Everest Base Camp 2018 Day 8 Part 1: Lobuche to Gorakshep

Sunday, 18 November 2018

Elevation: Lobuche (4910m) to Gorakshep (5164m)
Estimated Distance & Time: 4.5km / About 4 to 5 hrs

Trekking Route map to Mt. Everest Base Camp --> Route map


Today is the day...

After 7 days of continuous trekking, finally, the day has come. Alhamdulillah, we still survived at this stage despite the extreme temperature until today for the final battle to Everest Base Camp. 

Malam tadi before tidur, aku bagi tahu Uncle yang aku nak ambil Diamox tapi dia macam tak galakkan sebab dah sampai ketinggian 5000m. Sebab dia cakap kalau nak makan, masa kat Namche lagi dah start makan. Emmhhh, aku aware juga yang cara penggunaan Diamox ni, memang selalunya kena ambil sebelum kena symtom AMS tapi kalau dah ada symtom AMS memang tak jalan dah. Bila Uncle cakap takut ada side effect kalau aku makan malam tadi & aku pulak memang tak pernah makan Diamox, so, the best option, aku decide tak nak makan. Actually, I was still ok last night, cuma, aku risau untuk perjalanan hari ini nak ke EBC sebab kami akan hike more than 5000m and this is my first time hiking more than 5000m walaupun aku dah pernah sampai lebih tinggi dari EBC masa lalu kat Khardung La tapi dengan naik kereta lah, hahaha.

Beautiful Morning at Lobuche

My O2 Level that morning

Some useful information available at our Guesthouse

Simple Breakfast that morning

Perjalanan kami bermula seawal 7.10am from Lobuche to EBC. Suhu sekitar -10degC that morning in Lobuche. Sejuk gila. Tak ada pulak tanda snow nak turun. Cabaran kalau start trekking awal pagi ni adalah suhu sejuk. Normally kami start around 8am, so, matahari dah naik tinggi juga. Tapi kali ni kami start awal, keras jugalah nak tahan sejuk melampau untuk the first 1 hour trekking. Lagilah kami dah sampai hampir 5000m altitude & dengan perubahan cuaca nak masuk musim sejuk. Anyway, bertabah jugalah aku sambil jalan dalam keadaan kaki yang tiba-tiba dilanda sejuk. Risau juga masa tu kalau sejuk macam ni berterusan, I have to do something. Maybe sebab aku pakai stokin normal & wool tu yang tak mampu nak menahan sejuk, tak sure pulak. Tapi selama aku trekking sampai hari ke-7, pakai 1 stokin pun masih mampu menahan sejuk masa trekking tapi hari ni, entah kenapa sejuk dia lain macam sangat. Luckily, uncle sedapkan hati aku cakap, sabar tunggu matahari naik sikit, ok dah nanti tu. Alhamdulillah, after about 1 hour trekking, barulah terkena pancaran cahaya matahri & sejuk yang melanda tadi slowly hilang. 

My attire for today's journey to EBC, Thermal Wear - Heatech - Base Layer - Windbreaker. Extra layer for today's journey. Tapi, untuk permulaan trekking, aku pakai light down juga, cuma bila dah start panas tu, baru buka. Aku memang sentiasa standby, down jacket dalam backpack (sebab ringan & lebih tahan sejuk). Attire nak trekking during winter pun depends on individuals, let say, kalau kau jenis tahan sejuk & dah biasa dengan cuaca sejuk maybe tak perlu pakai tebal sangat pun. Advantage juga untuk orang yang ada penebat khas macam Kak Fad, tak perlu pakai tebal sangat pun.

Let's begin the journey

Every sunrise is an invitation to brighten someone’s day

See u Again tomorrow Lobuche

Beautiful View to start the journey

The more you walk... the more you will be rewarding

Tak pernah terfikir yang aku mampu pergi sejauh ini

Subhanallah

Sometimes, I just need a break, to a place I love, to get away from everything

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations

Route to Gorakshep

Steep Incline to Gorakshep

Trek relatively flat for the first 2 hours until the gently steep incline to Gorakshep. Then, another 2-3hrs more trekking to reach Gorakshep. Kalau ikutkan distance to Gorakshep from Lobuche hanya 4.5km tapi sebab kita dah semakin tinggi (more than 5000m altitude), udara semakin tipis dengan suhu dibawah paras beku, agak menyukarkan perjalanan. Ada masa terpaksa berhenti banyak kali juga sepanjang perjalanan nak sampai ke Gorakshep disebabkan kesukaran nak bernafas. It did happened to anyone during this stage. So, don't panic, walk slowly, keep hydrated & enjoy the beautiful view along the trek to EBC. Trust me, rugi kalau tak enjoy the moment sebab cantik sangat.

Aku dah terpisah agak jauh juga dengan Fad. Tapi sebab tahu Fad memang sentiasa bersama Deepak, so, aku follow Uncle dihadapan. At least, setiap seorang ada peneman. Uncle pulak aku nampak dah semakin teruk pulak sakit dia bila dah sampai kat altitude sekarang ni. Ubat yang dia makan setiap hari pun nampak macam tak jalan saja. Sepanjang perjalanan nak sampai ke EBC Uncle non-stop batuk & selsema. Ada masanya aku nampak Uncle sempat tidur bila kami berhenti sebentar nak berehat. Aku tahu Uncle tak berapa sihat tapi masih gagah nak teruskan misi. Apa taknya, non-stop trip kot sebelum trip EBC. Kagum pulak aku sebab walaupun dah berusia 56thn dan dalam keadaan sedemikian rupa pun, Uncle masih kuat & hebat.

The beautiful view & the route that we had just passed

Take time to rest & breathing

What a glorious greeting the sun gives the mountains

Continue the Journey

Route to Gorakshep

Panaromic View otw to Gorakshep

The best view comes after the hardest climb

After about 4hrs trekking from Lobuche, we will come across Gorakshep, a small Himalayan village found on the journey to EBC. This is the last resting spot for most trekkers on their trip before making the final trek to Everest Base Camp.

Most journeys will pass through Lukla to Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Deboche, Pangboche, Dingboche, Lobuche and finally Gorakshep. Most trekkers stay overnight at Gorakshep, as trekking permits will not allow to camp at EBC.

Gorak Shep was the original base camp for climbers in the 1950s before moving closer to the base of the mountain, just below the infamous Khumbu Ice Fall. It is located at 5,164m (16,942 ft.)

Gorak Shep means "dead ravens," because of the complete lack of any kind of vegetation in this place.

Gorak Shep is also the starting path for the ascent of Kala Patthar which is 5,550m (18,209 ft.). Kala Patthar climbs start very early in the morning, normally around 3.30am to 4am. The goal is the reach the top by sunrise for an incredible view of Mt. Everest and the sun coming over behind it. This is an optional climb for all trekkers but it will take you to your highest point on the trek and the views are spectacular. For many trekkers, summitting Kala Patthar, provides both the best views of Everest and surrounding mountain. 

(Source: wikipedia)

Finally, we arrived at Gorakshep after about 4.5hrs journey

Aku & Uncle sampai di Gorakshep around 11.30am. About 4.5hrs trekking juga. Sampai di Gorakshep, aku tiba-tiba diserang sakit kepala & loya. Masa tu, chinese guy from Malaysia yang aku selalu nampak masa trekking panggil aku duduk depan dia sebab kebetulan masa kami sampai tempat agak full. Lupa sungguh nak tanya nama dia. So, aku tanpa berlengah terus tidur depan dia tengah makan. Selera sungguh dia ni makan, laju pulak tu. Bila dia nampak aku yang tengah weng-weng macam tu, terus dia bangun & ambil ubat kasi kat aku... Vitamin C & Paracetamol (nak gelak pun ada masa tu tapi aku makan jugalah). Dia suruh aku rest dulu sebelum pi EBC. Lepas saja dia habis makan, guide dia dah kasi hint nak bergerak ke EBC dah.

Since Deepak masih tak sampai lagi, so, Santosh (our porter) yang entertain kami dulu kat Guesthouse di Gorakshep. Aku hanya minta Honey Ginger Lemon & Garlic Soup saja untuk lunch tapi itupun aku tak mampu habiskan sebab tiba-tiba semua tak boleh nak masuk dah. Last-last uncle suruh aku minum Coke yang belum buka lagi separuh botol sebab dia cakap barangkali angin je tu. So, aku pun follow lah. Tak sampai 5min, terus cari toilet & muntah. Tiba-tiba terus rasa lega sikit. While waiting for Fad & Deepak, aku tidur dulu kat dalam bilik sementara redakan sakit kepala ni.

Alhamdulillah, I've made it to this level

After 30mins macam tu, Fad & Deepak pun sampai. Aku dengar Deepak macam dah kasi arahan suruh aku & Uncle bergerak dulu bersama Santosh sebab waktu tu dah hampir pukul 1pm. Deepak & Fad akan menyusul kemudian. Nasib baik bangun je dari tidur dah kurang rasa sakit kepala tu. Tapi aku makan juga 2 biji Actifast sebelum start perjalanan ke EBC, risau sebarang kemungkinan sakit lagi, so, kita standby dulu. Rasa bersalah pulak ambil Uncle punye last stok Actifast sebab cari yang aku punya tak jumpa. So, untuk summit attack ni, tak perlu bawa barang banyak sangat, cukup sekadar air, energy food & medicine. Lagi ringan lagi bagus sebab boleh mempercepatkan pergerakan walaupun in reality it was really hard to walk fast at this altitude.

To be continued...