Tara Air Flight 113 sped down the runway, for what seemed a very long time, until the nose of the plane dipped upwards and then we were airborne. It didn’t take long to climb up into the sky and my nervousness dissipated as we put distance between us and Kathmandu airport. The view from my window seat was pretty impressive, especially as we travelled over the Kathmandu valley and could see the low clouds below. I caught glimpses of snow covered peaks out of the left hand side of the plane when those passengers were charitable enough to sit back for a few moments. We levelled off after around 25 minutes into the flight and this brought spectacular views of the scenery ahead from the pilot’s cockpit windows. It was impressive seeing the distance hills approaching, ... read more

With a certain amount of tension and trepidation, my bags are packed for the 0600 departure from my hotel to Lukla airport. My belongings are now packed into 3 bags. The first bag is my 60 litre rucksack and contains those things I don’t need on the trek– like all the clothes for India! The second bag is my daysack and is for trekking with as soon as we land, and the third bag is a large blue hold all with Peregrine adventures plastered all over it. This is the bag the porters will carry all the way up and all the way down. Its weighs about 15kg – 3 times the weight of the pack I will be carrying, and these guys carry 2 or 3 of them! We arrive at the Domestic Terminal at ... read more

A short drive later and we arrive at Bodhnath Stupa, the centre of the exiled Tibetan community. The Buddhist stupa dominates the skyline and is one of the largest in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site – and mighty impressive it was. The Stupa is surrounded by Prayer wheels on all sides and prayer flags fluttered brightly from the tower at the centre of the Stupa to its extremities. Not surprisingly for a tourist attraction, on all side of the Stupa there were shops of every kind facing the throng of tourists, selling anything from “Singing Bowls” to traditional Nepalese clothes.... read more

Early start today for a spot of World Heritage sightseeing in Kathmandu. Heading out to the eastern part of Kathmandu, we trundle through busy streets to the never-ending sound of honking horns and suicidal bike riders. First on the list is Pasupatinath Temple which is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath didnt you know. The temple is one of two sites close by which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The walk down the path to the temple is through a selection of stalls and hawkers selling anything from singling bowls to some kind of fiddle. Politely refusing all kinds of offers of goods, I make my way ... read more

What does the aspiring trekker take on one of these jolly jaunts? Well as much as I can judging by the amount of stuff I have brought. I hope my porter is feeling strong….... read more