Mount Cook, New Zealand

The entry into Mount Cook national park wasn't anything special - mainly because of the low, drizzle-dropping clouds.We past a glacial lake, which is supposed to be bluer than blue, but today was just blue (the coach drivers words not mine). Arriving at the YHA there was nothing to be seen around, and the rain was relentless so after a brisk walk about I retreated to the common room and did some reading. The hostel resembles an alpine chalet - and makes me think about dusting the snowboard off. I pop a few emails home to friends to see if any plans are afoot. There's a sauna - I've always wanted to like saunas but feel like I'm going to die. I can sit for about 2 minutes before gasping for cool air. It mocked me every time I walked past! 

Next morning I'm up at sunrise and out. The weather had cleared and the surrounding mountains were super-epic! The sun was scorching a hole in my head within two minutes, I had to break out the hat. I'd make a cheese sandwich and bought some peanut bars, and also stocked up with water. There's a nice walk up to the glacier face (or as close as you can get) called the Hooker trail. It reminded me of the trek up to Everest a lot - with cute bridges and rough scree-like terrain. It takes about 2 hours to get there. On arrival I was amazed to see an iceberg - I've never seen an iceberg before. It's was just there, sitting in the lake, looking kinda stuck on the bottom. I wonder how common they are. The other walk is called the red tarn, or tarn... I  forget. This walk's steep up, with some nice views. I would say the most scenic part of this whole area is on the glacial plains though - with the flowering lupins and the soft blowing grass you would be happy to lay in the grass and never wake up again :)

I wanted to do a stargazing tour, and the YHA had a poster with a 10% discount. They called for me but the company said the offer had been retracted. They had one space left on the tour and I asked If I could get that for the 10% off price - they said no. I decided to go solo and wondered off onto the plain. The stars pop out of the sky from everywhere - billions and billions! I didn't had a release or tripod to get the absolute best shots but here's my efforts;

Everest trek - Day 2 - Benkar to Namche

2720m to 3450 (+730m)
5.5km - 6 hours

No altitude related sleep-disorders yet; had a great nights sleep! The only altitude I've so far felt was feeling a little short of breath in the plane. Today our trek would take us well over 3000m. At 6am we haul the rucksacks onto slightly aching shoulders and head straight out, we'd said farewell to the friendly family the night before. For a while the path is the same easy valley walking as yesterday, heading up to the Everest national park entrance gate at Jorsalle. We buy our permits for (the recently revised) 3000 Rupees each. Behind the clerk desk is a statistics board containing trekker numbers for every month dating back to 1998; the jump in trekker numbers from September (2,000) to October (10,000) is dramatic - I think we came at the right time!

Stat's

Park entrance

The beautiful view from the park gate into the Everest national park 

Through the cleansing gate, admiring the artwork and spinning the wheels the path drops steep to a long bridge. Over the crossing is your last chance of refreshments before Namche; I would recommend you grab something! The path crosses the river again then splits; one path following the river left and the other going up, steep! We ask a yak man and he says either way is good. Knowing Namche is 700m above we decide that vertical might be a more painful but quicker option - don't take this route - the path goes up, and up, then down, then up but then joins back down at the next bridge - I think this is only used when the river is dramatically swollen; it's a waste of energy! After the next bridge over the confluence is where the fun really starts! A steep, rocky path zig-zags up the mountainside all the way to Namche. It's quite a slog, and it's here you can really start to feel the 30% less oxygen! The weather had cleared and the sun was scorching, luckily the trees provided some shade. We filled the water bottles at streams and popped in iodine tablets, the only downside being the 30 minutes wait for them to action, and also the swimming pool aroma when drunk. Half way up is a little clearing with the first view of Everest, although we could only see distant clouds. After three hours of one foot slowly in front of the other we gladly removed the rucksacks at the Namche police checkpoint to show our TIMS passes. Putting the rucksacks back on to cold, sweaty backs was refreshing, if a little shocking at first and we cruised through the Namche cleansing gate at around midday. 

Heading up the main street past the water-powered prayer wheels we took a left up another main looking street, and at the end we found a triple room at the Valley view lodge. The place is again clean and comfortable (blankets provided) and an absolute bargain at 50 Rupees each! For dinner me and Dave thought we'd try a yak steak (it's not recommended to eat this any higher at this time of year). I wasn't sold on it although I suspect it was the sauce giving it an odd flavour; I'd like to try it plain. It was noticeably cool here in the evening and fleeces and socks were worn in the restaurant as the stove wasn't lit, as we were the only guests. We were all tucked up in bed by 7pm listening to the rain pattering on the roof outside - nicely exhausted!

Gate art - naughty Buddha!

Khon Kaen, Thailand

Khon Kaen is a large university town and this was kind of a stop off for us on the journey south. The usual bus munchies haunted us and we opted for a whole chicken on a stick. There's something so ridiculous about chickens on sticks, it fast becomes hilarious!

We get off the bus at the air-conditioned or the non-air-conditioned bus terminal, I forget which! There's not much in the way of tourists or tourist accommodation here, if anything. We ask at a few hotels but some have no free wi-fi (?), some are expensive and some are closed. We eventually find one called hotel Roma. It's like a 1980's business hotel with the biggest foyer this side of Las Vegas; which is fine, if you have something to put in it, like a giant fountain or fighting midgets. Once the 20 minute walk to reception is complete we check-in and are shown to the room. The porter opens the door to dimness and quickly puts the television on. Once he's gone our eyes adjust and start to investigate. The reason for lack of light is apparent; the two main light bulbs are missing, only the light above the odd-shaped mirror is working. There's no windows here, just a metal mesh that leads out onto a rooftop. There's a beautiful patch of damp above the mirror and in the other corners. The TV wires are lead across the wall and up to the ceiling. The bedding was clean and the bathroom fine so I'm not complaining, I actually like it; it wins an award as one of the most memorable rooms I've stayed in! I since did a little research and now realise that the room we had was in the old wing and we paid 230 Baht. People who left good reviews paid 600 Baht. If I went back knowing this I'd choose the 230 Baht room. 

Reception (echo... echo... echo... echo...)

Ceiling fan regulator

We took dinner at the Roma, as there were 2 live bands playing and they were good; playing 80's and modern pop classics. It's a shame that only about 10 people were watching. I guess that they were music students from the university although one or two of the band members looked like John Lennon might do if he was alive today.

Our bus was due to leave that evening so we powered around the town. It's hot, really hot. I had a few moments where I felt incredibly dizzy. Maybe I was a little sick, or de-hydrated; I found myself ducking to any shade I could find and had intense relief from air-conditioning (normally I'm the opposite). One Wat we ducked into had a hoard of 300+ Monks, all in robes, eating lunch. The sea of orange is a photographers dream but who wants to have their picture taken while eating? We decided against it and moved on to the huge main hall, expecting it to have an enormous Buddha inside. It didn't! (see photo)

There's a skate park near the top of the lake. I can't imagine anyone skating on it anymore! The quarter-pipes had huge holes and the paint was peeling off. The boxes were split and the rails rusty. I guess no-one skates in Khon Kaen anymore which is a shame as it could be a great park. In a similar state is a giant concrete open air amphitheatre a little further round from the skate park; I'm not sure when the last performance was here, but I would guess at a while ago! Getting on a stage is the last thing I would do with an audience present but it's usually the first thing I do if alone or with close friends. Underneath the stage is a local museum; It didn't look particularly interesting, maybe we just weren't in the mood.

Skate with your life

The turnout for Charlie Sheen's new show was bad

There is was. It knew our bodies were sugar-starved. Before I could open my mouth to say something Anna was there and schmoozing with the friendly owner. The Tasty Chocolate shop sells real Belgian chocolates, at a premium of course. We opted for the "lets treats ourselves" thought pattern and bought 4 individual chocolates each and one large tub of white freezing cold chocolate buttons. Anna also bought a chocolate cake and the lady gave us one free. Nicely bagged with a block of ice we happily munch our way out of the shop. I was first to overdose and flat-refused the second cake (I'm more savoury than sweet) which we gave to a surprised lady on the street. Anna, like a trooper, continued with the chocolate binge for a little while longer until the sheer number of buttons got the better of her. We now only had an hour before the coach left so I bought a new T-shirt and we hid in a deliciously-freezing McDonald's with some fresh orange juice (confession: I had a bouncy fillet of fish also). Next stop Nang Rong!