Dole to Machermo - November 1st 1999

A very cold night, didn't sleep much too cold despite wearing a down sleeping bag, fleece liner, shirt, sweat shirt, trousers and two pairs of socks! Awakened at 7:00am with tea and only a few minutes later the sun came streaming into the tent - the change in heat and light were tremendous. There were hammering noises outside and as I was lying down thge ground shook presumably because it was frozen. I was later to find out that the Nepalis were hammering stakes into the ground to tether the yaks to. Even the Yakmen are very cautious of the yaks.

Soon we were off up valley towards Machermo. Very slow progress, the sun was very bright and we were over 4,000 metres for the first time. Rested at the top of the hill and a group of yaks came through running everywhere, why do they always do this? Onwards to Luza at 14,175', drinks - hot lemon (25Rp) and hot chocolate (35Rp). Well above the snow line now, Cho Oyu is in front of us most of the way and the Dudh Kosi a long, long way below us. Lots of cloud this morning and some snow plumes blowing off the high mountains. Up to 2 feet of snow at the sides of the narrow muddy track, a slow plod, reached Machermo at 1:30pm, my head was spinning but I felt better after some tea and a lunch of sardines, cheese, carrots and bread. Soon the cloud descended again so I decided to forego the afternoon acclinatisation walk and do a bit of reading - Joe Simpson's Storms of Silence.