A ten hour Jeep ride, the only vehicle rugged enough to make the road to Salleri. Flying is another option, but not on our budget.
We’re travelling with another family Jules & Kris from Clan Wander, who we originally met in Goa and when we first enquire about transportation up to our Everest Base Camp starting point, we’re offered the standard Nepalese option of the nine of us in one Jeep. Thankfully we opt for a vehicle each as the idea of ten hours with nine people crammed into one of these is grim at best. The experience is a reminder of what we’re capable of. It’s not easy, the car sickness starts early, and by the time we have our first tea stop only an hour and a half in, two out of five of us are not doing well, but for poor Tom who is hit the hardest we’ve perfected the art of catching it cleanly with no need for excessive stops.
The older boys spend the day listening to music and podcasts and don’t once notice the time, there’s not a single complaint or disagreement. Small miracle. Actually massive miracle. Our first stop is at a little roadside stall for tea and to stretch the legs, the kids sit around a fire keeping warm and enjoying the novelty of it. A couple more hours of driving and it’s time for lunch. Not much is consumed due to the dodgy tummies.
Back on the road and the car sickness is overtaken by awe, we are starting to make our way higher and it’s beautiful. We pass through rustic little villages with a full variety of items for sale.
We pass many women and some men carrying impossible loads in baskets on their back, the weight concentrated through the strap across their forehead. They walk this way for miles. It’s humbling and heartbreaking.
Eventually we make it to Salleri and our stop for the night. Ten hours. We did it. We check out a couple of options for a place to stay and choose to opt for a soft(er) landing. The slightly cheaper place has an outdoor toilet and washroom down a steep set of steps and none of us can face it right now. That will be to come. We decide on Hotel Everest where the rooms are basic, the welcome not particularly warm but it has a cosy looking lounge room with a picture of Ed Hillary on the wall. And an indoor toilet. We settle in. It’s Dal Bhat all round for dinner, and we are ravenous. It’s so good. An eye-wateringly expensive local beer is consumed. It’ll be the last due to the risk of altitude sickness further on.
