Lukla - day 1Oct 25 - Nov
15, 1998
We got up at about 5:30 and left Thamel for the airport at 6:15. it felt great to get
out of the pollution of Katmandu. We both noticed a mountain town feeling here,(like a
Colorado mountain town) the smell of burning wood, and everyone asleep by 10:30.
Tomorrow we leave for the first leg of our 22 day trekking adventure. We only walk
about three hours to the town of Phakding it is about the same elevation as Lukla (2840 m)
so we will be able to acclimate more there.
We flew on a fourteen seat twin propeller airplane, on a flight that lasted only about
one half an hours. The beautiful peaks of the Himalayas were peaking through the clouds
and the terraced land of the Katmandu valley filled the landscape below.
Landing in an airplane is something the two of us don’t usually enjoy. Landing in
Lukla was……well, an experience. The runway was a short strip of gravel about 100
yards long that started at a cliff and ended with a sharp right bank turn at a stone wall
– not much room for error!! We made it! A traditional runway may not seem nearly as
bad now. We’re both a little nervous about taking off but that’s not for another
three weeks. Phew!
