The surprising truth is, that you can, in fact,
get a damn good blueberry cheesecake at 4500m's.
get a damn good blueberry cheesecake at 4500m's.
The Everest Region was one of the key destinations on our overland trip to Australia. Home of some seriously tall mountains, we aimed to be here for November, to catch the tail end of the second trekking season. Finally, the hiking boots we’d been carrying for the last 6 months would come into their own.
With tourism numbers severely down due to the April 2015 earthquake, and the economy brought to its knees by the fuel crisis, there seems to be a continual media frenzy when it comes to Nepal. On the plus side, the trails would be far quieter than normal, the local economy would benefit more from our visit, and we wouldn’t have to fight over buffalo momo’s.
If you want to know the details on such practical questions as:
Otherwise, read below for what day to day life was like, trekking independently for 18 days in the Everest Region.
With tourism numbers severely down due to the April 2015 earthquake, and the economy brought to its knees by the fuel crisis, there seems to be a continual media frenzy when it comes to Nepal. On the plus side, the trails would be far quieter than normal, the local economy would benefit more from our visit, and we wouldn’t have to fight over buffalo momo’s.
If you want to know the details on such practical questions as:
- How much did we spend?
- Do we really need a porter/guide?
- What did we carry?
Otherwise, read below for what day to day life was like, trekking independently for 18 days in the Everest Region.
Night 1: Monjo (2850m)
We’re told these aren’t yak’s that keep bumping us out of the way. They’re a hybrid of cows and yaks, called Dzopkio or something, so we’re calling them D-Yaks. D-Yak dung everywhere.
Lots of suspension bridges in beautiful forested scenery. Far nicer start than Annapurna. We stop to blow bubbles and play with small children in small villages. They’re fearless and inquisitive, the little Sherpa kids.
With instructions to ‘turn left at the mani wheel and talk to my brother’, we find ourselves in a bare bones room for 100 rupees a night - around USD1.
Gained: Knowledge of the hash industry in Nepal from, naturally, an Israeli.
Lost: Bottom of one trekking pole
We’re told these aren’t yak’s that keep bumping us out of the way. They’re a hybrid of cows and yaks, called Dzopkio or something, so we’re calling them D-Yaks. D-Yak dung everywhere.
Lots of suspension bridges in beautiful forested scenery. Far nicer start than Annapurna. We stop to blow bubbles and play with small children in small villages. They’re fearless and inquisitive, the little Sherpa kids.
With instructions to ‘turn left at the mani wheel and talk to my brother’, we find ourselves in a bare bones room for 100 rupees a night - around USD1.
Gained: Knowledge of the hash industry in Nepal from, naturally, an Israeli.
Lost: Bottom of one trekking pole
Night 2: Namche (3445m)
A lot of uphill and a sizeable altitude gain for the last few hours. Phew - maybe carrying our packs isn't all its cracked up to be.
Things you can buy in Namche: Art pieces large enough for a modest living room, 16GB memory cards for £50, Kama Sutra folding book. Only one of these will be useful at high-altitudes.
As it is Halloween, we thought it’d be a novel costume idea to dress up as a distressed frost-bitten mountaineer and freak out all the new arrivals.
May be developing AMSS - Acute Mountain Stupidity Syndrome as a result of eating Daal Bhat twice a day. Concerned that this only being day 2, with 16 to go that the Daal (and our toilet visits) are only going to get more watery.
Gained: Chocolate cake
Lost: The desire to summit any mountain involving ice-climbing after watching the Everest disaster movie, ‘Into Thin Air’.
A lot of uphill and a sizeable altitude gain for the last few hours. Phew - maybe carrying our packs isn't all its cracked up to be.
Things you can buy in Namche: Art pieces large enough for a modest living room, 16GB memory cards for £50, Kama Sutra folding book. Only one of these will be useful at high-altitudes.
As it is Halloween, we thought it’d be a novel costume idea to dress up as a distressed frost-bitten mountaineer and freak out all the new arrivals.
May be developing AMSS - Acute Mountain Stupidity Syndrome as a result of eating Daal Bhat twice a day. Concerned that this only being day 2, with 16 to go that the Daal (and our toilet visits) are only going to get more watery.
Gained: Chocolate cake
Lost: The desire to summit any mountain involving ice-climbing after watching the Everest disaster movie, ‘Into Thin Air’.
Night 3: Namche (3445m)
A recipe for happiness: live by the sea, holiday in the mountains.
We may have seen the first sliver of sunrise over our first mountain peak today, but it doesn’t make it any less cold. Scurried to the roof terrace as soon as it had sun and warmed ourselves like lizards. Spent day watching village life unfold below us as we 'acclimatised'. This aint so bad.
There seem to be more D-Yak’s than people here. Where the hell is everyone? We’re the only people in our lodge. Connected to wifi - and it's ten times the speed of Kathmandu. What gives?
Gained:
Understanding of the Green Tibetan Buddhism concept of Beyu; living with the land, not killing animals, etc
Lost:
The desire to watch any more damn Everest movies
A recipe for happiness: live by the sea, holiday in the mountains.
We may have seen the first sliver of sunrise over our first mountain peak today, but it doesn’t make it any less cold. Scurried to the roof terrace as soon as it had sun and warmed ourselves like lizards. Spent day watching village life unfold below us as we 'acclimatised'. This aint so bad.
There seem to be more D-Yak’s than people here. Where the hell is everyone? We’re the only people in our lodge. Connected to wifi - and it's ten times the speed of Kathmandu. What gives?
Gained:
Understanding of the Green Tibetan Buddhism concept of Beyu; living with the land, not killing animals, etc
Lost:
The desire to watch any more damn Everest movies
Night 4: Namche (3445m)
We wandered up to two villages, Kunde and Chumming, past an abandoned airstrip and through pine forests. Life may be slow here, but the chirpy chorus' of Namaste!'s coming from the school kids is unforgettable.
Took lots of shortcuts today, following D-Yak trails (i.e. got lost) as the clouds rolled in. Returned with surprisingly little energy, and a little concerned that we still have 2000m’s up to go. Eek.
Gained: Sherpa-branded Nalgene bottle after being convinced our £2 metal flask was made of nickel and was poisoning us.
Lost: Losing respect for shitty guides. If your ‘client’ is ‘slow’, then maybe you should stick with them rather than run off…
We wandered up to two villages, Kunde and Chumming, past an abandoned airstrip and through pine forests. Life may be slow here, but the chirpy chorus' of Namaste!'s coming from the school kids is unforgettable.
Took lots of shortcuts today, following D-Yak trails (i.e. got lost) as the clouds rolled in. Returned with surprisingly little energy, and a little concerned that we still have 2000m’s up to go. Eek.
Gained: Sherpa-branded Nalgene bottle after being convinced our £2 metal flask was made of nickel and was poisoning us.
Lost: Losing respect for shitty guides. If your ‘client’ is ‘slow’, then maybe you should stick with them rather than run off…
Night 5: Tengboche (3800m)
With a delivery of fresh chills in our packs, we started along an extremely comfortable path, better than most footpaths in Kathmandu.
Spying Funky Town (Phunki Thanga) on the map, it made for a natural lunch stop. 2 hours of uphill pain rounded off the afternoon, but on the plus side we saw Himalayan Tahr. Arrived at Tengboche, which is basically a monastery and a handful of lodges, rented from the monastery - Monastropoly!
Scenery getting better each day. Loving the novelty of second helping Daal Bhat. It’s like Christmas.
Gained: 410m overall elevation
Lost: A packet of baby wipes which, upon being opened, could only be described as ‘soiled’. A lesson to not go for the cheapest things in Nepal.
With a delivery of fresh chills in our packs, we started along an extremely comfortable path, better than most footpaths in Kathmandu.
Spying Funky Town (Phunki Thanga) on the map, it made for a natural lunch stop. 2 hours of uphill pain rounded off the afternoon, but on the plus side we saw Himalayan Tahr. Arrived at Tengboche, which is basically a monastery and a handful of lodges, rented from the monastery - Monastropoly!
Scenery getting better each day. Loving the novelty of second helping Daal Bhat. It’s like Christmas.
Gained: 410m overall elevation
Lost: A packet of baby wipes which, upon being opened, could only be described as ‘soiled’. A lesson to not go for the cheapest things in Nepal.
Night 6: Pangboche (3985m)
We now have a rhythm: Wake up before 6am. Go outside and take sunrise photos. Breakfast and on trail by 8am. Arrive at destination early afternoon and enjoy sun until clouds arrive. Huddled in bed, reading, by 4pm. Dinner at 6pm. Drink tea until 8pm and crawl back into sleeping bag.
Realisation today that we won’t have seen a car or motorbike for 18 days by the end of the trek.
Saw a D-Yak with a trekking pole stopper on its horn, but couldn’t rustle up the courage to grab it.
Gained: 1 case of 'Khumbu Cough' (see elevation gain from yesterday)
Lost: The feeling in our fingers after having peanut butter rice cakes on the trail.
We now have a rhythm: Wake up before 6am. Go outside and take sunrise photos. Breakfast and on trail by 8am. Arrive at destination early afternoon and enjoy sun until clouds arrive. Huddled in bed, reading, by 4pm. Dinner at 6pm. Drink tea until 8pm and crawl back into sleeping bag.
Realisation today that we won’t have seen a car or motorbike for 18 days by the end of the trek.
Saw a D-Yak with a trekking pole stopper on its horn, but couldn’t rustle up the courage to grab it.
Gained: 1 case of 'Khumbu Cough' (see elevation gain from yesterday)
Lost: The feeling in our fingers after having peanut butter rice cakes on the trail.
Night 7: Dengboche (4530m)
Had a brief chat with an Australian who was rather sensitive about her home city. We were called ‘arseholes’ across the valley. Guess the altitude affects everyone differently…
Otherwise an easy day walk, stopping for snacks on a large boulder while D-Yak trains and hikers go by. Realise we’re the only trekkers who are smiling and chatting. Why is everyone so morose?
Great lodge recommendation (Snow Lion). Finally meeting people who are ‘going up’. Had our first sunset. Spine almost froze and shattered due to the cold.
Gained: Belly full of chocolate cake in a French bakery which may as well of doubled as a greenhouse
Lost: Trees. We’re above the tree-line - no more greenery for the next 8 or 9 days.
Had a brief chat with an Australian who was rather sensitive about her home city. We were called ‘arseholes’ across the valley. Guess the altitude affects everyone differently…
Otherwise an easy day walk, stopping for snacks on a large boulder while D-Yak trains and hikers go by. Realise we’re the only trekkers who are smiling and chatting. Why is everyone so morose?
Great lodge recommendation (Snow Lion). Finally meeting people who are ‘going up’. Had our first sunset. Spine almost froze and shattered due to the cold.
Gained: Belly full of chocolate cake in a French bakery which may as well of doubled as a greenhouse
Lost: Trees. We’re above the tree-line - no more greenery for the next 8 or 9 days.
Night 8: Dengboche (4530m)
A spritely climb up Nangkartshang (5121m), which had us taking in some spectacular views up and down the valley. Great to see where we've come over the last days, and where we're going next.
As it said in our guidebook - for the effort involved, the views are insanely rewarding. The weather moved in quick, though. Within 30 minutes we were enveloped in clouds and descended in the mist.
Realised that trekking poles are the single best thing we have on this trek.
Gained: our first 5000m+ ascent. 1 piercing evening headache
Lost: 1 burned and destroyed hiking sock, thanks to an overly hot stove.
A spritely climb up Nangkartshang (5121m), which had us taking in some spectacular views up and down the valley. Great to see where we've come over the last days, and where we're going next.
As it said in our guidebook - for the effort involved, the views are insanely rewarding. The weather moved in quick, though. Within 30 minutes we were enveloped in clouds and descended in the mist.
Realised that trekking poles are the single best thing we have on this trek.
Gained: our first 5000m+ ascent. 1 piercing evening headache
Lost: 1 burned and destroyed hiking sock, thanks to an overly hot stove.
Night 9: Chukhung (4730m)
A gentle uphill hike through a wide, boulder-strewn valley, we left late and arrived early to the creatively named Chukhung Lodge. Enjoyed the warmest sun-filled room yet (for a few hours at least) with beautiful views over Ama Dablan mountain.
Decided to leave Emma high on a ridge in the icy wind in order to take a nice photo, while Pete was waving his hands - but camouflaged and invisible - in the scree below.
Prices may have gone up considerably, but one look at all the struggling Sherpas with their 60kg+ loads and it seems a small price to pay.
Gained: Afternoon nap in the sun. Warmth
Lost: USD5 for a phone charge. Seriously?
A gentle uphill hike through a wide, boulder-strewn valley, we left late and arrived early to the creatively named Chukhung Lodge. Enjoyed the warmest sun-filled room yet (for a few hours at least) with beautiful views over Ama Dablan mountain.
Decided to leave Emma high on a ridge in the icy wind in order to take a nice photo, while Pete was waving his hands - but camouflaged and invisible - in the scree below.
Prices may have gone up considerably, but one look at all the struggling Sherpas with their 60kg+ loads and it seems a small price to pay.
Gained: Afternoon nap in the sun. Warmth
Lost: USD5 for a phone charge. Seriously?
Night 10: Labouche (4950m)
Left at 6am to cross the Kongma La Pass (5535m). Literally couldn’t see the path we had to follow most of the day unless we were on it. Said the phrase ‘all will be revealed’ about a million times during the day.
Stunning green hill rise, into a valley that looked like prehistoric dinosaur land - black crags, frozen waterfalls and dark boulders strewn everywhere.
An insane uphill windy path that took us an hour and a half of stoic determination, before reaching a ridge with lakes and D-Yak’s (how the hell do they get up here?)… and then the pass itself. Utterly unforgettable scenery. One of the most beautiful parts of the trek so far.
Slight breeze on top. Warm sun. No clouds.
Below us, an insane descent to Labouche, leading to a glacier. It took us an hour of boulder scrambling through the moon-like landscape, unable to see paths, while rocks were crumbling into frozen lakes below us, as the clouds rolled in. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
Utter elation after our 10 hour day, when we laid in bed.
Emma rewarded her efforts with a ‘hot water’ bucket shower, complete with ice in the bottom.
Gained: An appreciation for just how evil glaciers really are.
Lost: Every last ounce of reserve energy. Today ruined us.
Left at 6am to cross the Kongma La Pass (5535m). Literally couldn’t see the path we had to follow most of the day unless we were on it. Said the phrase ‘all will be revealed’ about a million times during the day.
Stunning green hill rise, into a valley that looked like prehistoric dinosaur land - black crags, frozen waterfalls and dark boulders strewn everywhere.
An insane uphill windy path that took us an hour and a half of stoic determination, before reaching a ridge with lakes and D-Yak’s (how the hell do they get up here?)… and then the pass itself. Utterly unforgettable scenery. One of the most beautiful parts of the trek so far.
Slight breeze on top. Warm sun. No clouds.
Below us, an insane descent to Labouche, leading to a glacier. It took us an hour of boulder scrambling through the moon-like landscape, unable to see paths, while rocks were crumbling into frozen lakes below us, as the clouds rolled in. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
Utter elation after our 10 hour day, when we laid in bed.
Emma rewarded her efforts with a ‘hot water’ bucket shower, complete with ice in the bottom.
Gained: An appreciation for just how evil glaciers really are.
Lost: Every last ounce of reserve energy. Today ruined us.
Night 11: Gorak Shep (5164m)
A well deserved sleep in, followed by a leisurely 2 hour hike to our highest sleeping altitude. If a trekker is going to get sick anywhere, it'll be Gorak Shep. You really don't want to drink the water here.
It may have been a long long, tiring walk up to Kala Patthar, but the sunset here, over Mt Everest, was unforgettable. Even despite the hellishly ferocious, icy wind.
Felt like terminators, walking down with headlights in the dark. With 50% less oxygen here - we probably sounded like one too.
Gained: Our highest altitude- a dizzying 5644m
Lost: Respect for groups of 20+ people. Half of them look like they’re dying from AMS.
A well deserved sleep in, followed by a leisurely 2 hour hike to our highest sleeping altitude. If a trekker is going to get sick anywhere, it'll be Gorak Shep. You really don't want to drink the water here.
It may have been a long long, tiring walk up to Kala Patthar, but the sunset here, over Mt Everest, was unforgettable. Even despite the hellishly ferocious, icy wind.
Felt like terminators, walking down with headlights in the dark. With 50% less oxygen here - we probably sounded like one too.
Gained: Our highest altitude- a dizzying 5644m
Lost: Respect for groups of 20+ people. Half of them look like they’re dying from AMS.
Night 12: Dzhongla (4840m)
The freeway back to Lobuche was unlike anything we’d seen - trekkers to the brim. This must be all the EBC check-listers in action. And this is meant to be a quiet season!
We walk out of lunch and see an American, an Irishman, an Israeli and two Finns. It isn't the start of a bad joke - they're people we’ve met along the way and so we form a trekking group. It's the first time we’ve trekked in a group and we promptly lose everyone within 5 minutes as we stop to take photos.
Beautiful, relaxed hike though - around the edges of huge grassy hills.
Arrive in Dzhongla as a hellishly freezing mist rolled in and we all peer outside, wondering what we do tomorrow if it doesn't clear. By 5pm we wonder if it’s too early for dinner. Decide to stop wondering and go to bed by 7:30pm. Rock ’n roll.
Gained: A wish for unfrozen toilets
Lost: The ability to trek in a group
The freeway back to Lobuche was unlike anything we’d seen - trekkers to the brim. This must be all the EBC check-listers in action. And this is meant to be a quiet season!
We walk out of lunch and see an American, an Irishman, an Israeli and two Finns. It isn't the start of a bad joke - they're people we’ve met along the way and so we form a trekking group. It's the first time we’ve trekked in a group and we promptly lose everyone within 5 minutes as we stop to take photos.
Beautiful, relaxed hike though - around the edges of huge grassy hills.
Arrive in Dzhongla as a hellishly freezing mist rolled in and we all peer outside, wondering what we do tomorrow if it doesn't clear. By 5pm we wonder if it’s too early for dinner. Decide to stop wondering and go to bed by 7:30pm. Rock ’n roll.
Gained: A wish for unfrozen toilets
Lost: The ability to trek in a group
Night 13: Gokyo (4790m)
Cho La Pass day (5420m). Yet another blue-skied morning that has us up early and hiking like it's the most natural thing in the world (it isn't). Ascending up boulders was seriously fun, despite our water bladders freezing, meaning we carried an extra 2.5kg's of ice around with us for no reason.
All the fears of crampons, rope climbing and dangerous glacier crossings were mute - there was a bit of snow on the ground but it just added to the adventure. Hours-long descent into Thaknak was unexpectedly long. But luckily we had chocolate.
Treated to a phantasmagoric scene of billowing clouds and sunlight over the lake next to Gokyo.
Gained: Our second pass crossing.
Lost: Access to water, due to frozen water bladder.
Cho La Pass day (5420m). Yet another blue-skied morning that has us up early and hiking like it's the most natural thing in the world (it isn't). Ascending up boulders was seriously fun, despite our water bladders freezing, meaning we carried an extra 2.5kg's of ice around with us for no reason.
All the fears of crampons, rope climbing and dangerous glacier crossings were mute - there was a bit of snow on the ground but it just added to the adventure. Hours-long descent into Thaknak was unexpectedly long. But luckily we had chocolate.
Treated to a phantasmagoric scene of billowing clouds and sunlight over the lake next to Gokyo.
Gained: Our second pass crossing.
Lost: Access to water, due to frozen water bladder.
Night 14: Gokyo (4790m)
Fresh from the previous nights bucket shower (this time without ice in it), we took it easy. Easy as in 6-hour hike easy, along the alpine lakes, finishing at the ‘Scoundrels’ view.
By a frozen lake, we had lunch - something we called a ‘Khumbu macaroon’. Peanut butter inside two Digestive biscuits. Yum.
On the way back, Pete went nearly vertical up and up The Finger, a 5800m peak, but stopped short of the top as it was topped by a boulder field and still a 2 hour trek back to Gokyo in what would have been dark. Water bottle iced up anyway.
Gained: Superhuman ability to cope with subzero temperatures
Lost: All power in our legs at least a few times during the day. Really should have scheduled a rest day.
Fresh from the previous nights bucket shower (this time without ice in it), we took it easy. Easy as in 6-hour hike easy, along the alpine lakes, finishing at the ‘Scoundrels’ view.
By a frozen lake, we had lunch - something we called a ‘Khumbu macaroon’. Peanut butter inside two Digestive biscuits. Yum.
On the way back, Pete went nearly vertical up and up The Finger, a 5800m peak, but stopped short of the top as it was topped by a boulder field and still a 2 hour trek back to Gokyo in what would have been dark. Water bottle iced up anyway.
Gained: Superhuman ability to cope with subzero temperatures
Lost: All power in our legs at least a few times during the day. Really should have scheduled a rest day.
Night 15: Machermo (4410m)
Nothing like a final climb to Gokyo Ri (5357m) to witness one of the grandest visits in all the Khumbu. Now we’re officially over 2 hour steep uphill climbs first thing in the morning.
Celebrated with pizza for lunch, which, surprisingly turned out to be one of the top 5 we’ve ever had (which may have something to do with the peak and the promise of 2 days of downhill).
Arrive in Machermo and tear off thermals and pack away puffy jackets. Nice to have oxygen again, wind that doesn’t bite our faces and food that's finally going down in price.
Still yet to see a tree in over a week.
Gained: A love for helicopter-delivered chicken
Lost: Feeling a little viewed out, finally.
Nothing like a final climb to Gokyo Ri (5357m) to witness one of the grandest visits in all the Khumbu. Now we’re officially over 2 hour steep uphill climbs first thing in the morning.
Celebrated with pizza for lunch, which, surprisingly turned out to be one of the top 5 we’ve ever had (which may have something to do with the peak and the promise of 2 days of downhill).
Arrive in Machermo and tear off thermals and pack away puffy jackets. Nice to have oxygen again, wind that doesn’t bite our faces and food that's finally going down in price.
Still yet to see a tree in over a week.
Gained: A love for helicopter-delivered chicken
Lost: Feeling a little viewed out, finally.
Night 16: Namche (3445m)
Up bright an early for what felt like our final assault - a very long 25km day back to Namche. The promise of beer and fried buffalo momos kept us going.
Didn't exactly feel like we were going downhill all day - especially with the unexpected kick in the teeth that was the Mong La - effectively a small pass. Day-dreaming of walking along a footpath with runners.
A misty descent into Namche, and to a hot shower which words cannot describe.
Met the other trekkers in Cafe Daphne. Ate buffalo momos. Drank beer.
Gained: 1x pocket knife after running back up the trail for 30 minutes and finding it lying on a rock.
Lost: 1x pocket knife after being distracted by chocolate (this happened first).
Up bright an early for what felt like our final assault - a very long 25km day back to Namche. The promise of beer and fried buffalo momos kept us going.
Didn't exactly feel like we were going downhill all day - especially with the unexpected kick in the teeth that was the Mong La - effectively a small pass. Day-dreaming of walking along a footpath with runners.
A misty descent into Namche, and to a hot shower which words cannot describe.
Met the other trekkers in Cafe Daphne. Ate buffalo momos. Drank beer.
Gained: 1x pocket knife after running back up the trail for 30 minutes and finding it lying on a rock.
Lost: 1x pocket knife after being distracted by chocolate (this happened first).
Night 17: Lukla (2860m)
Emma’s birthday may not be the most memorable of all, despite the beautiful setting:
Raced past other trekkers going 'up'. We are now those people. They all look so... fresh.
Eventually we made it, blissfully unaware of the chaos the next day’s airline scheduling and lack of communication would bring.
Gained: ‘Antique’ wooden yak, the size of a tissue box
‘Lost': Remains of egg-cake on the trail somewhere, in the dark, for an opportunistic night-time hunter.
Emma’s birthday may not be the most memorable of all, despite the beautiful setting:
- Promise of Cheesecake was dashed with the delivery of a soggy egg cake of some description instead
- Daal Bhat lunch sent her running to one of the most appalling squat toilets known to humanity
- We left Namche too late, and arrived in Lukla well after dark
Raced past other trekkers going 'up'. We are now those people. They all look so... fresh.
Eventually we made it, blissfully unaware of the chaos the next day’s airline scheduling and lack of communication would bring.
Gained: ‘Antique’ wooden yak, the size of a tissue box
‘Lost': Remains of egg-cake on the trail somewhere, in the dark, for an opportunistic night-time hunter.
Night 18: Lukla
We spend most of the day at the airport, attempting to board flights with no luck, before realising the Namaste Lodge guy screwed us over and was trying to get commission on other flight bookings.
By 12pm the fog has rolled in and all flights were cancelled. The giveaway was when all the Nepalese people left, leaving the Westerners standing around for a few extra hours. Exhausted, we find the airline office - a peeling desk housed in a garage roller door down a backstreet and confirm our original flight:
‘Come at 6am. We’ll remember your faces’. Not our ticket number. No passport checks.
Annoyed, we find a new lodge, full of friendly faces, and are relieved we can end the trek on the good note.
Gained: Understanding on how deviously Lukla Airport works
Lost: Patience, a million times.
We spend most of the day at the airport, attempting to board flights with no luck, before realising the Namaste Lodge guy screwed us over and was trying to get commission on other flight bookings.
By 12pm the fog has rolled in and all flights were cancelled. The giveaway was when all the Nepalese people left, leaving the Westerners standing around for a few extra hours. Exhausted, we find the airline office - a peeling desk housed in a garage roller door down a backstreet and confirm our original flight:
‘Come at 6am. We’ll remember your faces’. Not our ticket number. No passport checks.
Annoyed, we find a new lodge, full of friendly faces, and are relieved we can end the trek on the good note.
Gained: Understanding on how deviously Lukla Airport works
Lost: Patience, a million times.
Day 19: Kathmandu
At 6am, we're waiting in the darkness of the bare airport terminal. We aggressively elbow our way onto the passenger manifest now that we know how it works. Today, we fly.
And we do - past Kathmandu to an airport near the Indian border, as Kathmandu Airport is closed due to fog.
Wait in the glorious sub-tropical heat until fog clears. Fly into Kathmandu. Have hot shower. Drink beer.
Gained: Nepal trekking bragging rights
Lost: Any desire to go anywhere cold - can we fast track to Thailand now please?
At 6am, we're waiting in the darkness of the bare airport terminal. We aggressively elbow our way onto the passenger manifest now that we know how it works. Today, we fly.
And we do - past Kathmandu to an airport near the Indian border, as Kathmandu Airport is closed due to fog.
Wait in the glorious sub-tropical heat until fog clears. Fly into Kathmandu. Have hot shower. Drink beer.
Gained: Nepal trekking bragging rights
Lost: Any desire to go anywhere cold - can we fast track to Thailand now please?
We'll update this destinations guide with our time in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Chitwan National Park when we play catchup with other destinations first.
Stay tuned.