2007-05-16 Wednesday Namche Bazaar -> Debuche altitude 3740m

Trekking with glorious weather. Ended the day at Debuche This was the first day I have enjoyed the actual trekking. Ended the day in a very basic lodge, where there sleep was something of a problem, as noise reverberated through the building. Had a light headed moment as we arrived at the monastry at Tengboche and learnt from this that I need to carry energy food (such as chocolate bars) and to eat at regular intervals.

2007-05-15 Tuesday Namche Bazaar altitude 3440m

Testing day today, and I am feeling irritable at the stupidity of those around me, and rather depressed. I don't think I am performing very well, and my guess is that even good adaption to altitude which I conned myself I had, is an illusion, though I haven't been on the bike yet. When I got on the bike it was hard work, and was interrupted by an interested spectator. My maximum work rate was 200w, compared to 230w at sea level, and 240w at Katmandu.

2007-05-14 Monday Namche Bazaar alt 3440m

Met up with David Coates, who is doing all the calibration of all the testing equipment, up to and including base camp, and possibly higher. He spends his time going from testing station to testing station, with his calibration equipment which is carried by two porters - one lump is an unmanageable 45k. He is good friends with the farmer, Robert Weston, at Grafton Regis, whose farm is just up the canal from my moorings, and which is much larger than I realised. Went into Namche to buy a few odds and ends including a kerchief in order to block the dust from my mouth and throat. The lodge is very good, and the owner, who has a sherpa museum in the base of the hotel is very accomodating. He is completely deaf, so communication can be difficult, but he is very willing to please. The grounds of the hotel have a crashed helicopter as part of the decor - not a very usual form of decoration.

2007-05-13 Sunday Monjo -> Namche Bazaar alt 3440m

Today was a straight ascent of 1000m. We started at 08:00 and finished at 14:00. I found I was hitting the wall - getting very fatigued, to the point that my body would not do what I was telling it to do. I was also taking very small steps. Namche Bazaar is a market town, as it lies at the point (in altitude) where rice and wheat growing meet. It is a town built on a hillside in a semicircular valley.