Three Passes Trek - Day 1

...this blog is a kind of retrospective of the trek we've just finished.... but were unable to add posts while on the trek.... so the dates of the posts and the dates of the trek are different, and all transcribed from a tattered looking notebook. The trek, by the way, was amazing. It took us 26 days and included the 3 passes of Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La, plus 3 trekking peaks (Chukung Ri, Kalla Pattar and Gokyo Ri), 3 mountaneering base camps (Ama Dablam, Island Peak and Everest) and a few other side trips.

Day 1- Kathmandu to Lukla

Rose early and packed, breakfast, taxi to airport.

The 30 min flight to Lukla on Tara Air reminded me of our flights from Broome to Djugerari. The plane, which managed to squash in18 passengers, seemed to be close to its use-by date and the twin propellors whined like chainsaws as we rattled across the sky. Despite this a very professional and well-presented female cabin steward plied us with newspapers, lollies and earplugs.

Once we were airborne it was easy to get lost in the views of snow capped himalayas intermingled with clouds, growing larger before our eyes.

The entry ito Lukla is quite surreal.  The plane emerges up the valley, banks a little to the right to reveal an astonishingly short runway with a stone wall at the end to remind you to stop in time.  To assist the plane in slowing down, the runway inclines upwards at a sharp angle. Quite an unbelievable site when you go back later and watch other planes land and take off (as there's not a lot else going on in Lukla). Take off is even better, the inclineof the runway gives the plane the advantage of a downhill start, the engines rev to the highest possible pitch, like drag cars waiting for the green light, and then suddenly there is a surge forward and somehow the nose of the plane lifts about 3 quarters of the way along the runway and thus avoiding what appears to be a potentially perilous drop into they abyss of the valley. Just imagine that the Titanic were an aircraft carrier half-submerged and the plane passengers are relying on a successful take off before hitting the water.

OK, enough about the plane ride, its really no more hair raising than a Nepali bus ride and over much quicker. The real highlight of the day was arriving in Lukla and soaking up the vibes of this peaceful Sherpa village (TBC)