Two Nepali men came in and sat down on couches about ten feet away. One was tall and slender and the other short and stocky. Something caught my eye, it was the black patchs of skin on the tall man's face. The Yak & Yeti is also more of a tourist hotel but they were obviously guests here. Then I actually paid attention. The tall man reached for his drink and both hands were bulging with the white gauze bandages wrapped around both of them. I glanced over at his companion and he too had heavily bandaged hands. I scanned down and lo and behold both his feet were also encased in gauze and he had on slippers instead of shoes so he could walk with the bandages.

Deepesh filled in the details. Seems both are famous Nepali sherpas just returned from Mount Everest (two of about five thousand climbers this year) and they both had severe frostbite.

Sherpas can make more money for a two month climb than many Nepalis will make in a decade but the frostbite is apparently common. Each time they go out they risk losing not only hands and feet but even their lives. Those who do not survive are often not carried back but are left as permanent residents of the mountain.