Our rest day was pretty busy at Lobuche. Yury, Henry, Bill, Nic and I went down to the EVK2CNR research station at 10:30 am. The research station is better known as "the pyramid" and the exterior is completely constructed out of glass. I met my friends from the pyramid who had helped me a lot last year with communications when the government had banned all satellite phones and internet. En route, Mingma then Henry and then Nic decided to climb up a big boulder just to do something active. I decided to play it safe and just be the photographer.
Within a few hours we were back in the Lodge, now quiet as all the trekkers had left. As we sat in the dining room, heated by the sun coming through the skylight roof and the windows, our final member of the Eco Everest Expedition 2009 caught up with us. Her name is Krushnaa Patil and she is from India. She had been late in joining us as she had been on a traingin course in Uttarkashi, India. Being already well acclimatized, she walked up to Lobuche in five days.
Also in Lobuche are the Indian expedition team to Mt. Everest. They are from the Nehru Institute for Mountaineering (NIM). Funnily enough, in this small world of climbing, they are the same instructors who has been teaching Krushnaa how to climb. Actually, I know many of the members personally and some have even climbed with Asian Trekking in past expeditions. It was great to enjoy a cup of black tea and a friendly chat with them.
Bud has been taken a little ill with a stomache bug that I suspect is the one he had i Namche a week ago. I recommended him to stay in Lobuche for a couple more nights and only join us when he is well recovered. Bill, not wanting to leave his friend by himself, has also asked to stay on in Lobuche for another night before joining us at base camp.
Well, as some of you may have guessed by now, this is our last night in a lodge. We will be arriving at base camp tomorrow and sleeping in tents for the first time this expedition. I look forward to telling you all about it when we get there.
