions. The man finally left us alone grumbling to himself about how horrible we were. Once we had finished there we walked back to Thamel and did some shopping, all of us becoming pro at bartering and having a great time. we headed back to the hotel to refresh ourselfs to go our for dinner with Ang. We walked up to Thamel to have dinner at a palce called Rum Doodle. The food was fantastic and it was a great way to remember the trek. The restaurant was filled with Yeti feet decorated by previous trekkers. We all got to decorate our own team's foot which was great fun for everybody it was a great way to end the day.
Day 16 Sunday 18th September: Lukla to Kathmandu
Luci Scott, 16, Scottsdale High School
The flight back to Kathmandu was fun in many different ways. We witnessed several planes unload, reload and take off within 3-5 minutes of landing. Some of the group played Farkel while waiting and the others just watched the excitment of the Lukla airport.
The take off was quick. Hurtling down the runway the plane was shaking more than the landing at Lukla. It didn't take us long to get some air and we were off the mountain. The runway was flat for 40 metres then it dropped and was at an angle (12 percent gradient) for the rest of the 400 metres. It was a clear morning, as soon as we left the runway we could see up the valley where we walked. Once we got flying we could see most of the mountains above the cloud line. It was just as amazing as when we were flying to Lukla. We landed safely in Kathmandu at about 7:45 AM and we got back to the Radisson around 8:30 AM
The group had a mostly relaxing day. Some people went into Thamel to go shopping, some just chilled in their rooms, and some people went swimming. Just before we went out for tea at our local, there was an earthquake. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake was the biggest in Nepal in 78 years. Doug and Sam were very proud of the way that the group got out of the hotel safely and assembled in the car park.
It was a big day. Waking up at 5:00, flying back to Kathmandu, surviving the flight, and surviving an earthquake; we were all very happy to get in bed (after a shower of course).
BREAKING NEWS - Earthquake felt by students in Kathmandu
Doug Grubert, Trip leader
At approximately 6:25pm Nepali time on Sunday 18th September our group experienced an earthquake in the capital of Kathmandu. The group had planned to meet at a local cafe for dinner at 6:30pm. Two students were in the cafe, Doug and Sam were in the street outside and the remainder were still in the Radisson Hotel. The hotel shook and the water was spilling out of the pool on the fifth floor. Students in the hotel used the stairs to exit and everyone met in the carpark outside of the hotel. We were extremely pleased with how calmly all students handled the situation.
A quick check of the US Geological Survey website indicated that the earthquake hit Sikkim in India with a magnitude of 6.8. Apparently an aftershock of magnitude 4.4 also hit Sikkim but we did not feel it in Kathmandu.
Day 15 Saturday 17th September: Monjo to Lukla
Alice Hall, 16, Scottsdale High School
Last day of trek!!! We started with a cup of tea at 6:30am, had breaky at 7:30am and left by 8:00am. We left Monjo aimed for Lukla. We stopped for lunch about 12:00pm at Chuling and had our last meal cooked by the cook staff, we were all extremly sad to say goodbye, they even had offers of coming home to Tasmania with us! Babu's cooking was absolutely amazing and by being able to be in the kitchen last night watching the cook staff work their magic I realised how much work goes into cooking our meals. Just before we left our lunch spot for Lukla an unaccompanied horse ambled through our path and just as it walked past Kyle it let out THE most friendly knicker you've ever heard from a horse, Kyle had a different opinion and made a very high pitched squeal while running extremly fast in the opposite direction. This amused us all! On our way to Lukla 90% of our conversations were directed at the showers we were able to have at our accommodation.Little did we know we'd be disappointed with them. Ranging from freezing cold water to clogged up drain holes we were not the most pleased people you'd see after not having a shower for 12 days, but they did the job. After an afternoon of a very intense quiz which was led by the great Ang, a few entertaining games of pool with both the experienced and inexperienced players and some much needed sleep catch-up we are about to head down to a lovely tea and then head to bed ready for a very early wake up to catch our plane from Lukla back to Kathmandu and the much awaited Radisson Hotel. Everyone has really enjoyed the trek and it's definitely a journey none of us will forget!
Day 14 Friday 16th September: Tashinga to Monjo
Larissa Wuetschner, 17, Rosny College
We woke up at 6:30am to a cuppa tea and some washing water. We had our breakfast at 7:30am then were all ready to head off at 8:00am.
Group one headed off first and group two not long after. The good thing about having the two groups is that people can go at their own pace without having to feel rushed or held back. Group one found it rather funny when our Sherpa Basu basically sings the whole way and randomly makes truck noises. He also tried to teach us some Nepali at one point but some of us can only concentrate on one thing at a time unfortunately. We have all picked up a couple of things along the way though.
Today on trek we did have a few challenging hills to go up and also some challenging hills to go down and there may have been a few slips but everyone is still doing fine.
Group one got to Namche Bazaar where we stopped for luch, they were only waiting a little while for group two to make their way in. Once we were all together we had about an hour and a half to look around at some shops, stock up on some chocolate and wait around for lunch. A while was spent at Namche Bazaar but it was nice to have a break. After leaving to head off to our campsite at Monjo it only took another two and a half hours or so to get there. Once we to Monjo we all just hung round for afternoon tea then once we were finished we handed out our clothing donations to the Sherpa guides, porters and kitchen staff. It worked out perfectly and they all seemed to be happy with what they got. After that Sam and Doug organised for all of us students to pick a world expedition job out of a hat (3 students to one job). The jobs were; Sherpa guides/serving dinner, cooking staff and cleaning staff. Once we were all allocated our jobs we then went and took over from the staff to get a taste of what it was like. It was a very interesting experience and very hard work. We weren't surprised to here that the staff alone (not trekkers) go through about 15kg of rice a day (dry weight)! That is half a kilo of rice each per day!
After we had finished our jobs and the staff had been dished up their food by some students they left and then it was our turn for dinner. For a change we had a nice big buffet which was delicious!
The highlight of the day though would have been after dinner when we got all of the World Expedition staff to come to share some lovely cake that the head chef made for us and celebrated the end of our journey together. They all sang and danced for us and got us all up dancing with them. It was so much fun and put a smile on everyone's face! Once we had done a lot of dancing Doug and Sam got up to say a big thanks for all the hard work they had done for us then us students all presented the tips to each of the staff members. They seemed very pleased and they truly deserve it. After giving all of the tips out we danced and sang some more until we were ready for bed. It was a little sad knowing we most likely won't see then again. They are amazing people and we will all miss them very much. One thing I would do different next time would be to get the know them better and make some more friends.
All in all this trip has been an experience of a lifetime and it is sad to be coming to an end BUT I have to admit, we are all looking forward to seeing our family, sleeping in our own beds and eating certain foods which we have been craving.
Day 13 Thursday 15th September: High Camp to Tashinga
Doug Grubert, Trip Leader
We departed High Camp after another spectacular sunrise - arguably better than the one the previous day. The wind was blowing from Tibet and was noticeably colder than it had been previously. After packing up our gear we started the long descent and soon after departure the clouds enveloped us as we followed the steep track towards the Imjha Khola (river). From this point we were back-tracking through villages that we had walked through on the way to High Camp. The first village was Pangboche followed by Debuche (where we had camped earlier on trek) and Thyangboche (where there is a Buddhist monastery). From Thyangboche we descended to the river before a small climb to Tashinga. In all we had descended approximately 1200 metres. The afternoon was spent relaxing in the warm sun, playing Farkel, reading and resting.
Special report:
Portering - A Way of Life in Nepal
Doug Grubert, Trip Leader
A twelve day trek in the Himalaya may seem arduous, and it is, but it is made enjoyable by the fact that porters are employed to carry the camping gear, spare clothing, cooking gear and food. In fact, on any given day, our trekkers have only been expected to carry around 6-8kg comprising their day pack, rain coat, fleece jumper, hat, sunscreen, water bottle, camera and maybe a chocolate bar (or two). Our porters do the hard work. Each carries two of the trekkers kit bags, a total weight of 30kg, plus a few other items of assorted camping gear and their own personal equipment. The cook staff do an equally impressive job. Stoves, pots, pans, cutlery, kersone and the large quantities of food is carried in baskets for our convenience.
World Expeditions, our travel company, is a world leader in providing good working conditions for the porters and the cook staff. They are provided with food, equipment, medical insurance and a limit of 30kg is placed on the loads they carry. On the trails that wind from village to village, a much different side to the portering industry is seen.
Throughout the trekking regions there are no roads. The trails we walk are also the trading routes between villages and everything is carried by either donkey, cattle (including yak at higher altitudes) or by porters. Long before Ang (our trek leader) was leading trips, he was a teenager porter who would carry up to 75kg. The largest single load that he has heard of porter carrying was 150kg! It is not uncommon for a porter of 50-60kg to carry a load of 100kg. What makes this all the more extraordinary is that they carry the weight on their backs with the load held in place by a sash called a "namlo". The muscles of the neck and shoulders must be extremely strong as must those of the legs because of all the climbing and descending.
The porters carry a T-shaped walking stick called a "tokla" which provides balance whilst walking and is also placed under the load when the porter wants to rest. The porter places the tokla under the load being carried and then leans back, the tokla supports the weight of the load and provides some respite from the strain on the body.
If you spend enough time trekking you can see some extraordinary loads being carried. Amongst the strangest (and heaviest) loads we have seen on trek are:
8 x 15 litre containers of kerosense
11 x cartons of beer
2 x 15kg gas cylinders and 2 x 25kg barrels
a 2.4m x 1.2m solar panel (with wooden protective crate)
12 x 5mm plywood cladding (2.4m x 0.9m) and 1 x 25mm floor plywood of the same dimensions
a 2.1m high hot water cylinder
half a side of beef
4 x 4m lengths of 120mm x 120mm timber
140 litre chest freezer
a basket of 30 chickens (not so heavy but strange!)
a load of slate
a load of window glass
4 x innerspring mattresses
A few thoughts from the team as they near the end...
Larissa Wuetschner
Once I got to our base camp with a few others, I was so relieved seeing Basu got us a bit lost for 10 mins or so and it was cold! He took us to the wrong camp site! The next morning was amazing, we had a view of everything. We were surrounded by mountains. It also felt great gettign up to Ama Dablam Base Camp. Just knowing we finally made it to our highest point was an amazing feeling. I think everyone did a great job and should be really proud of themselves.
Bec Biggs
It was a fantastic feeling reaching our highest point Ama Dablam Base Camp at approx 4500m and everyone did really well to get there. Although it was the climax of our trek to get there after more then a week of walking, the journey meant more to me than the destination. The magnificent scenery, friendly people, fascinating way of life and the escapism from the world of Western technology are the things that have really stood out for me.
So far, this trip has been a great learning experience about Nepal, its geography, people and culture. Our helpful crew have also been patient enough to teach us some basic Nepali language.
I can't say that I could pick a favourite moment as the entire trip has been a hugely enjoyable, interesting and eye opening experience, but one thing is for certain, I am definitely coming back!!
Kyle Barrett
It was great to finally reach our destination, equally as good as the journey.
Alice Hall
It was an awesome feeling to say I have been to 4800m. Later on I would like to conquer a few more metres but I would say that this trip was an awesome way to start a great future travelling journey.
Charlotte Lloyd
I feel accomplished by making it to 4800m. I never thought I would be at a place over 4 times the height of the highest point in Tasmania! The whole trek has been an amazing experience. Meeting so many different people, every moment has made me not want to leave.
Luci Scott
To get to Base Camp was an awesome feeling. I felt strong and very proud of myself. Even with Asthma and a cold, I made it 4800m above sea level!
Stefan
When we finally got to base camp it took me a couple of minutes to fully comprehend the beauty of the view. I was slightly dazzed at how fast it went. Standing at the foot of Ama Dablam I suddenly felt full of energy. I was more than happy to climb a rock.
I have never left Australia before. Nepal was a big step. I feel proud of myself to say the least.
Adam Prairie
For me reaching the high point wasn't the major highlight of the trip. Seeing Everest and Ama Dablam was pretty awesome but so are the people, food, environment and the trekking.
I think that this trip has gone way too fast and I will definitely be coming back in the not to distant future.
Erin Cooke
It was a real achievement reaching the high point. It was amazing and inspirational and urges me to come back and go even further. It wasn't the highlight. I think the main highlight was meeting wonderful people, eating new food and experiencing an amazing and different culture.
Special report, Wednesday 14th September: A high altitude birthday.
Luci Scott, 16, Scottsdale High School
I woke up to the best sunrise. The light beaming onto the peaks of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Everest, Nuptse, and Tydulche plus heaps more.
The relaxing morning at the base camp of Ama Dablam was beautiful. Watching my fellow trip mates climb a rock in the distance, I layed on a rock in the sun. On our way back to our high camp site Doug and Ang took us to the marvelous glacial lake they found last December. The blues and greens of the water were a sight to die for on your birthday.
I was surprised to get the afternoon off after we finished lunch. But spending a few hours with friends chilling in tents made up for how much I missed home.
As all the other nights on the trip, we were delighted with a delicious dinner cooked by Mr Yum Yum and his team. Even if you were camped at 4500 metres above sea level, if it was your birthday, you would get a cake baked for you on a kerosene stove. Mine was a chocolate cake with pretty white icing which said, "Happy 16th Birthday Luci". I was super surprised that they had spelt my name with an 'i'.
My fellow trekkers sang me "Happy Birthday" and I commenced cutting the cake. The sherpa guides: Lale, Pratap, Lakpa, Ang, Basu, Tashi and the cook staff came down to sing and dance a festive song in my honour. I was blown away when Ang presented me with a blessing scarf as a present.
As there was plenty of cake left over I cut it up more and shared it with the cook staff, sherpas and porters.
The day came to a close after tea and cake. Some of the group stayed and played some intense games of Farkle while others toddled off to bed.
Day 12 14th September: High Camp to Ama Dablam Base Camp.
Larissa Wuetschner, 17, Rosny College
This morning was a great start to the day. Lucky for Luci, a wake up at 5:45am to get a fantastic clear view of the mountains surrounding us was a magnificant birthday present! What a great way to spend your birthday. After taking plenty of photos of the amazing views, tea was brought to us while we were outside. It was lucky we got up when we did because not long after the clouds started to take over.
Once we all finished breakfast we prepared for our little hike up to Ama Dablam Base Camp. The walk only took us about an hour and a half. For some of us the altitude did get to us a bit and we struggled a little on the way up but that's understandable seeing we're now around 4,500m above sea level.
Once everyone was together some of us walked over to a big climbable rock that stands roughly 5 or 6m high. The first person to climb up to the top of course was Doug. The second person was Stefan, third was Kyle, fourth was Jeremy, fifth was Sam, sixth was Alice and last to climb to the top was Rebecca. Myself (Larissa) and Adam did give it a go but I chickened out and Adam got half way but decided to didn't want to go any further. Everyone who made it up there made it look so much easier and did a great job!
On our way back though we took a different path so we could all see a lake that Doug and Ang discovered last year on trek. It was very beautiful and clear. The colour was just lovely. When we got back to camp we all just relaxed until lunch time. Of course lunch was exceptional, like always. I'm sure something has already been said about the amazing food that is cooked for us each meal time.
Since luch time Luci has intereviewed Lale (a Sherpa guide ) and Adam has interviewed Babu (Mr Yum Yum; our chef). After those two interviews the others decided to interview the other sherpa's.
Now that we have reached our highest point today, this afternoon we just have free time seeing we are camping another night at our high camp.
I must say too that our high camp would have to be one of the best camp sites anyone has ever experienced. We are so lucky to have so many beautiful mountains surrounding us. For a rough idea, some of the main mountains around us are Ama Dablam, Doche, Nupse, Lhoste (8500m) and Everest (8848m). It is a bit dissapointing that our cameras don't capture the pure beauty that we see from our own eyes. If you ever want a real idea of what it's like, you'll just have to come and experience it yourself.
Day 11 Tuesday 13th September: Debuche to High Camp
Kyle Barret, 16, Kings Meadows High School
The group started the 11th day of trek departing from Debuche to our high camp of 4440 meters above sea level.
Departing at eight o'clock the group split into two groups the first group being Bec, Larissa, Alice, Jeremy and myself. The second group included Bruce, Charlotte, Thom, Luci, Stefan, Adam, Erin, Sam & Doug. These groups were based on how fast they wanted to complete the trek.
The group enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of Nepal. All these three characteristics came into play when four members of the first group came upon a sight they wish they hadn't seen. During our time here in Nepal we have all seen our fair share of different types of toilets. But this particular one was like no other... to get an image of this toliet picture a shed, then picture a public toilet then times it by ten! The group was stunned but soldiered on.
Both groups met at Imja Khola (river) for lunch at around 10:30am we enjoyed a wide range of foods that the cooking staff offers. After lunch we went our seperate ways the first group heading off to our high camp, while the second group followed on.
As soon as the groups gained altitude we entered a level largley dominated by cloud, eventually the conditions got to the stage where we could only see 40 meters around us.
As we were in two different groups the first group was around 40 minutes in front of the second. The first group found themselves in trouble as Basu, a sherpa on our trek, was unsure as to the precise whereabouts of our camp site. For 20 minutes the first group had no idea of where they were going and decided to start filming a video diary as if it were their last momments alive. But as always the group found a resolution and found their way to our high camp, where we will stay for two nights.
As we are now at our high camp the weather is colder and cloudier. We concluded the day with our evening meal where we saw the full abillity of the cooking staff on our trek. Our dessert was a Lemon Meringue Pie featuring the mountains and landmarks that surround our high camp. The whole group was totally amazed. As the trek is coming to an end, it's gestures like bring tea to our tents at 6 o'clock, cooking our food and carrying our bags which we all appreciate and cannot thank the staff and company enough.
Day 11, Tuesday 13th September (photos only, report above)
Left: Luci and Charlotte (ed: either praying, washing their hair, delousing or they had a dodgy prawn roll? Hopefully we'll find out in the next report.).
Right: Ama Dablam through clouds.
Day 10, Monday 12th September: Khumjung to Debuche
Charlotte Lloyd, 16, Kingsmeadows High School
We all started the day off at 6 am, it had been raining all night and we got up and put on our wet weather gear. We finished a yummy breakfast then began our walk. Sure enough, the rain cleared up and we got some views of Ama Dablam and the other peaks. The walk was to Deboche. The walk was down, down, down, then up, up, up. Everyone stayed in a group until a junction, then we began to split up into our 2 groups. As usual I stayed in the back group having a conversation with Stefan and Luci. Just before lunch Luci, Stefan and I were wandering at the back with Pratap (one of our Sherpa guides) behind us when I spectacularly slid forward on a rock, fell and rolled a few times until stopping! Luci rated this fall as a 9 out of 10! Ang checked my injuries which weren't very bad at all, just 3 scratches on my legs. We then continued to lunch which was at the end of the down hill. After lunch we began the up hill section which wasn't too bad with the back group going at a slow pace. We eventually arrived at the Monastry where there was a sign that said women were not allowed in at the moment due to it being a Yerni (a special meditation period) We were eventually allowed in (I think because we had Nepali guides who had some connections!) though once inside we were told that you were only allowed in if we had full length pants on. Most of us being in shorts as it was a pretty hot day meant that only 4 people were allowed in; Erin, Luci, Alice and Jeremy. We then walked to our campsite in Deboche. When we arrived we decided to send Kyle accompanied by Alice and Stefan to get us some Pringles from the local shop and it turns out that was a mistake, he ended up paying 2500rp which is $35 Australian dollars for 6 packets of Pringles!! Kyle has said "I thought all the bad people were on the internet, turns out I was wrong!" None of us were overly happy to be giving him 400rp each.
Day 9, Sunday 11th September: Namche Bazaar to Khumjung
Alice Hall, 16, Scottsdale High School
With the 6:30am start this morning came a refreshing cup of black tea and our morning washy-washy water. We had breakfast at 7:30 and were on our way to Khumjung by 8:00am. The first leg of our walk was definitely the hardest with a steep walk up to the Sambuche Airport. After this the track became a lot more people friendly by being reasonably flat and not very difficult which resulted in us arriving at our destination by 10:30am, only a two and a half hour walk (interestingly, on the walk up the hill from Namche we were passed by students who walk the same path every morning and night to and from school). We were greeted on arrival with a cup of lemon water and given time to relax before lunch. We ate lunch at 12:00pm and at 1:00pm we ventured to the Khunde Village medical centre, about a 20 minute walk. After being given a tour of this we went to the Khumjung secondary school and had a look around there also. On the way back to our campsite we heard the distinctive sound of bells and found a number of yaks grazing - it was the first time that we had seen them close-up. When we arrived back at camp we had afternoon tea and then, for those that were interested, we walked up to the local monastery where we viewed a yeti skull, some of the group were unsure of the authenticity of this. It was 5:00pm by the time we returned back to camp and everyone in the group is well and truly looking forward to a good night's sleep.
Interview with Ang Tshering Sherpa- Trek Leader
By Kyle Barrett, 16, Kings Meadows High School
At the age of 39 Ang Tshering Sherpa has done a great deal for the great nation of Nepal. The Tasmanian Nepal Secondary School Expedition has the honour of him serving as our World Expedition Trek Leader.
Ang Tshering Sherpa or "Ang" can be described as a man who is both humble and very genuine. He has effectivly enchanced and saved the lives of thousands of people from his home village. The World Expedition Trek Leader is renound in his home village for founding a local medical center 300km from Kathmandu named the Kushudebu Public Health Mission Nepal, the medial center treats 4,000 thousand people from his village and surrounding villages The Medical center contains many vital services such as General Health services like doctors, nurses, x-ray facilities and lab technicians. To learn more about Kushudebu Public Health Mission, or if you would like to support the work they do, visit their website at www.kushudebu.org.np.
But before Ang opened his hospital 6 years ago, he began his working life after he finished High School at the age of 13, the school he attended was supported by Sir Edmund Hillary. Ang came in contact with an Expedition company where we learnt about the trekking industry. He gained employment with the company and began his working life as porter, at the age of 13 often carrying loads greater that his body weight at 75 kilograms. Today Ang is currently a Trek Leader for World Expeditions. He says the best part of his job would have to be meeting a range of people from different cultures and backgrounds. ''The beautiful mountains and general interaction with Nepal's culture is what makes my job worth while'' says Ang.
"Nepal is a country that has a unique culture that has some of the friendliest people in the world." adds Ang. He says the greatest thing that Nepal can bring to the world is the satisfaction of being happy with what you have. All group members think that Ang is one of the friendliest, loyal and helpful individuals that they have met. Other than Nepal, Ang has also visited our home country of Australia on two different occasions. The first trip was to attend a book launch, the book being a photo-portrait of Nepal, all money raised going towards local hospitals in isolated villages in Nepal. The second of trip was part of a scholarship won by Ang for further education in Australia, the scholarship being in the name of former 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton.
The rich culture of Nepal is what makes Ang the man he is today.
Day 8, Saturday 10th September: Around Namche Bazaar
Doug Grubert, Trip Leader
We stayed last night in the relative comfort of the Hotel Sherwi Kangba, located on the hill high above Namche Bazaar. As is the custom on trek, we were served sweet black tea early by the Sherpa guides. We left the hotel at 5:30am and walked 10 minutes to a lookout from which we had panoramic views. Being late in the monsoon, the days are characterised by clear mornings and by lunchtime the conditions are warm and humid with cloud cloaking the higher mountains. Afternoons bring rain which lasts a couple of hours. Because the group had arrived at Namche Bazaar at lunchtime the previous day, nobody was aware of how many mountains surrounded us until this morning.
Standing on the lookout in the pre-dawn light there are 360 degree views but most people focused their attention to the north. The spectacular fang-shaped summit of Ama Dablam is one of the world's most beautiful mountains and the base camp represents the highpoint and goal for our expedition. At 4800m above sea level, the base camp is three times the height of Mt Ossa in Tasmania and yet it is dwarfed by the mountains that surround it. Ama Dablam may well be the most beautiful mountain in the Khumbu region however, the one that everyone wanted to see was Mt Everest. Known as Sagarmatha in the Nepali language and Chomolungma in Tibetan, we has the privilege of watching the first rays of the morning sun hit the eastern slopes of the highest mountain on earth. Just to the right of Everest was Lhotse, another one of the world's fourteen mountains which are over 8000m. Over the next few days we will trek north towards the border between Nepal and Tibet and the views of Mt Everest, Ama Dablam and the surrounding mountains will get even better.
We ate a quick breakfast of rice pudding, muesli, boiled eggs and waffles and then wandered down the hill to Namche Bazaar where the local Saturday market was being held. Each week, farmers and traders from around the Khumbu region carry their produce to the market. All sorts of fruit, vegetables, grains, spices, eggs and packaged goods are available. In addition, there is a butchery which supplies all sorts of meat which, just like all the other goods, are carried to the market on the backs of porters.
As well as a local market place, Namche Bazaar is a tourism hub and that means shopping. After practicing their haggling skills in Kathmandu, the group members hit the steep, narrow alleyways of Namche Bazaar with a vengeance and got some excellent bargains. Remarkably, the prices were cheaper than the capital because much of the stock is carried over from Tibet on yaks.
In the afternoon we visited a number of museums which taught us about the Sherpa culture and the crucial role they've played in the history of Himalayan mountaineering. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and ensuring we had acclimatized to the altitude in preparation for tomorrow's trek to the higher altitude of Khumjumg...
Day 7 Friday 9th September: Monjo - Namche Bazaar
Bec Biggs, 17, Rosny College
It was an early start this morning; we were woken at 6:00am with hot tea and washing water. At 7:00am it was breakfast time, and a bit under half an hour later we set off on today's journey, from our camp at Monjo to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital of Nepal. It was the longest, hardest walk we had done so far, but everyone did fantastically, all pushing through despite a few injuries. It was very picturesque climbing up through the mountains, crossing the Dudh Kosi (Milk River) over scary suspension bridges, passing through villages and making way for a number of cow and mule trains. The walk took us about four and a half hours all up, having climbed about 600 vertical metres, from 2850m at Monjo to our current altitude of 3440m. By the time we reached Namche we were all ready for a well-earned peaceful afternoon, either resting, sleeping or exploring the town in search of a few bargains.
Day 6, Thursday 8th September - Ghat to Monjo
Erin Cooke, 17, Elizabeth College, Hobart
5:15 wake up, 7:30 breakfast and on the road at 8:25. We leave this beautiful camp with it's beautiful cows, dogs and the occasional cat. This morning was very clear with the mountains very visible. I have taken some wonderful photos of the mountains and the land and a wet cow nose here and there. The animals inspire me. They have adapted so well to the environment. I met a gorgeous little calf this morning. She had a very wet nose and very soft fur. There have been lots of dogs too. One that stuck around, we named Fluffy. When we left Ghat for Monjo, Fluffy followed us all the way there. A very dedicated dog with obvious trekking experience, Fluffy is. Two dogs joined our convoy and we named them Junior and Sally but they weren't as dedicated as Fluffy and they went off in their own directions. We arrived at Monjo at 12 and are now 2850 metres high. The countryside is absolutely beautiful. I never would have imagined it to be this spectacular. The Sherpas have been cooking us some delicious food and we are definitely not being underfed.
When I came on this trip, I hoped to experience a different culture and see what it's like in comparison to Australia. The trip incorporates numerous passions of mine including trekking, camping, nature and animals so that is why I wanting to come on this trip but after only a few days in Nepal, I have experience so much more. I have witnessed very confronting scenes of people living in poverty, have met so many lovely Nepalese people who are so much more friendly than people in Australia. I have experienced spending the same amount of money in one day, that a Nepalese person would earn in a year. This country has opened my eyes to so many things that we don't even consider back home. After visiting the school yesterday, it urges me to want to help these communities and it is amazing how things that we would consider minimal, are a huge deal for these people. This experience has been a big deal for me and it is not an experience that I will ever forget.
I can't explain in words how this trip has changed me. The spirituality of the buddhist temples and going on testing treks up to places where you feel like you are on the top of the world seem to change something inside you whether it is your attitude or your values, it changes you in one way or another.
I consider myself to be so so lucky to be able to witness these things first hand. I want to make the most of this trip and there is no doubt that I will be wanting to come back here again one day.
I am so blessed to be here in Nepal. It is a truly wonderful and amazing place.
Day 5, Wednesday 7th September - Location: Ghat
Charlotte Lloyd, 16, Kingsmeadows High School
Today we went up to Shree Janasewa Lower Secondary school, we were all looking forward to meeting the children there and seeing how much school life differed from Australian schools. We arrived at the school to be greeted by excited kids and when we got inside the school we were allowed to choose a class to join the class groups. The grades were 1 to 7 though the ages differed from 5 to 15 as children began going to school at what ever age they could walk which usually ranges between 5 to 7. When we joined the groups we were told to copy the students, we had no idea what was going to happen but were excited to try, everyone then copied the 4 girls up the front of which were doing a type of excercise routine which went for roughly 10 minutes until we dispersed in to classrooms. Kyle and I both went to class 6. The classrooms were small and it was fascinating looking at the things that the kids were learning. They were learning English and they were also learning about English history as well as maths and other basic subjects. 
Really the learning that they were learning didn't differ to much from ours. We were introduced to the class as well as them introducing themselves. We then took the class out to play some games. We played Duck duck goose, Traffic Jam, Simon says and Whats the time Mr Wolf. All of the children really enjoyed the games and everyone joined in. Once the games were done we went into the office and had tea and biscuits with some of the teachers and the Principal (Chitra Kumar). We talked about the school and how education is free and how all of the children want to go to school as they know that they can get a better job with more education. We then went out for a performance where some girls danced for us which was really interesting to watch. We then sung the Australian National Anthem for them and did a rather sad attempt at the nut bush. Then we went up and gave our donations to Chitra Kumar. We raised 144,800 NRp which is $1910 Australian. Chitra is going to discuss with the School council what they will do with the money. We were then welcomed by being given Tika (red dot/stripe on forehead) which is important in the Hindu religion and Khada (silk scarf) which is important in the buddhist religion. We all felt humbled by this experience and welcomed into their community. We all said goodbye to the children and thanked Chitra for letting us come to the school.
Day 3 (6 September)
The trekking begins, by Luci.
Wake up call was at 4 AM. Too early for some. We all had to have our bags packed and down to breakfast as soon as possible. We left for the domestic airport at 5 AM. The first plane we got on had a small problem so we had to get off and wait in a bus for 20 minutes. We eventually got to Lukla safe and sound.
Landing in Lukla was a great experience for all aboard. First part of trek was good and easy going. Everyone got some great photos. Lunch at first camp was delicious, thank you to the cook staff. Relaxing afternoon for most people after a big morning. Most of us are very tired. Some of our group have headed off for a little afternoon walk to a nearby village. We are all super excited about what lies ahead in the coming days...
Day 2 (5 September)
Around Kathmandu, by Stefan Davis, 13, Prospect High:
This morning we went to see the temples. The temples were the most amazing things, not just the size but all the people meditating. First we went to see Boudhanath (the Buddhist temple), it was just insane the size, people and even the shops around it added to the feel of the area. The whole thing was a new experience to me and I didn't expect to see people painting it with lime wash, the Mani wheels fixed along the side of the temple were certainly something new. While visiting Boudhanth we also visited a Thangka art school and some of the art was just phenomenal, not only that, but the paintings were so cheap. Part of the experience of the art school was watching the paintings being painted and the time and concentration put into the paintings was just crazy.
After visiting Boudhanath we went to see Pashupatinath which was quite interesting. There were bodies being cremated at the the waterside and people who would search through the water for valuables just after the ashes had been put to the water, we were there for a while just soaking in the change. There was certainly a change in atmosphere between Boudhanath and Pashupatinath as Pashupatinath seemed a sadder place but that didn't seem to stop some of the children from having a swim. The people trying to sell us things were also alot more persistant than anywere else but they also seemed more friendly than the people in other places.
After Pashupatinath we went back to the hotel to prepare for a visit to Thamel.
Alice Hall, 16, Scottsdale High:
This afternoon we went shopping in Thamel. What an Experience! it was very different walking there in the daylight, we got a chance to dodge the bat poo! Everywhere we walked there were people wanting to sell us items ranging from chess boards to knives, and they didn't want to stop until we handed over our money!
Some people made it very hard to say no but you had to persist until they finally left you alone. there are heaps of shops with so many different things to buy, its unbelievable!
The whole day definitely wore everyone out and none of us are very keen for a 4 o'clock start tomorrow!
Day 1 (3-4 September)
Launceston, Tasmania to Kathmandu, Nepal
By Doug Grubert
International travel is a long, monotonous and exhausting process. Initially, it seems exciting. For example, waiting for departure in Launceston Airport everyone was full of enthusiasm about the journey ahead, but eight hours of waiting in Melbourne saw that diminish. By that time it was 11pm and we hadn't even left the country! Finally, we boarded our Thai Airlines flight bound for Bangkok.
Despite it being the middle of the night, many people struggled to sleep and this showed on their faces as they disembarked after the nine hour flight.
Even to tired eyes, the Bangkok Airport is an amazing sight. It is enormous, bright, clean and alive with thousands of people travelling to all corners of the globe. Despite being busy, there is a certain calmness to the place which is atypical for an international airport. The prospect of a further four hours of waiting did not seem so bad as there were literally kilometres of airport to explore.
The group's enthusiasm levels increased even further as we waited at our departure gate for our flight to Kathmandu. There were many others who were decked-out in trekking gear and the reality that soon we would be in the Himalaya started to hit home.
The first impressions of Kathmandu are best left to one of our students to describe...
Adam Prairie, 17, Rosny College:
Landing in Nepal was a relief after spending 9 hours in an airplane. As we were coming in to out destination, Kathmandu. We were surrounded by clouds everywhere. As we were flying we finally spotted our first mountain peak popping out of the clouds.
Coming in to land at Kathmandu we saw buildings that only had two roofs, massively large rivers. In the plane we had a camera that was being streamed live from the nose of the plane so we could see the landing.
When the wheels finally touched ground and we got out of this nice, cool, airconditioned plane into stinking hot clammy weather. In the airport there was no airconditioning or fan. We had to wait in this weather for about an hour, standing, waiting for our visa. Finally we got our visa, collected our bags and walked outside. Instantly we were swarmed with people who wanted to take our bags to place them on a trolley to take them to the bus that we had charted.
They put the bags on the bus, then begged for money for putting them up there.
The bus ride was quite interesting to say the least... you can definitely tell that they don't need a drivers licence over here. Drivers honk their horn like we check our mirrors. As we started driving along cars pull out from all directions, overtaking you on what to me is the other side of the road. Looking out the bus window we saw people bathing in a dirty river, cows, dogs,chickens and monkeys just roaming everywhere. When we finally arrived at the Radisson Hotel we were shocked to see that it was the only building that was not being built or torn down, it was perfect. Inside we were greeted, sat down and had a chat about what was going to happen over the next day.
