Trekking the Himalayas has long been on my bucket list and
this past October I finally had a chance to visit Nepal and Everest Base Camp
(EBC). My daughter, Asia, and I purchased an EBC Trekking package thru Intrepid
Travel and found their coordination and planning to be top notch. They arranged
the hotel, all park passes, Teahouse accommodations as well as local traditions,
customs and basic Nepali language. We highly recommend checking them out if
Everest Base Camp is on your list. You can find more details at: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/nepal/everest-base-camp-117811
Travel to Nepal (03-04 Oct 2018):
Our departure from JFK Airport was delayed by a severe
thunder storm. Worse than the delay itself though, all the pubs in the airport
were closed by the time we got there! That’s right, no Guinness, no rum, just
coke and water. How’s someone supposed to fly for 16 hours like that? Luckily
the Duty Free was open so we were able to purchase some rum for the flight. Sixteen
hours and five movies later we arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun International
Airport, China. Unlike JFK, Guangzhou was super clean. Due to our delay we just
enough time to get thru Customs and find our way to our transfer. Customs took
one of my portable power packs as it didn’t specify the capacity on it. So, if
you’re planning to land in China, ensure all your electronics list their
capacities or they will take it. Our final flight into Kathmandu, Nepal took
roughly 4 ½ hours. We got our fist glimpse of Mt Everest standing majestically
off in the distance. Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in
Kathmandu we were transferred by bus to the terminal. Inside we found it
slightly unorganized regarding exactly which forms were needed to acquire our
needed 30 day Visa but we figured it out, paid our USD$40 each and then headed
to baggage. We had to pass thru a metal detector and carry-on scanner to enter
the baggage area. We found this quite amusing as everyone set the alarm off,
yet nobody was stopped or searched. We found our duffle bags among a huge pile
where they had been literally thrown. We went to the “Pre-paid Taxi” booth
before exiting to arrange transportation to our hotel. Here you can get a set
rate for transport, otherwise take your chances outside. The taxi dropped us
off at the entrance to an alley and pointed us in the right direction. From
there we carried our backpacks and gear duffle bags down the alley for a couple
blocks and arrived at our hotel, Hotel Marshyangdi.
Kathmandu (04 Oct 2018):
Hotel Marshyangdi is old but nice. As we entered the lobby,
we heard a group of trekkers reveling about recent experience in the mountains
and about Lukla Airport which we would be flying into in a couple days. The
staff was super friendly and helpful. The elevator was super small as Asia and
I barely fit in it with our backpacks and one duffle each. The air conditioner
in our room leaked all over the floor so we turned it off and opened our
windows which was just fine for us. The best part of our room was “Bollywood”
on the TV, 24x7!
After getting unpacked we messaged a local Hash House
Harrier running group to see if anyone wanted to get together for a beer. To
our delight, a gentleman by the name of Ganesh agreed to meet us later that
evening. In the meantime, we explored the Thamel market area, exchanged our
money, had lunch and found the Everest Irish Pub. We hung out there until it
was time to meet Ganesh. He took us to a great restaurant nearby where we
experienced local cuisine including Dal bhat, steamed rice and a soup
consisting of lentils, garlic and spinach. After dinner, Ganesh took us to one
of his favorite bars, “Tom & Jerry’s” for a couple beers. and gave us a
bottle of locally made Khukri Rum for our trek. After Ganesh departed for home,
Asia and I once again found our way to the Irish Pub. We enjoyed more Everest
Beer and as well as Arna Lager. The bartender, Ram, was super friendly as was
everyone there. We stayed long after closing, seems to happen everywhere we go,
playing pool and enjoying the local beers. We headed back to our hotel just
before daybreak for a short nap so we'd be ready to explore the city more in a few hours.
Kathmandu (05 Oct 2018):
After a couple hours sleep, Asia and I headed out to go see
the Swayambhunath Temple, also known as the “Monkey
Temple”. We didn’t have a map but we did know the general direction so off we
went. As we made our way slowly through the congested streets and narrow, dark alleys
we met an Indian art student, Sanjay, who was on his way to his art school. We
accepted his invitation to meet his “Master”. There students and masters alike
create beautiful “Thanka” masterpieces depicting “The Life History of Buddha”, the
“Wheel of Life” and wonderful “Mandalas”, all painted by single yak-hair brushes.
Sanjay offered to lead us to the Monkey Temple which we gladly accepted. Along
the way we stopped at the Sobha Bhagwati and Bijeshwari temples. Sanjay explained
the history behind each temple as well as the history of the Buddha and the various
statues. Eventually, we made our way to Swayambhunath, a beautiful hilltop temple
complex reached by a long, steep stairway. Sanjay purchased a package of
crackers which we all fed to the monkeys that were roaming freely throughout
the temple. The babies were extremely cute. A couple of them freaked Asia out a
bit when they started tugging on her dress after the crackers ran out. I found
it hilarious! Unfortunately, the temple had been damaged in the April 2015
Earth Quake which registered between 7.8-8.1 depending on the scale used. The
same quake was responsible for an avalanche on Mt Everest that killed 21
climbers. It also had destroyed our new friend Sanjay’s home. We spent about 2
hours exploring the various buildings and artifacts, enjoying views of
Kathmandu below us; and, to our surprise, watched the filming of a Bollywood
movie.
We arrived back at the hotel just in time to meet up with
our trek guide, Prem, and the other members of our group. There were 12
trekkers in all: 4 from New Zealand, 6 from England, and Asia and I from the
U.S.A. Prem issued each of us a red Intrepid duffel bags which we had to repack
all our cloths and gear into.
Asia and I finished quickly so we went back to
the Irish Pub for more liquid refreshment. We sat next to an open window taking
in the sights, sounds, and (uh) smells of the bustling street below when to our surprise
a small monkey appeared on the mass of electric wires in front of us. As it crossed
the puzzle of wires a second, much larger monkey appeared chasing after the first.
Luckily, we were able to get a few photos and videos before they disappeared
around the corner. Kathmandu truly is an urban jungle!
Our group gathered shortly after for dinner and drinks with
Prem. When done, everyone headed back to the hotel for a good night sleep
except for Asia and I, of course. We decided to return to the Irish Pub for a few more
Everest beers since they might be our last as we were to fly into Tenzing-Hillary
Airport in Lukla, the “World’s most dangerous airport” in the morning.
Watch for Part 2 shortly which begins with the flight into
Lukla! In the meantime, enjoy these Lukla Airport videos: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=lukla+airport&&view=detail&mid=1159B65C5A10F082C3701159B65C5A10F082C370&&FORM=VRDGAR
Trekking Everest base Camp
ReplyDeletehttps://www.uniquetreks.com/14-day-everest-base-camp-trek