Monjo - Namche Bazaar (3450m asl)
Day 9. 11.12.22

A high and long suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi was moderately terrifying! after that was the long haul up to Namche. We arrived around midday, passing quite a few returning tekkers on their way to Lukla and the flight back to Kathmandu. The main entrance to Namche was impressive with water driven giant prayer wheels and wide stone steps leading into the village. Namche Bazaar sits in a huge bowl surrounded by mountains, the most imposing being the face of Kongde. Namche is more like a hill resort with its many lodges, cafes and shops selling mostly trekking gear and Buddhist paraphernalia. However, there couldnt be more than 50 trekkers here which made it extraordinarily quiet for this usually bustling place. By a lucky coincidence,we met up with our former porter, Tek, who looked after me on our last trek in the Annapurnas back in 2015 just prior to the major earthquake. Mia was 7 at the time and walked virtually the whole way, apart from Thorung La Pass when she was on the shoulders of Sundar, who was also with us. Tek is now a qualified guide and walking with a Belfast engineer named David to Everest Base Camp. I later found out that they both got a helicopter back to Kathmandu once reaching EBC. It must have cost a fortune.