I have finally returned to the Kathmandu valley from the mountains! The airport in Lukla that Everest trekkers must fly in and out of was closed for 8 days due to poor weather conditions. The fog and clouds over the mountains made for very poor visibility, so planes could not risk flying, especially when trying to land on a 450m runway at an airport rated one of the worst in the world! My group was stuck for 5 extra days after our trek, but luckily, I was able to leave Lukla safely yesterday! Over 3,000 trekkers were stuck in Lukla waiting for flights out!
The trek itself was absolutely amazing! We saw some of the most unreal views! Lower in the mountains, the trekking trails ran through forests and along riversides. As you get higher up, the trails are only on rock and dust, and can run cliff-side or over glaciers. I was travelling in a group of 3 people with one guide. It took us 8 days to reach Everest Base Camp! We arrived on October 31 (the most unique Halloween). We spent about 4-6 hours walking each day. Physically I did not find it to be too challenging and I was lucky enough not to experience any symptoms of altitude sickness, but I did find it extremely cold and windy! We stayed in little teahouses in small villages along the way! The lodges were cute and cozy, and the Sherpa people that lived there were very friendly!
Before heading back down from Base Camp, I got up at 5am to make the pitch black climb up Kala Patthar, a summit of 5500m that is near to base camp. I was the only one in my group able to go because the others were having altitude problems. The climb was tough, but I got there just in time to watch the sunrise over the mountains. It was so beautiful! The mountains lit up and a layer of fog was sitting below the mountains. I couldn't enjoy the view for too long though because the temperature is so cold up there that frost bite can quickly become a problem.
It took us only 3 days to make our way down the mountain. It is easier to walk down hill and you don't have to take the time to acclimatize like on the way up. On our way down, myself and Marc (another Canadian in my group) were well ahead of the group and the guide. We accidently took a wrong turn, which actually turned out to be a good thing, because we stumbled upon a big beautiful blue lake at the foot of a mountain. We later found out that the lake is called "Chola Tso Lake" and the mountain was "Cholatse". Once we found the lake and realized we were lost, it wasn't too hard to find our way back to the group. It was definitely a worthwhile detour!
Now that I am back in Kathmandu, I only have a short time left before I am off to Thailand. Over the next few days I am volunteering in a Monastery, teaching English to Buddhist Monks. They are great people and very eager to learn! :) I fly out on Saturday, November 12th and arrive in Bangkok on the 13th (my Birthday!). As far as I know, arriving in Bangkok should not be a problem with all of the flooding. I am starting to get pretty sad about leaving Nepal! I have really enjoyed my time here!
