We are sitting at a coffee shop at 3440 meters (11,500 feet) on our acclimatization day. We were going to go for a day hike to the Kunde clinic and the Hillary school, but snow and blowing winds have kept us from wandering too far.
Namche is the largest of the towns we hike through and the last stop for any type of gear, ATMs, or real (not instant) coffee. In the past, it was the last Internet connection as well although that has apparently changed. On Saturdays, there is a large market in the center of town.
It is highly recommended that all unacclimatized people take an extra day in Namche. The human body can adapt slowly to the hypobaric hypoxia which occurs at altitude but it takes time. This alone reduces the incidence of altitude illness by 22% which is an easy preventative measure that unfortunately gets skipped too often.
Namche is the largest of the towns we hike through and the last stop for any type of gear, ATMs, or real (not instant) coffee. In the past, it was the last Internet connection as well although that has apparently changed. On Saturdays, there is a large market in the center of town.
It is highly recommended that all unacclimatized people take an extra day in Namche. The human body can adapt slowly to the hypobaric hypoxia which occurs at altitude but it takes time. This alone reduces the incidence of altitude illness by 22% which is an easy preventative measure that unfortunately gets skipped too often.
Love the updates. Keep 'em coming. Be safe and have fun.
ReplyDelete-adam and emmy