The Bagmati river, Kathmandu
Remains from a cremation about to be cleared into the Bagmati river
Funeral at the side of the Bagmati river
Monkey troop
Funeral pyre
Holy man in Pashupathinath temple on the side of the Bagmati river
Another holy man in Pashupathinath temple on the side of the Bagmati river
And .. another holy man in Pashupathinath temple on the side of the Bagmati river
Prayer flags flying at Boudhanath stupa Kathmandu
Boudhanath stupa Kathmandu
Lukla runway alt. 2840m - 9300ft
Day 1 - a gentle walk down the valley to Phakding campsite 2610m 8560ft
River crossing the Dudh Kosi - the Milk River
Mani prayer boulder - keep to the left for good karma
Day 3 - early morning awoken by the dulcit tone of the traditional sound of Himalayan travel - a raucous clearing of the throat cleared by a loud spit - the sherpa substitute for cleaning teeth!
Sherpa museum in Namche Bazar
Namche Bazar 3440m - 11300ft
Out for a stroll above Namche
"Om mani padme hum!" - "Hail to the Jewel of the Lotus!" Every time the wind flaps the flags the prayer goes to Heaven
Off for a skydive over Everest love - be back for tea
An orchid?
Blue flower
Day 4 - first views of Everest - from the Everest View hotel on the way to Kyangjuma - 3550m -11650ft
Blue pine cone
Ama Dablam 6856m - 22,500ft
Khumjung - home of the Hilary School 3780m - 12400ft
Black delphinium
Himalayan Edelweiss
Rock plant
Purple aster
Daisies
Trachelium asperuloides?
Chrysogonum virginianum?
Azalea
Polygonum vacciniifolium?
Day 5 - Mong - time fot hot lemon squish - going to Dole 4200m - 13800ft
Snow-cock - not for the pot - unfortunately
Day 6 - Machermo - 4410m - 14500ft
Day 7 - a bit of a front coming in and a little breezy up here old chap - 4700m - 15400ft
Day 8 - sunrise at Machermo
Day 8 evidence of last night's dusting - thank God for Rab
Day 8 - the road to Gokyo and the first sight of Cho Oyu - 6th highest mountain
First Gokyo lake - 4710m - 15500ft with Cho Oyu in the background
2nd Gokyo lake - Taboche Tsho - 4740m - 15550ft
Third Gokyo lake - Dudh Pokhari - 4750m -15600ft
Day 9 - wake up tea at 4.00am and a wander up to Gokyo Ri for sunrise - 5360m - 17600ft
Everest with Nuptse in the foreground 7861m - 25800ft and Lhotse behind 8414m - 27600ft
Comrades in arms on Gokyo Ri - couldn't have done it without them
Looking to Cho Oyu (left) 8153m - 26750ft from Gokyo Ri - Gyachung Kang on the right 7922m - 26000ft
"Young" Paul contemplating sunrise over Everest
Group photo - Dendi our pace-setter at the fore
It was worth waiting to savour it at the top!
Everest
Pharilapche peak 6017m - 19740ft from Gokyo Ri
View of Cholatse 6440m - 21100ft and Taboche 6500m - 21300ft
Sauntering down for breakfast
Gokyo Ri
Crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier - the longest in Nepal
Crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier
Approaching Dragnag and the view of the beginning of tomorrow's challenge
Day 10 - on the path to the Cho la pass - reaching the top of the first ascent - a false summit - 5000m - 16400ft
Looking down and up to the Cho La pass
Munchin' on Kendal mint cake with a couple of 6000m peaks in the background
View back from the Cho La pass 5330m - 17500ft
Top of the Cho La pass
The other side of the Cho La pass looking to Ama Dablam
Jill and Paul "whistfully" looking back to the pass whilst Dendi takes a well earned power nap
"I'm a leader, a leader, a leader of the gang"
Summer yak herding station - our campsit at Dzonglha 4830m - 15850ft
The toilet tent, yak landmine zone and errant frisbee play area
A perfect end to a great day - Ama Dablam at sunset
Day 11 and the trek begins to Gorak Shep by appreciating the morning moon
Chola Tsho Lake 4590m - 15050ft
Cholatse
Trekking up the Labouche valley with Pumori - 7165m Lingtren - 6745m and Khumbutse - 6665m ahead
Looking across the Khumbu Glacier
Gorak Shep 5140m - 16900ft with Kalar Patthar and Pumori at the rear
From Gorak Shep looking along the Khumbu Glacier to Changtse 7553m - 24780ft
Day 12 On the Khumbu Glacier heading towards Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp 5364m - 17600ft
The Western Cwm/Khumbu ice-fall at Everest Base Camp
Looking back down the Khumbu Glacier towards Gorak Shep - for scale check the rock mounted on the block of ice and compare with previous picture!
Sunset looking up the Khumbu valley from Gorak Shep
Day 13 sunrise Majestic Ama Dablam from Kala Patthar 5550m - 18200ft
Torch beam effect from the sun rising over Everest
Changtse, Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse and the Khumbu Glacier
Sunrise at the top of the world
On Kala Patthar with Ghandu - Pumori in the background
Wandering back down for breakfast and the slog down to Pheriche
Sherpa monuments and tombstones at the Thokla Pass 4830m - 15850ft - with Cholatse 6335m - 20800ft in the background. The far path was the one taken up to Gorak Shep.
Day 14 - the path towards Pangboche
Pangboche 3930m - 12900ft
Ama Dablam from Pangboche
Tengboche fron the "Big Chorten"
Tengboche campsite and views of Everest
Tengboche Monastery - 3860m - 12700ft
Inside the Monastery
Whatever happened to ... old silk ties?
Its those mountains again
Day 15 on the yak highway to the shopping mall at Namche Bazar
Coming round the mountains
Ghandu and chorten on the way to Namche Bazar
Day 16 - goodbye to Phakding walking bak to Lukla
The end (and start) of the trek at Lukla - and we're still smiling!
The landing area at Lukla
Hot shower zone
Gokyo Panorama
Cho La pass panorama
