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Everest Base Camp - Day 2

Date ... Monday, 31 August 2009
Start ... Phadking village (altitude - 2650 metres)
Finish ... Monjo village (altitude - 2835 metres)
Time taken ... 2 hours 20 mins (including stops)


Our second day on the trek was a relatively short one, only going as far as Monjo village. Normally on the second day of the trip you would climb up to Namche Bazaar. However, the one of the aims of our trip was to take some supplies and equipment to the school in Monjo. Snowball Expeditions is helping to support the school, which compared to others that we saw has inadequate facilities, part of the money we paid to join the expedition goes towards the projects that Mark Wood (Snowballs Operations Manager) agrees with the school. There's still loads of work that needs to be done, so if you would like to help out, get in touch with Mark who I'm sure would be more than happy to hear from you. The school was an amazing place, totally different to any of the schools I've been to over here. The children were so innocent and really happy and pleased to welcome us. They loved the sweets and toys that we took for them, don't worry that wasn't the only thing that we gave them. We did take loads of other useful stuff like laptops and camera's etc. We had hoped to play a movie for the children and teachers on the evening, but the electric supply in the village was that reliable, which was a disappointment. However, the children decided to come down to our lodge and put on a show of singing and dancing for us which was really great fun.

Children heading off to the village school in Phadking

Children heading off to the village school in Phadking

Looking along the valley as we headed out of the village

Looking along the valley as we headed out of the village

We passed through several small villages, this one was called Zamphute

We passed through several small villages, this one was called Zamphute

We also passed some amazing waterfalls along the way

We also passed some amazing waterfalls along the way

The walls of the valley were really squeezed together by the time we reached Toktok (what a great name for a village?)

The walls of the valley were really squeezed together by the time we reached Toktok (what a great name for a village?)

Looking along the Dodh Koshi river towards the village of Benkar

Looking along the Dodh Koshi river towards the village of Benkar

Some of the houses and fields in Benkar village

Some of the houses and fields in Benkar village

Heading through the village, past the fields of beans and maize

Heading through the village, past the fields of beans and maize

Our first glimpse of Monjo village

Our first glimpse of Monjo village

Looking back at the suspension bridge across the river at Benkar

Looking back at the suspension bridge across the river at Benkar

Some of the villagers harvesting their potato crop

Some of the villagers harvesting their potato crop

Making the steep descent to cross the Kyashar Khola river

Making the steep descent to cross the Kyashar Khola river

The raging waters of the Kyashar Khola, with the water driven prayer wheels on the left

The raging waters of the Kyashar Khola, with the water driven prayer wheels on the left

Heading into Monjo

Heading into Monjo

One of the ever present Mani stones

One of the ever present Mani stones

Our lodge in Monjo

Our lodge in Monjo

Looking back down the valley from the lodge

Looking back down the valley from the lodge

After lunch we made the short walk through the village to the school

After lunch we made the short walk through the village to the school

We were made to feel really welcome by the children

We were made to feel really welcome by the children

Volleyball seemed popular

Volleyball seemed popular

Well to some it didn't ......

Well to some it didn't ......

The game started to get very competitive, and it soon ended up with us taking on the porters!

The game started to get very competitive, and it soon ended up with us taking on the porters!

The children seemed more interested in what we brought with us

The children seemed more interested in what we brought with us

What's going on in there then?

What's going on in there then?

We were soon mobbed!

We were soon mobbed!

Bubbles were a great hit

Bubbles were a great hit

This is one of my favourite photo's from the whole trip!

This is one of my favourite photo's from the whole trip!

I thought we brought the games for the children????

I thought we brought the games for the children????

Oh that's more like it!

Oh that's more like it!

The boys were very competitive about some of the toys

The boys were very competitive about some of the toys

Some of our porters watching the fun and games

Some of our porters watching the fun and games

A team photo with all the children and guides with some of the toys and games we took for them

A team photo with all the children and guides with some of the toys and games we took for them

Not sure what was going on here?

Not sure what was going on here?

The children were really keen to see the photo's we took

The children were really keen to see the photo's we took

One of the teachers watching what was going on from the door of his classroom

One of the teachers watching what was going on from the door of his classroom

A view of Monjo village from the school, it's in a great spot

A view of Monjo village from the school, it's in a great spot

One of the older houses in the village, the small structure in the front is the outside toilet!

One of the older houses in the village, the small structure in the front is the outside toilet!

More Mani stones in Monjo

More Mani stones in Monjo

Heading back down through the village to the lodge

Heading back down through the village to the lodge