Pheriche to Dhugla. 7,076 steps, 2.4km. 15,426ft altitude.
Dhugla to Lobuche. 1,016 steps, 0.3km. 16,269ft altitude.
I'm here at Thukla/ Dugla - 4,620mts altitude. Had an interesting dream during the second half of the night - something about Apple, Angelina Jolie's party and a guy from a tobacco company! Weird but interesting. AMS it is! Anyways, I arrived early here. I saw a girl in orange pants, a blue shirt and orange hair - head bent over her knees. All this set amidst the Lobuje background. Perfecto!
Am eating Wai Wai noodle soup with vegetables (this has become my staple diet now) - my prize for not pooping on the way. Saw this Australian guy - grey pants, blue jacket, beard - he walked with such ease. Was thinking about my own fitness levels. Have to keep at it. Actually, I think this guy is sitting next to me right now. It's a big group from Australia - orange hair is also with them.
Was talking to Gyan earlier. He told me he came second at the Everest Marathon - 65km down. He showed me his t-shirt. He comes from a family of 7. Saw a lot of yaks - some snorted at me or perhaps they generally snorted. The landscape has become very different - flattened shrubs, more and more raw.
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We are here at the Alpine lodge in Lobuje. Given how we are doing, the itinerary has been extended by a day - an extra day at Lobuje to adjust to the higher altitude. Then we have 2-3 tough continuous days. The hike wasn't long but the altitude mothers it. It was difficult for me towards the end when my head became heavy. I found the Dugla pass very interesting. It's basically a memorial for the several people who died on Everest (and keep dying). The Sagarmatha claims many lives. Anand was narrating the story of Scott Fisher (an Everest guide) who died on Everest and on whom the book Into Thin Air is partially based.
AMS hit me bad yday. Had a headache for a really long time. Also loosies for a day. Tight poop is central to any discussion - it's almost a miracle if it happens! My AMS subsided after 3lts of water, 2 head massages by db, 2 bouts of sleep, 1 combiflam, Kriya. Don't know what worked but I returned to normalcy by evening. The moon in its crescent form was spectacular - dotted by distant constellations. The night was difficult. I had weird dreams (of my Michigan friends). My nose was blocked and I was breathing through my mouth. Throat gets dry. Polypros itched like crazy. I removed them in the middle of the night, threw away my socks. If I drank water, I'd have to go all the way to the bathroom and pee. If I didn't, my throat would dry up. My lips would crack up. My food pipe had a difficult-to-swallow sensation. But I have to breath through my mouth. The skin on my right forearm is all itchy now. Can't get out of polypro, can't get in. I need quite desperately - a baby wipe! But it's too cold. Argh! I think I want to punch someone - anyone. I want Wai Wai soup - my quantum of solace.
By the way, the views are amazing - Pimori, Lobuje (where we saw a base camp and advanced base camp).
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