Visiting Thame

Yesterday we hiked to the village of Thame, the home of Lakpa Rita Sherpa, our Sirdar. Thame is not on the main trail to Everest base camp, so we see less Western influence here. If one continued on past Thame you would reach Cho Oyu and the pass to Tibet. The Tibetans use this pass to bring goods to trade in Nepal.

We hiked above Thame about an hour to the Thame Monastery, then retired to our "Sunshine Lodge" for dinner. This morning after breakfast we visited with Lakpa Rita's parents in their house, the house that Lakpa grew up in. We then hiked to Kumjung, about a 4 hour hike in total today. The Hillary school is here in Kumjung, and when Lakpa was a child he had to walk from home in Thame to the school and back each day! Maybe that is how he became so strong!