Christmas and crackers at Everest Base Camp

Hi there, Just signed up for the trip and thought lots of people would be logged on here ! Wrong again... I think Exodus class this trip as starting on Monday 13th from Kathmandu. So, yes, you will need to leave London on 12th.. see you there ! Dave

Hello fellow travellers! Really excited about this trip, apart from the cold, am dreading it!! So how cold do we think it is going to be?? Can you recommend any reading? Everest trips / tracks & history on Nepal?? I can't wait to go.... See you there!! Cat Holland

Hi Cat, Spoken to a couple of people who reckon it can get down to -20C on an evening.. or in short, damned cold. I'm taking thermals, a liner and a good sleeping bag. Hat and gloves if I get desperate ! I'm well excited too, although seeing Lukla top the list of most dangerous airports in the world made me gulp ! I'm sure it will be fine really :-) Not a big reader so cannot help you there. Although sus[ect that may change on this trip ! see you soon.

Hi guys. I've got a brilliant book which is really getting me in the mood. It's called 'Trekking in the Everest Region' by Jamie McGuinness. You can get it on Amazon for not v. much. It also includes a Kathmandu City Guide. Not long now hey?! Crazy how much it's all costing gettting the gear together but I'm sure it'll be worth it. Can't wait! See you in just over 5 weeks! Bels

Hi all my name is jamie & this is going to be my first trip with exodus, also my first trekking trip so am pretty nervous but looking forward to the challenge, looking forward to meeting all of you, still need to get some bits for the trek, chat soon,

Hi again! Thanks for the reassurance on the cold, I have invested in some proper Icebraker base layers... now the rest! You are not kidding on the prices of these things....Ouch!! Have bought the Lonely Planet Nepal and the Trekking Everest book by Jamie McGuinness and finding this excellent reading. Have also bought 'Into Thin Air' to bring on the trip, that should get me in the mood!! Does anyone have the actual Hillary book about the ascent in 1953?? Just thinking if we all bring different books we can swap & save carrying duplicates up there?? Any other tips anyone? Cheers! Cat : -)

Hi all. Did this trip last year and it was the best thing I have ever done. Every day is just fabulous....hard work but in the most beautiful place I have ever been. You can buy stuff inKathmandu if you don't have it. I got a down jacket for about £40. Didn't have a lot of time to read the book I took (v cold at night!). 5 season sleeping bag a must, and a Sigg bottle to fill with hot water at night. Take Strepsils for the Khumbu cough! And hand sanitiser with a moisturiser in it! You will need a buff or something because it is really dusty up high where the trees stop. Apart from that nothing special. You can charge batteries but it gets more expensive as you go. Take spares and keep them in pockets to save them from the cold. Trekking Everest book was excellent reference for our route. I took iodine tabs but most of us bought water en route. We all understood the environmental impact and saw the poor porters on the way but none of us got sick and all made it to Base Camp. Final thing was that many of us saw Base Camp as our goal but Kala Patar was a whole new challenge the next day. I wish I had been better prepared in my mind to do both! Enjoy it!

Hello fellow crazy people, I am sure if you are like me many people of asked you why you have booked on this trip! I am soooo excited about it but slightly apprehensive about a) the cold and b) the challenge (physical and mental). I've done very little reading about the trip but I am sure it will be amazing.  I have started to purchase items from the kit list and very much agree it is an expensive do!  I have splashed out on some new walking boots but just need to break them in and may even need to resort to wearing them in the office as time is running out lol.  No doubt I will be back to ask some stupid questions soon as I really don't know what I've let myself in for - cheers

 

Hi again!

Thanks for your tips Caroline, glad to hear it was worth it! I have been to Peru with Exodus before & it was great so I am hoping for a repeat, but I am very worried about the cold! Have you done much other trekking? I have been running every other day and I managed to climb up the Rock at Gibraltar last Friday (most people take the cable car or taxi!), this weekend I am planning to conquer Jacobs ladder & Snowdon eekend with hopefully a trip to the lakes the weekend as final prep before we leave, should have the legs in the right shape at least.... going to borrow a down jacker & sleeping bag of a friend, will bring batteries! Did you bring a digital camera with you and was it ok at the height & in the cold? Someone told me that they don't do cold v well and to bring an old fashioned film camera, I can borrow one but it is so big & don't really want to carry it! Are you coming on our trip?  :-)

Crabbers, you need to get those boots on and walk up a hill, you won't get blisters sitting at your desk with them!! Bring some blisterplasters otherwise! : -)

Cat

I did take a digital camera but take spare batteries and keep them in pockets to stay warm! Mine lasted the whole trip til the iconic summit photo then ran out. So glad I had a spare! Am not coming back this year. Off to the Galapagos for a break! Good luck!

Hello again!

Not sure how you are all fixed or where you all are but I am planning a warm up trek up Mount Snowdon the weekend of 4 & 5th December (yes the last weekend before our departure on the 12th!!) You will probably all be packing, frantically shopping or saying goodbye to friends & family but I didn't want to pass by this opportunity to invite you!  Will pick the best day weather wise to go up.... Do let me know if you want to test the legs & compare packing lists?       : -)

Cat

Hi Cat

Really kind of you to think of us all - sounds like you're doing well on the fitness side of things!  Sadly I won't be around that weekend as my boss has decided to take us all to New York for our Christmas do (as you do!!)...not your ideal training for Everest but I thought if I could fit in some steps up the Empire State Building or something, it should make up in a small way for the consumption of everything else!!

Looking forward to meeting you all in Kathmandu on the 13th - bring it on!

Bels

Hi Cat,

Nice idea. I gotta be in Doncaster on the 5th for my mums birthday but may be able to do the 4th depending on how things pan out. Would happily join you if diary permits so please post your plans so I can keep in touch. I'm flying out on the 6th !!!!!!!!!!!!!.. soooooooo excited !

 Spending a few days in Oman and arriving Kathmandu on the 10th. Then off to Chitwan for 3 days so hopefully back on the 13th to meet you all at the hotel.

Dave

Hi everyone! 

Hope you are keeping warm & using this cold spell to acclimatise for Nepal?? Not going to make it to Wales this weekend, will have to hike up Grapes Hill in Norwich a couple of times instead... the roads are just too bad for a mad rear wheel drive car to get to Snowdon.... Sorry guys! 

Any tips on what currancy to take? English pounds just at good as US dollars in most places?? What do you think? And how many loo rolls do I need to bring?

Please advise?

Enjoy packing!

Cat Holland

Thinking of you in Snowden this week end - hope you are sensible and find a good hostelry to keep warm in - the Pyg track can wait until you are super fit after EBC. I was supposed to be camping in Derbyshire this w.e. and for the first time in 38 years this Christmas get together was cancelled. Really looking forwrd to the trek and meeting you all - given the weather here, I'm wondering if I should have opted for the Galapagos too.

Hello

Not long now!!! I hope everyone's preparations are going well. Cat it was a nice idea to meet up in Snowdon, shame about the weather.  I took the opportunity to test out my boots in the snow last weekend but will still be packing lots of Compeed plasters just in case.

 I noticed the toilet roll on the kit list, I have thought about taking packets of tissue instead in of actually rolls of toilet paper.  As for the currency I cannot offer any advice but would love to hear other people's thoughts.

Dave, enjoy Chitwan, I hope the wildlife is playing out for you.  I am booked on to do the three day visit at the end of the trip so look forward to hearing about your experience there.

Is anyone else flying from Heathrow next Sunday (12th)? 

Have a good week everyone and I look forward to meeting you soon

Georgina :-)

 

 

Hi everyone,yeah im flying from heathrow on sunday as well,

sure we will be easy to find with our big exodus bags,like the idear of packets of tissue instead of rolls,am not sure about currancy to take either,

oh well guess its off to the shops for the last bits & get everyones christmas gifts,

see you all soon.

 

Hi again!

I am flying from Heathrow this Sunday too! Still trying to work out how to get there from Norwich...  Been on the postoffice website to order currency and found out that we can't buy any Nepalese Rupee until we get to Kathmandu! It is illegal to bring in the local currency unless you are a Nepalese National?! Is that right? Will bring good old English Pounds & travellers cheques I guess!! ...and two whole toilet rolls and 6 packets of tissues & 3 packets of wet wipes! Would rather leave a surplus behind then run out!! : -)  I have enough plasters & medicin for an army (my sister is a doctor!)... I even have one of those hook needles to put in stichtes, how cool?? Not that I would know how to use it though..... Yuck!

: -)

See you all either at Heathrow or in Nepal! Good luck with the packing!

Cat

If You have not got a visa and want to get it on arrival, you will need USD to purchase it. I am taking USD and sterling - dollars are usually much more desirable than £ The advantage of loo roll is it biodegrades much more easily than tissues. I will also be taking a lighter so I can burn loo paper in case I get caught short on the mountain. Busy doing last minute shopping...... Yak Trax today for walking on ice! On my last trip I had to be stitched up in the mountains so your stitches could come in handy - I was lucky, there was a doc on hand! Jane

Anyone else getting nervous...?!

 Looking forward to meeting you all next week!

Just wondered if anyone phoned Exodus to get the PNR no. which allows you to Check in on the web.

I just called @1645 and the Exodus offices were closed.

 Not nervous - just in a flap to get everything done - off to get more photos now.

Very, but excited too! Forgot to sort online checkin.... will have bum seats no doubt, dreading it! Packed & ready to go on the bus tomorrow!

What plugs do they have in Nepal?? What adaptor do I need to bring? If you can, let me know?! Got photo's & dollars for the visa!!

See you all at Heathrow, we could have dinner before going onboard?? Is there anywhere decent at terminal 4? Can't wait!!

My mobile is: 07793166922

 :-)

Cat Holland

Wow im so nervous,is everyone using the exodus bag ?, because no matter how hard iv tried i can't get my sleeping bag in anywhere,everything else is fine,is this bad packing a guy thing ha ha,

 

Glad I am not the only early bird!! Same problem, I can't get everything in but I WILL eventually!!!! Good luck everyone & see you at Heathrow!

:- )

Cat