08/14-- Day 6-- Acclimatization day at Dingboche-- 26/9/2022

 We woke up in our tiny rooms on the morning of Day 6. We stepped out in the chill and found the most stunning of sights in front of us. All round the Grand Himalayan Tea House (4410m), we saw towering mountains, clear in the morning light, looking close enough to touch. To the front of us was the twin-peaked Ama Dablam (Mother's Necklace) and at the back, the serrated, four-peaked, mighty Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world at a towering 8516 metres, the summit looking good enough for a day hike 😀

As I mentioned in the previous post, we found the outside toilets quite convenient and preferred them to the ones inside our tiny rooms. Strolling behind the toilets, we found a large drum of stored water and a mug, and gratefully brushed our teeth. 

Our acclimatization hike was planned such that we reach 4700 metres so as to prepare us for the tougher heights in the coming two days. 

In the previous day's briefing, Tenzing had informed us that from now on, he would check our blood pressure every night, and the Oxygen saturation every morning. Thanks to COVID that had just receded, we all knew the use of the pulse oximeter and some of us had even carried our own. We were told not to get too worried if the BP showed a little higher-than-normal reading or if the oximeter showed lower saturation levels. However, Tenzing would take a call on the continuation of the trek for a particular person if his/her numbers were beyond the tolerance allowed for the heights we were at. 

After a breakfast of sumptous Tibetan bread with jam, hash browns and hot chocolate, our trek took us to a hill from which we could see all of Dingboche. Glimpses of alpine flora and limestone morraine predominated. The climb was not too difficult but  tricky in view of the loose rocks all around, and we had to use our poles well to ensure there were no injuries. The weather turned alternately pleasant and chill and we layered and de-layered ourselves accordingly, tying the down/ fleece jackets to our waists when it became warm.  The twin peaks of Ama Dablam towered behind the hill and we had great pics with this background. Alpine Choughs called out musically and I spent time trying to photograph them. 

We climbed down in time for lunch of our usual fare of thukpa, dal bhaat, sandwiches and French fries at Cafe 4410 and then went into our rooms. Rathika being a bit under the weather with cold, the two of us did not venture out to the village in the afternoon. The others did and reported that while Dingboche was no Namche Bazar, it did have a decent number of small shops and a very nice bakery.

Rathika rested and I gave her a D-Cold to help her with her nasal congestion. I spent some time playing with the two-year old kid who wouldn't speak but never stopped running all over the place, a bundle of irrepressible energy at 15000 feet!