Closing Time

Today is the closing of the HRA Aid-Post. We finalized all of the inventories, counted the final bank, and covered the equipment with plastic and sheets. We closed up and locked the pharmacy closet after placing the TV, DVD player, ultrasound, EKG machine, oxygen tanks, and oxygen concentrators inside. After lunch we took down the signs and put up a closed sign with phone numbers to the nearest medical facilities in Namche and Khunde, both nearly a day's walk away. After no one showed up for the final lecture, we brought in the cushions and chairs from the sunroom, then closed and locked the door. In an effort to leave the clinic in a better state than we found it, we picked up the common areas, shook all the mattresses, and swept the floors.

This morning we tried out Pembadiki's porter basket for carrying yak dung, then she invited us in for tea made on a stove built by her father, Ang Rita who worked for the HRA for many years. Her home is a single room, simple but cozy. She has vegetables and onion growing in the windowsill and a butter churner in the corner. She is the exception to the rule that everyone descends for the summer. She will follow her yaks up to the Kongma La in search of green grass for several weeks before returning to visit her family in Pangboche.

Dr. Luanne Freer, who was key in starting the Everest ER Base Camp Tent, arrived this afternoon in Pheriche with her team bound for base camp. Already several climbing teams have summited, slightly earlier than usual this year. There have been several injuries and a few fatalities, but it sounds like some great rescues as well. (By the way, no sign of Tom Cruise.)

Chris Hill and Penny left a day early to see the Italian Pyramid after finally contacting hem on Skype. They will meet us in Zhongla tomorrow where we will stay the night. Arjun was planning to go over the mountain passes with us, but he was informed of some last minute training in Kathmandu on May 24. He and Jeet will leave at 6am tomorrow with the goal of making it to Lukla tomorrow before dark. Jeet will continue to his hometown another few days walk. Arjun will fly back to Kathmandu.

The four of us will spend the next week taking the scenic route down. We will spend the night in Zhongla before getting up early Tuesday to cross Cho La into the Gokyo valley. We hope to make it to Gokyo that night, then go up Gokyo Ri the next morning if the weather behaves for some good views. Then we will cross Renjo La and begin our descent to Thame, which was a part of the Tibetan trading route in the past. Finally, we will come back below the tree line into Namche Baazar on Saturday and Lukla on Sunday with the goal to fly back to Kathmandu next Monday. We will be offline for several days, so we will catch up on our stories on the flip side!

This is the Spring 2013 Pheriche HRA team... Signing off.