Nepal Trip Day 10 - Lukla to Kathmandu (Tuesday January 1, 2019)
Nepal Trip Day 10 - Lukla to Kathmandu (Tuesday January 1, 2019)
We woke up to the new year in Lukla. There was no fireworks, no TV, no countdown, just quietness in the mountain. Well before 7:00 am, we could already hear the roar of the airplanes flying into Lukla. We were on standby today since we were leaving the mountain early. We got dressed, took our breakfast, and took off for the airport.
Our trek porters (Lapsang and Tenzing) had already departed. Our duffles were tied into one large bundle and was carried to the airport by a single porter. We walked through the village of Lukla, taking in the shops and views for the last time while waiting for our flight.
Not gonna make it as a porter
Good morning Lukla
Walking through the town of Lukla
One last photo in Lukla
A boy and a dog in front of a local shop
Baskin Robbins!
Shop selling trekking gear
Store front
Momo and samosa
Lukla sign
Reaching the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla
Runway of Tenzing-Hillary Airport
We woke up to the new year in Lukla. There was no fireworks, no TV, no countdown, just quietness in the mountain. Well before 7:00 am, we could already hear the roar of the airplanes flying into Lukla. We were on standby today since we were leaving the mountain early. We got dressed, took our breakfast, and took off for the airport.
Our trek porters (Lapsang and Tenzing) had already departed. Our duffles were tied into one large bundle and was carried to the airport by a single porter. We walked through the village of Lukla, taking in the shops and views for the last time while waiting for our flight.
Enjoying the fresh toast at YMH for the last time
Porridge
Muesli with warm milk and coffee
Not gonna make it as a porter
Good morning Lukla
Walking through the town of Lukla
One last photo in Lukla
A boy and a dog in front of a local shop
Baskin Robbins!
Shop selling trekking gear
Store front
Momo and samosa
Lukla sign
Reaching the Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla
Runway of Tenzing-Hillary Airport
We got to the airport around 8:00 am. There were already a good crowd inside the small airport. Mingma told us that we should be able to get on the sixth flight out and we were certainly hoping that was the case. When we fly into Kathmandu, we will have to head to the office of China Southern to change our flight to Guangzhao from Friday to today to head to Taiwan.
Previous
Crowd gathered at the check in area
Bundled up for the morning
We stood at at high point outside the airport to observe the take off and landing while Mingma waited inside the airport. We were able to get our boarding pass around 10:00 after waiting for nearly an hour and half. After we got our boarding pass we passed through security and were waiting for our flight to arrive in the waiting room. Shortly before 11:00 am, we finally saw our green Tara Air Do228 plane arriving at the airport. We were thrilled. Our flight has finally arrived. We gathered at the gate anxiously waiting to get on the plane. While in the waiting room, we met a mother and a daughter who just came back from Everest Basecamp. We boarded the flight shortly after 11:00. The plane taxied and made a sharp u-turn at the end of the run way facing the downhill slope. We heard the engine revving up and the plane sped down he run runway when the engine got to full speed. I could say that this take off is much more scary than the take off in Kathmandu. The plane took off at the edge of the cliff. I could hear the engine hard at work. There was an atmosphere of anxiousness in the plane. Everyone was hoping that we make it into Kathmandu safely. The plane ride itself was quite smooth this time. There was some minor turbulence but we made it to Kathmandu safely after less than thirty minutes of flight. The plane landed in Kathmandu in the mid day haze. It sped down the runway as if it was a sports car to the taxing position.
We disembarked the plane feeling slight disoriented from the flight. The warmth of the sun and the richness of the air welt good to us. We boarded the bus back to the main terminal. On the way to the main terminal, we saw a huge Soviet era helicopter used by the Nepalese military. Mingma helped us picked up our bags. He had brought back a sack of potatoes from the mountain for his family in the city. We stood outside the crowded and chaotic domestic terminal waiting for our ride. There were people, cars, motorbikes, and even monkeys everywhere. This chaotic scene actually felt like home to us after spending more than a week in the mountain. It was a strange feeling. A place that seemed so foreign to us just more than a week ago is now feeling like home to us.
We asked our driver to take us to the China Southern office for us to change our flights. We were dropped off at the office and Mingma took our duffles back to the hotel. After we changed our flight, we walked back to our hotel - Hotel Yak and Yeti. We ate lunch at the buffet and rested rest of the afternoon for our red eye flight to Guangzhao.
A Tara Air Do228 getting ready to take off
Getting our boarding pass at the Tara Air check in counter
Our ride has arrived
Unloading the goods
Boarding the Tara Air Do228
Boarding
Ear plugs in, ready for take off
Taking off at the edge of the cliff
Leaving the snow capped Himalayan Mountains
Flying over the hill top
Getting close to Kathmandu
Mid-day sun casting a shadow of our plane in the Kathmandu Valley
Safe landing in Kathmandu
Taxing
Passing through a Soviet era Russian helicopter
We asked our driver to take us to the China Southern office for us to change our flights. We were dropped off at the office and Mingma took our duffles back to the hotel. After we changed our flight, we walked back to our hotel - Hotel Yak and Yeti. We ate lunch at the buffet and rested rest of the afternoon for our red eye flight to Guangzhao.
Lunch at Hotel Yak and Yeti
Dessert
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