Currently - Dingboche round 4360m
Yesterday - Lobuche to Everest Base Camp to Gorek Shep.

You push hard, your lungs are wanting more air than they are getting, your legs feel like concrete and every step is a major task and your brain is telling you to stop, welcome to the trek that is everest base camp.

The day started at minus 8 in Lobuche at 5.00am where we got out of our ice covered tents. Your hands and feet are cold and the cold air bites at your face.

Little breakfast as its too hard to even think bout eating, but you drink warm tea to kick start your body.

Round 5.45am as the last night sky disappears, you trudge up the rocky trail towards Gorek Shep, a 3 hr winding and up n down trail from altitude of round 4900m.

Its very cold and the air makes you cough - a lot- you cant drink coz the drink bottles are frozen from night B4.
Slowly walking, thinking bout how cold it is and far to base camp it actually is.

After 2 hrs the sun hits you and its energising, the warmth is so, so good on your body as you try n warm your feet n hands.

Up further into the Khumbu Valley you go, up n down, steep then flat the trail winds itself. At last coming over a hill you see Gorek Shep, the last little township until base camp.

Its warmer, you drink and eat as much as you can - snickers n water. Push on, legs getting so heavy, thinking slows as you pass 5189m. Your over 5000m - well done - means nothing except coughing and lungs wanting air.

The trek from Gorek Shep to Base camp shoukd take 3 hrs. Head down bum up, the trail winds up onto a small ridge where you follow beside the glacier. Now the views of base camp and Khumbu icefall appear, not far now it looks like. Looks are deceiving.

Passing 5200m legs are 50kg weights, you smash you pole against a boulder - the guide tells you not to stop -push on- make your legs turn over again n again. you look roundd and see the huge mountains in the valley - how ppl climb them you wonder - stop looking - concentrate on the trail. Huge boulders, small rocks, walking on the glacier, its all there to take it in.

At last you see tents, so close but its been so long a walk, should I turn back? no way your mind tells you no - don’t even think bout it. Coughing, pushing your body for energy, extracting every bit out of your legs, then - AT LAST- walk over a little hill and there it is - everest base camp - u made it. Round bout 20 to 3o tents there for an expedition to the summit. A small smile greets your face - your exhausted but you made it, EVEREST BASE CAMP.

Suck in the air, take in the sights, look around at this historic place. Its overwhelming when you think bout it. what’s been done there, who’s been there - its a place that inspires and makes you reflect. From the mighty Khumbu icefall to Nuptse to Pumori to the valley itself - its an awe inspiring location.

As you come into EBC, you see the very top of Everest - she is an unbelievable sight to see eye to eye. How ppl have climbed it - its beyond me. An amazing achievement.

After 30 mins its time to go back, take your pics then push all the way back to Gorek Shep. 3 hrs later and being totally drained of energy, the bed in the lodge at Gorek Shep is a welcome sight. Eat dinner, then bed by 7. That’s the Everest base camp trek in a nutshell.

So today we left at 8 for the 6 hr walk to Dingboche and preparing now to walk tommorrow to Island Peak Base camp. focus is now switching to this 6189m mountain near Chukkung.

For now, rest, eat n sleep till tommorrow. I’m exhausted but in good spirits and getting more healthy. The grand final approches and nxt tuesday morning will be summit attemptif weather holds.

cheers kade.