Lukla-ly...or un-Lukla-ly!?
16 Nov, 08 - 07:53
I'm tap typing from a quiet Lukla airport. We've been in Lukla since yesterday morn...trying to fly out. It can be challenging to get out of here...especially with hundreds of kilos of gear.
Dana and Caroline are likely boarding their Silk Air flight to Singapore right now, so we won't be seeing each other, in person, until the Christmas season. It's a shame we couldn't have had a Secret Spot Tilman Trekker 'wrap up' meal in KTM, but I think this past trip is just the beginning of our adventures together. =^]
Dana and Caroline were exceptional trekking/climbing companions and I look forward to finding a place for them on the Secret Spot Seven Summits Team. B^)
Obviously, Dawa and I managed to find a capable porter to carry our goodies from Namche on Friday...though it did take us until noon to do so.
Dawa rigs up Biga(our new porter) at the top of Namche Bazaar
We took some back streets to exit Namche which meant we got to avoid the commercialized madness within. Joy!
There were many, many porters, pack animals and trekkers crawling up the arduous hill to Namche...as we were bounding down it. We lunched in Josale...and found ourselves in Phakding by the later afternoon. The plan was to continue onto Lukla that evening, but the comfort and charms of a happy Sherpa guest house were much too compelling. The Sherpa girls who ran the little slice of Heaven in Phakding begged us not to leave and shoveled fine food and drink into our mouths. They also introduced me to a variety of Sherpa music and customs. It was all good. =^P
A view of part of the rapidly growing Namche Bazaar
We had a 6am departure from Phakding on Saturday morn...and after a thoughtful walk full of re-affirmations...I crested the rise to Lukla at just after 9am. While I waited for Biga(the porter) I contemplated an incredibly long hot shower and some meeeeat! =^P
Phill and Biga on the way to Lukla
Both of those dreams became reality before noon. =^)
While digesting my sizzling yak steak, we waited and waited. Would we fly...or wouldn't we!? Who knew!?
I took advantage of the time to have a nice visit with Budi at the nifty Swiss hospital that Lukla is now sporting. The trail of blood ended here. More on that in the next dispatch.
Soooo...here we wait at the Lukla airport. 1am...and there's some issue with our volumes of baggage. Some of Dana and Caroline's gear is here too...as they wouldn't let them take it on Friday morn!? Too heavy...or something. I'm totally used to this sort of thing while 'expeditioning'...so here I stand...the smiling Buddha with my Ipaq...watching a lovely world go by...B^]
I hope you are continuing to virtually enjoying trekking and climbing in the Himalayas with us via the dispatches at www.secretspoteverest.com and/or my blog!?
If you have not subscribed...you should...right now. I invite you. =^)
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
I'm tap typing from a quiet Lukla airport. We've been in Lukla since yesterday morn...trying to fly out. It can be challenging to get out of here...especially with hundreds of kilos of gear.
Dana and Caroline are likely boarding their Silk Air flight to Singapore right now, so we won't be seeing each other, in person, until the Christmas season. It's a shame we couldn't have had a Secret Spot Tilman Trekker 'wrap up' meal in KTM, but I think this past trip is just the beginning of our adventures together. =^]
Dana and Caroline were exceptional trekking/climbing companions and I look forward to finding a place for them on the Secret Spot Seven Summits Team. B^)
Obviously, Dawa and I managed to find a capable porter to carry our goodies from Namche on Friday...though it did take us until noon to do so.
Dawa rigs up Biga(our new porter) at the top of Namche Bazaar
We took some back streets to exit Namche which meant we got to avoid the commercialized madness within. Joy!
There were many, many porters, pack animals and trekkers crawling up the arduous hill to Namche...as we were bounding down it. We lunched in Josale...and found ourselves in Phakding by the later afternoon. The plan was to continue onto Lukla that evening, but the comfort and charms of a happy Sherpa guest house were much too compelling. The Sherpa girls who ran the little slice of Heaven in Phakding begged us not to leave and shoveled fine food and drink into our mouths. They also introduced me to a variety of Sherpa music and customs. It was all good. =^P
A view of part of the rapidly growing Namche Bazaar
We had a 6am departure from Phakding on Saturday morn...and after a thoughtful walk full of re-affirmations...I crested the rise to Lukla at just after 9am. While I waited for Biga(the porter) I contemplated an incredibly long hot shower and some meeeeat! =^P
Phill and Biga on the way to Lukla
Both of those dreams became reality before noon. =^)
While digesting my sizzling yak steak, we waited and waited. Would we fly...or wouldn't we!? Who knew!?
I took advantage of the time to have a nice visit with Budi at the nifty Swiss hospital that Lukla is now sporting. The trail of blood ended here. More on that in the next dispatch.
Soooo...here we wait at the Lukla airport. 1am...and there's some issue with our volumes of baggage. Some of Dana and Caroline's gear is here too...as they wouldn't let them take it on Friday morn!? Too heavy...or something. I'm totally used to this sort of thing while 'expeditioning'...so here I stand...the smiling Buddha with my Ipaq...watching a lovely world go by...B^]
I hope you are continuing to virtually enjoying trekking and climbing in the Himalayas with us via the dispatches at www.secretspoteverest.com and/or my blog!?
If you have not subscribed...you should...right now. I invite you. =^)
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
SecretSpot.NET
SecretSpot7Summits.com
SecretSpotEverest.com
Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
Posted by Scott Stanko at 11/16/2008 11:51 AM 
Categories: Everest, SecretSpot.TV, Oakley, Frick, Kathmandu, Phill Michael, secretspot7summits.com, Sherpa, Nepal, Medtronic, tibet, Surefire, Seven Summits, Tilman Trek, SecretSpot.NET, SecretSpotEverest.com
Categories: Everest, SecretSpot.TV, Oakley, Frick, Kathmandu, Phill Michael, secretspot7summits.com, Sherpa, Nepal, Medtronic, tibet, Surefire, Seven Summits, Tilman Trek, SecretSpot.NET, SecretSpotEverest.com
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