We're going from 2160M to 2700M today and starting to see more evidence of Buddhist culture.  When you enter a town, you want to pass with the prayer wheels on your right so that you spin them clockwise.

As my immediate goal is to pass over 5400M (17700ft), and I've never been over 12000ft, I of course have some concerns.  Hearing about AMS (altitude mountain sickness) periodically doesn't help things, so it was nice to feel that I was doing everything possible to help myself, including spinning these prayer wheels every time I entered or exited a Buddhist village.

Goats and lambs heading for a village?  the highway?  There was one dog who was keeping them in line.  The two people here are Israelis who were going around the same time that I was.

Ram is on the left, another porter on the right.  They're each carrying their customers' backpacks on their back, and their own packs on their fronts.  Notice the difference in size.

I packed much more than I needed, thinking more of a US backpacking trip than of a Nepali tea-house trip.  I used, while doing the circuit trail: 3 tshirts, 2 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of underpants, 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of footwear, one pullover, one jacket, one sleeping bag, one down jacket (I would have been okay if I didn't have it, but since I did...), two hats, one raincoat.  I packed 8 t-shirts, 4 pairs of pants, 6 pairs of underpants, 4 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of footwear, three pullovers, one jacket, one sleeping bag, one down jacket, two hats, gloves, raincoat and rainpants.  Also six books (three of which I gave away).