August 31, 2006 – Entering Sagarmatha National Park

Ang Temba Sherpa at the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park

OK, it’s the 31st of August and the team has made it to Namche Bazaar.  Last night we spent a very relaxing night along the banks of the Dudh Kosi river in our private rooms at our favorite lodge in the village of Phakding and today we began walking towards Namche.           

Dave Hahn enjoys a quiet trailDave Hahn and I just left this valley last May, he on an expedition and me with the Berg Adventures trekking group.  Here we are returning at the end of monsoon.  It’s still very relaxing, peaceful and green.  Dave keeps commenting on how nice it is to walk up these trails devoid of all the yaks and trekkers that we normally see here when we approach Everest Base Camp.

We entered Sagarmatha National Park at about midday.  In the new building that has been constructed there at the park entrance the wardens told us that just like back in Kathmandu being the first expedition to receive permits from the new government,  the park wardens today told us we were the first expedition to pass into the new building and sign in to enter Sagarmatha National Park.

We passed waterfalls along the way and when the team climbed the Namche Hill it seemed like a breeze, no one thought it was a big deal.  We arrived at Panorama Lodge which all of you who follow our treks and climbs this year hear a lot about as one of our home bases in Namche.  We have a lot of friends here.  Now we are settled in at the Panorama Lodge after our second day of trekking, at our first home base in Namche and it sure feels good to be underway.



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