Roof of the world - Bengkar to Namche Bazar

Billed as a strenuous section of the trek, the four-hour climb toNamche Bazar left us clawing for air. Gentle in the offset, the path courts Dudh Koshi for about an hour before shooting right and rising about 100m where a swaying suspension bridge - the sort disaster movies are based on - awaits.

Safely across - it's amazing that, aged 28, we still manage to amuse ourselves by spitting into the void below - we munched enough chocolate to keep the average Swiss canton ticking over for weeks before casting our eyes heaven-wards in search of Namche Bazar, the Khumbu Valley's key trading post.

This stretch was hard, really hard, elevating us from a height of 3000m to 3440m as the track wove its way first through Larja Dobhanand then Choi Gang. Meter after monotonous metre of muddy trail was broken up only by "yak jams" or the sight of pupil-popping porters, sporting plimsolls, wrestling with their back-crushing loads.

We did, however, saviour our first glimpse of Jomolungma, or Everest, during a necessary break for water. Though shrouded in cloud (only early in the morning can one spot the peaks of the mighty +8000m gang) and some 70km away the sight was just the kick up the arse we needed to motivate our weary limbs for one final push up to Namche.

Described as the "gateway to the high Himalaya", Namche is a stunningly located town carved into the side of a mountain. The surrounding views are breath-taking, with peaks such as Khumbi Yul Lha(5761m), Phuletate (5597m), Malanphulan (6573m), Thamserku (6623m) and Ombigaichan (6340m) ensuring it's one hell of a show.