And you though Lukla was bad

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Strange to be back in smelly, polluted, vibrant, coulourful, friendly, overwhelming but most of all HOT Kathamandu after breathing the thin, clear, almost whiskey like air of the mountains.

We reached the Tibet Guest House after a long hot journey and fell into our rooms, exclaiming at the beds, the showers, the relative cleanliness of everything. We all had a bath and a shower each.

The next day Si and I went for massages and facials. Quite an experience. Not only did the woman who massaged me have the fingers like iron nails and it was quite the most painful massage I have ever endured, but the really embarrassing thing was that when I stood up from the couch, the oil where I had been lying was grimy and black. I blanched and looked at her. She remained inscrutable. Oh well. At least I was definitely clean now.

Although the date of this blog says 2007, it is actually 2063 here in Kathamndu and tonight was New Year's Eve. The New Year of 2064 starting tomorrow. Everyone had a big night planned. Coincidently we had arranged to meet all the people we met trekking in Sam's Bar (where a 'hat party' was in full swing, you don't need me to explain I trust?) Superb evening. You bond with all the people you go up with at the same time and we were swapping stories all night and comparing experiences. Interestingly couldn't find one man or woman who hadn't cried at some point on the trek. Indeed, I was pretty lucky just to get away with one sob session. Some people were in tears everyday.

Most people had headed off by midnight except obviously for us and the 20 minuters. So we just had to go to a rave didn't we and dance til 5.30am. On my ankle which was getting better. When we were usually used to going to bed at 8pm and sleeping for 10 hours. When we're all old to enough to know better and sadly these days not quite young enough to get away with it.

2064 did not start well.....

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Photos

Some people who should be in bed...
A perfect illustration of being old enough to know better and sadly not young enough to get away with it....