Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch

October 15, 2012 – Thame

Thame is a peaceful, isolated Sherpa village at 12,500 feet above sea level. One feels the presence of Tibet to the north in Thame. It lies just down the trail from the Nangpa La, the 19,000 foot glaciated pass that leads to Tingri, a major trading center in Tibet. For generations Sherpas have crossed the border to trade and visit relatives in Tibet. These days the Chinese have once again stopped travel over the Nangpa La, but Thame is still a border town. Five of our group will visit Tingri later on this trip and they will no doubt look to the south from the Chinese side with fond memories of the tranquil yak pastures and clean Sherpa homes in Thame.

We stayed at a lodge owned by Dr. Kami Temba Sherpa, chief physician at the Khunde Clinic. Kami’s wife Dawa made us feel welcome and at home. Ironically Dr. Kami is in Calgary this week, for the annual banquet for the Canadian Himalayan Foundation at the Pallister Hotel. As Canadians we had to laugh that we had crossed paths with Dr. Kami in the air somewhere over the Pacific this time.

While we were at the lodge we were visited by an old friend of Berg Adventures, Ang Pasang Sherpa. Ang Pasang’s home is in Upper Thame, a kilometer up the trail toward Tibet. Years ago Ang Pasang lost all his fingers to frostbite on a climbing expedition on Cho Oyu. He did not let this stop him from becoming an excellent Thanka painter. Thankas are traditional paintings on canvas that depict religious symbols and images of life and scenery of the Tibetan and Sherpa Himalaya.