Lukla, the Gateway to the Everest

22 October 2013

The domestic airport of Kathmandu is the lifeline of Lukla. The airport has a crowd with an interesting mix of locals and foreign trekkers.

The tourists feel like being in a time capsule at this airport, like being in the Sixties. The TV screens on the wall betrays this thought.

My flight, which is with Tara Air, does not have a departure time. Out here, we are at the mercy of the weather. Much so than in other airports. It is not uncommon to have your flight delayed for days. The planes are 14 seaters and are propeller based. The runway in Lukla is about 500 meters long, and it is reputed to be one of the most dangerous runways in the World.

Why do people fly to Lukla? Well, it is either that short trip of a long 7-day trek! (…)

We’ve reached Lukla! Flying towards Lukla, it is strange to see mountain ranges left, right, and straight ahead, especially when the ranges are almost at the same level as the plane. The weather condition was excellent, but the flight was a bit shaky. I don’t want to know how it would have been if the weather suddenly turned out bad.

(…)

We did a trek of 3 to 4 hours to Phakding. The paths were wide and comfortable to walk on though very stony! The stones come embedded on the soil and are of very much of uneven sizes.

We passed by a suspension bridge, which was damaged by a landslide this summer. I was a bit uncomfortable crossing it, owing to my fear of heights. I was able to do it by looking at the bag of my guide.

Tomorrow as we go to Namche, there will be 4 or 5 of those suspension bridges. Note, you do get the hang of it even if you have a fear of heights!

(…)

I am sitting at a terrace at Phakding right now. Just beside me are two musicians. In the beginning, I was the only one listening, but a crowd has gathered for a makeshift Phakding Party Central!