Lonnie in Nepal #6

By the 4th evening, we reached MBC (Macchupucchre Base Camp) and were over 11,000ft and I was suffering. Breathing was a job, my head ached, and even after I dried and covered myself with my down sleeping bag and 2 doubled wool blankets, I could not stop shivering for more than an hour???

Great, total body pain, altitude sickness, and now hypothermia!

I forced myself to the dining room which was as cold as my room, but had people sitting around the table. Somebody had to know CPR! I tried to sit at the table but had to lie down on rest areas. Each time I tried to sit at the dining table, shortly, I had to lie down again. Then the Kerosene heater was placed in a pit under the table which had a clothes line around the perimeter. I hung wet clothes on the line then had to get horizontal again. I ordered food and pushed it away upon arrival - definitely Altitude sickness. I forced down water, garlic soup, and tea. Some women from Oregon had a wonderful guide who gave me motion sickness pills. The first one worked within an hour and I was able to get vertical for a while. Meanwhile, Useless seemed not to care that I was sick and had nothing to offer for me to get better. (All guides are supposed to have a first aid kit w/meds).

It was a sobering moment as I realized my safety and well-being was of no concern to Useless. I made the decision not to continue to ABC (over 13,000ft). We would go backward and toward Jomson where we would catch a flight back to Pokhara. I knew Eva would understand.

It took over 9hrs to reach the town (Chomrong) but it was the first trek day of no rain and the Altitude sickness was gone after we descended, but not the dangers. I knew I was only a sprain ankle, bad fall, or landslide away from certain tragedy, possibly, my last birthday trip. (Most knew that there were 3 Japanese trekkers and a porter still missing though the rest of their party had been rescued).

It would still take us 2-3days to reach Pokhara! Meanwhile, I saw no bikes, cars, internet, tv, signs of civilization (as I know it), but there was plenty of bulls, dong, rivers, waterfalls, and great big ol' green mountains!

Photos:Himalayas, landscapes