The river of snowmelt meandering through the center of the settlement was an open sewer the lodge filled with dense, acrid smoke, as if the exhaust from a diesel bus were being piped directly into the room. Twice during the night, coughing uncontrollably, I had to flee outside for air. By morning my eyes were burning and bloodshot, my nostrils were clogged with black soot, and I"d developed a dry, persistent hack that would stay with me until the end of the expedition."(p. 54) This is illustrative of the conditions that many Nepalese face every day. With the influx of Western money, however, it's improving all the time.
While it's a known fact that Nepal is so very isolated and insulated from modern technology, a more debatable point is whether or not the influx of money from commercial expeditions to Everest is a good thing or not. Why it's debatable is beyond me. The Nepalese government is pulling in about $70,000 each time an expedition wants to climb Everest(p.25) - that's $70,000 that can be used to build schools and roads, feed people, house them, etc. Now consider the fact that this year, 50 teams have applied for permits to try and reach the top. 50 permits worth $70,000.that's 3.5 million dollars. 3.5 million raised not through taxes, but by foreigners who only want to pass through the country to have a shot at Everest. If that isn't a boon to the local economy, what is? .
Not only have foreigners brought their money in - they've also built hospitals designed primarily to treat altitude sicknesses for foreigners, but still provides medical care free of charge to the Sherpas. The influx of money has also created a construction boom and provided many people with incomes far and above the annual $160 per capita income. As Krakauer states, "Hard currency from trekkers and climbers, as well as grants from international relief organizations supported by trekkers and climbers, have funded schools and medical clinics, reduced infant mortality, built footbridges, and brought hydroelectric power to Namche and other villages.