Just Like Starting Over

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It is a rough start to the trek. We leave at 2am from Kathmandu and it is almost 4 hours to Ramechhap and it is not much of a place either. Good news is that the weather is fine and planes will be leaving, the bad news is that as the airport was closed yesterday so there is a backlog of people waiting to fly. There are 3 airlines operating (I am flying with Summit Air) and as the flight is only 20 mins to Lukla it is not long before the queue melts away. We have a 09:30 departure so should make our planned overnight stay at Phadking without too much difficulty.

The flight is not for nervous fliers; as we head up the valley we have impressive views of snow-covered mountains, others look worryingly close, particularly as we turn to land and there is plenty of turbulence. The landing is over before you know it and pretty soon we are on the ground waiting for my bag to be offloaded.

My porter, Josh, is from a village 2 hours from Lukla and has been waiting for us. My guide Heman leads the way to a cafe where we have an early lunch and then set off just before 11am. as we leave Lukla there is a permit office where Heman buys my permit for the Everest area. It costs about 30AUD for 15 days.

The walk today is easy and is mainly downhill (Lukla is 2800m and Phadking 2500m). I estimate there is about 200m of ascent, and it should take about 3 hours, but it only takes us just over 2 hrs so we are at the Shangri La lodge about 1pm. It is a comfortable place and I have a room on the top floor with a private bathroom and hot shower.

The walk today has been easy and scenic, though it is busy with trekkers. Many others have gone further but almost everyone will stay tomorrow in Namche. We pass some interesting buddist monuments and the customary yak and mule trains carrying all the heavy stuff up and down the valley.

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