Lungdhen, helicopters and thin air

You can certainly tell you're reaching elevation when helicopters fly meters off the ground and bank severely on takeoff. I didn't get any footage, unfortunately.

We stopped at a lodge that proudly advertised wifi, and I handed over 500 rupees only to hear the unmistakable handshake of a 56k modem. Luckily it couldn't connect and I got a refund. Pemba, our camp Sherpa, invited us into his home for tea — warm, comfortable, filled only with the bare essentials. I was surprised to learn that many of these small towns are seasonal: outside of climbing/trekking season, families shut up shop and head down to lower-elevation homes. Outside of major towns there's no concept of land ownership — claim it, build on it, and it's yours.

My tonsillitis is starting to improve. Julie is falling ill. We are all suffering to some degree from the altitude, but as I now know, it's simply par for the course. Tonight we camp in Lungdhen ahead of an acclimation day.