Take it Easy - Eagles

Yesterday marked the end of my Journey to the top of the world. As normal at Lukla, the weather is unpredictable, no flights were apparently leaving for a couple days but helicopters can fly at lower altitudes and our guide was able to get us a ride and arrived in Kathmandu safely. 

Kathmandu is 180 degree difference from the mountains but still finding it fascinating. We had the opportunity to do a food tour with a local lady, Namrata. You can’t even believe the experience of going to the local market and eating at places only the locals experience. The tastes, sights and sounds were sensory overload to say the least. 

This trip has been truly a life altering experience. In the US we take so many of our daily routines for granted and in such a rush to go from one thing to another always accomplishing but not experiencing. The saying about enjoying the journey not the destination is something I just was able to embrace for the first time. My good friend Robert Sherman and I made a point to soak it all in. Robert’s ability to connect with so many people along the way and his positive approach to every thing was something I watched in awe and hope I can do just a degree better in my life moving forward. Also the pure tenacity of our other part of the trio, Dave Johnson, was inspirational. There were times he really struggled but he hung in there and to our surprise we changed his mountain nickname from Blue Whale ( because of the sheer volume and speed of how he ate) to the Mountain Goat as he always pressed forward in the toughest of conditions. Our guide Pema was a scholar and a gentleman. His experience, his faith and practice in Buddhism and how well known he was thru the entire region was something that was a pleasure to watch and experience. His plan was perfect although ever changing but isn’t that what life is about, curve balls always will come but it’s about how you deal with those curve balls. 

Life is good, we have so much to be thankful for. Things happen to us that alters our view and when it does…… Suffer Gracefully.

So long Nepal!

Slow Ride- Foghat

 Hike Day and Final Day 14- Just as the song goes, Slow ride take it easy. We did just that taking in the last 3 miles of the sights and sounds along the trail. Weather was perfect to just soak it all up. Below are some different shots I took today that wasn’t scenery focused.

                                                               Coffee roaster and cafe

                                                   Our last night on the Trail in Thadokoshi

                                                                        Laundry Day

                                                                         Beer on tap

                                                                            So cheap!

Lukla is a small busting village as all Trekkers start and end here, we fly out in the morning where the planes will run down a very short runway and literally drop of the edge of the mountain.

Traditional Dal Bhat for Lunch

The local seamstress 

                                                                   The Dogs of Lukla

A Beautiful Morning-The Rascals

Hike Day 13- Wow what a difference a day makes, today was absolutely beautiful and warm. Covered 8.5 miles today, the downhill I must say is much harder on your body for sure.

Tomorrow we have a 3 hour hike to Lukla where we catch our flight back to Kathmandu on Sunday. 

Learned today that Yak Cheese isn’t really Yak cheese because it only comes from the milk of the female Nak. So it’s really Nak Cheese. All the locals call it that but some marketing person along the way felt using Yak was a better idea. So here’s to Nak Cheese!

                                                      Lunch spot today was quite nice

                                                      The loads these guys carry is crazy

                                                            View from our room tonight

                                        Passed thru Namche Bazaar for a quick lunch on way down

Knock knock knocking on Heavens door- Bob Dylan

 Hike Day 12- Downhill isn’t always downhill, but we worked our way closer to home by 12 miles. It snowed and rained on us all day. 

The lesson for the day: Suffer Gracefully.

Standing on Top of the World-Van Halen

 Hike Day up 11, Hike down day 1. Our day began at 4:30am with a hike up Kala Patthar for an early morning panorama view of Mt Everest and it did not disappoint. The top of Everest rarely peaks out from the clouds, regardless the views were spectacular. We covered just over 9 1/2 miles and I thought yesterday was the toughest but today beat that easily.

                                   Prayer beads have now been to Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp

                                                           All views form Kala Patthar

Trails are so rocky, you really spend the day watching every step. Downhill sounds easier but the pounding on the knees and hips are brutal.

Staying in the best Tea House yet and a hot shower to boot. Tomorrow is another long day downhill, all total we have four days down.