In Machhermo, all water is frozen in the morning. There’s no running water, but even the water in my bottle or the water from the spring needs warm sunbeams before you can use it. Windows are frozen. Batteries are getting empty so fast, even if the devices are off. Conditions are not within my comfort zone here at about 4.500 meters.

However, my hot-water bottle saved my night, I didn’t freeze at all. But it’s getting more difficult to sleep and more often I wake up breathless. During the day, I’m already wearing three pants and five layers on the upper part – all the time, even when I move.

I still have these f*** flu and I had serious problems to breathe during the four hours we hiked from Machhermo to Gokyo at 4.800 meters. It’s not steep, I walked extremely slow over the rocky underground (there’s not always a path anymore). We passed Gokyo Lake #1 (Longponga), Gokyo Lake #2 (Taujung Tso) and Gokyo Lake #3 (Gokyo Tso) before we arrived at the village of Gokyo finally (all lakes are frozen now). Gokyo offers a spectacular view to the lake and the impressive mountains behind. I stayed at “Ngawang Friendship Lodge” with a wonderful panorama dining hall (unfortunately the food was the worst so far). Some snow fell, and once again I spent a relaxed afternoon and early evening in the dining hall with a warm stove in the middle.