Remember all that stress and chaos we experienced getting to Lukla?
Well, cut and paste that, except it’s in reverse.
Here we go again!
Day: 20
Date: Monday, 21 October 2024.
From: Lukla (2,800m) To: Kathmandu (1,324m)
Daily Km: 0km Walking Time: 0m
Progress: 0km
Ascent: 0m Descent: 0m
Weather: Clear and sunny. It’s hot again!
Terrain: Rough road trippin’ again.
Stayed At: Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu
Note: I took no photos today so have added some clever ones from the Husband and recycled a few of my own.
General Comments:
- As you can imagine, it was a patchy night’s sleep. One eye on the watch and a mind roaming over every ridiculously random topic known to man. Mostly though, I was worrying about whether we would get on a plane this morning.
- Consequently, we were up and packing well before our 430am wake-up call for breakfast. I really couldn’t face more porridge and all I really wanted was an intravenous drip of black coffee. But, porridge, it was! I swear I won’t touch the stuff again until Winter 2025!
- Don’t get me wrong. I love porridge and it was great fuel for each walking day, but after about 19 days straight, even good things start to lose their shine.
- Fed and packed, it was time to join the chaos at the airport. Shouldering our own duffle bags for a change, we stumbled along in the pre-dawn dark the very short distance from our lodge to the airport departure gates.
- Welcome to utter mayhem! Picture about 150 people with luggage in a smallish room, all jostling to get through security and rush to the counter in hope of snagging an elusive ticket on an even more elusive plane.
- Thank goodness we had Roy to do all the negotiating and run interference with the rampant bureaucracy. How you would ever navigate this as an independent traveller (and pay even close to the correct price), I will never know. Yes, we paid much more to be part of a supported tour with World Expeditions, but boy, it was so worth it!
- Finally, we had our boarding passes in our hot little hands. Part of me still did not believe that we would be getting on a plane anytime soon, especially as there was no sight of it at the scheduled departure time.
- A few minutes later it whizzed into the terminal, spat out its passengers and their luggage, and we were loaded on and buckling up. This was starting to look more promising.
- Engines fired up, we swung onto the runway, the pilot floored it and we took off from Lukla with only a handful of terra firma to spare. Yay, we were airborne at last!
- It was the same short flight, but in reverse and far less picturesque with all the cloud about. I didn’t care – we were one step closer to Kathmandu and a long, hot shower! 😊
- It felt good to step off the plane at Ramechap, even though we had yet another bloody long road trip in front of us. I looked at all the fresh, clean and eager faces at the airport and I felt like I had aged 10years in the last couple of weeks. Well, 10years worth of experience anyway.
- The chaos of Lukla was mirrored at Ramechap with the same masses of people trying to get on a plane to fly in the opposite direction. We had to physically push our way out of the airport compound, such was the crush.
- My heart sank and shoulders dropped when we walked into the carpark area – same %$#@ minibus, same driver! Ugh! Here we go again!
- From the get-go though, this was a different road trip. There was way less traffic on the road and the traffic that was there was driving in a remotely sensible manner. You could also see some attempts had been made at repairing some sections of the road. Not that it was in any way a state-of-the-art road surface meaning the driver would again spend the entire 160km in first, second or third gear.
- In his wisdom, the driver decided to bring us back to Kathmandu via the scenic route. After 7.5hrs in a bouncing, jouncing, shuddering and juddering minibus, scenery was the least of my concerns or interests! Just get me to the hotel and a SHOWER!
- It was astonishing to hit the outskirts of Kathmandu and its normal traffic mayhem. After such a long stretch in the peace and quiet of the Himalayas, all this noise, chaos and pollution was a shock to the system.
- We slowed to a crawl as regulation two-lane traffic stretched to four-lane or six-lane depending on the volume of vehicles and the sporadic appearance of a traffic policeman. Now, that man is taking his life in his own hands!
- At last, we arrived at the Hotel and I made a very undignified bolt for our room and the long-dreamt-of shower. Duffle bag and gear exploded in every direction and I stripped off, almost leaping into the shower as I discarded the last of my clothing…only to have the hot water tap come clean off the wall in my hand!
- I will spare you the diverse and colourful range of language I emitted at the point! The upshot was that after numerous laborious visits from maintenance and housekeeping staff, we had to pack up yet again and move rooms. Yes, by this stage I had definitely lost my sense of humour.
- At last, I finally got my hot shower, washed my hair three times, sprayed myself liberally with perfume, and pulled on clean clothes. Human again!
- And so, my Big Nepalese Adventure was almost at a close. We had the usual farewell dinner celebration and it was a little hard to recognise my fellow hikers with their equally clean hair and clothes.
- It is a terribly overused word, but it has been an ‘epic’ adventure. It has taken me to the most amazing places, dazzled me on a daily basis with the most spectacular scenery, and challenged me both mentally and physically on that same daily basis. I feel incredibly privileged to have walked in such a stunning country, with excellent company and I thank them sincerely for their patience at my ‘slowly, slowly’ pace.
- I am so glad I signed up for this adventure and it is definitely a one-off. I am not a mountain climber and I guess the only way you find that out is by tackling some serious mountains.
- Thank you for joining me on this adventure and listening to all my moaning and groaning. 😊 Hopefully, in some small way, I have inspired you to head to the mountains yourself or put the kettle on for another cuppa. 😊 Whatever brings you joy!
Happy trails to you all and Namaste, Mel
And Jo, I will try to do more normal walks on Mondays from here on in.
#travelinspo #EverestBaseCampCircuit #multidayhikes #adventurebeforedementia #longdistancewalks #Nepal #teahouses #WorldExpeditions #epicadventures #greatoutdoors #crosscountry #exploreonfoot #exoticdestinations #hikingadventures #yaks #Sagarmatha #remotevillages #mistymoutains #Lukla #mountainclimbing #EverestHighway #Kathmandu #tentlife #monasteries #floraandfauna #nationalparks #roadtrips
Life...one big adventure 
I greatly enjoyed your telling of this “epic” adventure on the roof of the world. It was a lot of effort but, as you say, well worth it. 😁
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I imagine it would be looking even snowier by now…just like your neighbourhood. Have a Merry Christmas and stay warm! Mel
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wow! What a trip. Well done Mel and thanks for sharing your fantastic story. I have absolutely no desire to follow in your footsteps on this occasion.
😎👣
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I don’t blame you in the slightest! 🙂 Where is your next adventure? You must be plotting something! 🙂 Merry Christmas. x
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Thank you and Merry Christmas to you guys too.
We don’t have anything planned at this stage believe it or not. We’re just going to move into our new house next year and settle into our new community for a little while. It won’t rake too long for me to get itchy feet though so who knows? It certainly won’t be what you’ve just done though.😎
Have an amazing new year too.
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A busy time ahead for you. I hope the move goes smoothly.
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What an adventure!! I am sorry, I know it wasn’t funny that the shower didn’t work, but I couldn’t help but laugh. It reminded me of when I was driving a stick shift and the shifter came loose from the floor in my hand. Things that shouldn’t come loose but do!
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OMG! I think your loose bit is far more serious than mine! :-0
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It was rather scary! I had my 2 year old in the back seat!
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:-0
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I enjoyed following your journey enormously, Mel. Thanks.
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Thanks so much, Coral. Happy trails to you in 2025.
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It was fun following your adventure. I’ll be interested to see where you go to next.
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Thanks for following along and I promise the next adventure will be far more sedate! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and yours. Mel
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Thank-you so much for all the information you shared with us. Finding “your daily letter” on my desktop was a true pleasure. Safe travel back home!
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And thank you for following along. I will leave you peace now for a while…until the next adventure anyway. 😉 Merry Christmas to you.
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That was phenomenal from start to finish Mel. You summed it up perfectly and it’s something you’ll be able to dine out on for years to come. The main thing though is that you did it for yourself and yes, it may have been tough but what an achievement – and what memories!
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Thanks so much, Malc. It has been a big year one way or another and this adventure was the icing on the cake! Enjoy your Christmas and try to stay warm. I imagine not many walks for you of late! Mel
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Thanks Mel and hope you and your family have a great Christmas too. You’re right about not too many walks for me of late because my walking days are unfortunately over.
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Oh bugger, I didn’t know that and I am sorry to hear it. No doubt you can find joy in your day in other ways. All the best.
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When life becomes difficult for whatever reason Mel we all need to adapt in a way that suits us, and my way of doing it is by recounting the times when I could get around, which is why my blogs are mainly about past experiences – and I can always read about other people’s adventures 😊
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A good attitude there, Malc. We just need to make the most of every day. 🙂
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And be thankful for what we’ve had and not be comcerned about what we haven’t. Thanls Mel!
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True.
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Namaste and well done Mel! As time passes as it already has the cream of memories will rise to the top I’m sure! It certainly seems way-way more busy than when I passed that way independently twelve years ago 😀
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Thanks, Jim and thanks for your Nepalese adventures, which I followed with interest. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and many happy trails in 2025. Mel
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And a Merry Christmas to you and yours Mel 😀
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Wow, I’ve just had a binge read.
From the gasping, coughing, wheezing, porridge filled you, to the somewhat shock of the shellfish speedsters and litterbugs.
You however I believe, came away with the memory that many of us strive for. The memory of succeeding against your envelope. Making friend’s and a head full of photos and 5 dimensional sensory thoughts. Very well done, I knew you’d do it.
So now enthused by your magnificent achievement, I’ve looked it up and put it back on my list. It was there for a while but fell off during covid and I dint think I could do it. However, you’ve made it sound so easy, well the last two days.
Before that I’ve got a NZ cycle trip from top to bottom to do.
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🙂 – Oh, you make me laugh! I wish it was easy or easier anyway, but then if it was, maybe it wouldn’t be so momentous. All that cardio in NZ will be perfect training for Nepal – especially riding up those picturesque NZ mountains. Safe travels to you and Merry Christmas! Mel
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An adventure for lifetime memories
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Absolutely! 🙂
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What an incredible adventure! I can’t even imagine how good that shower must have felt. Or how long and bumpy that drive must have been. Or really, just so many little details of this entire trip are so hard to fathom, even after reading them. But you did it, and that’s an accomplishment of a lifetime for sure! Thanks for taking us along virtually every step of the way.
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That’s my pleasure, Diana. I have enjoyed your walks just as much…with a lot less effort on my part! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you both. Mel
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I bet that shower was the best one of your life – but I’d have lost it after the first attempt ended in disaster – NOT what you needed!! Your achievement is truly amazing, huge huge congrats to you and the husband 🙂
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The BEST shower ever!! 🙂 Many thanks for your support.
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What an incredible journey! Your experiences in Lukla and Kathmandu are truly inspiring is truly a captivating destination that beautifully blends ancient history with vibrant modern life. The city’s rich tapestry of culture is evident in its stunning temples, such as the iconic Pashupatinath and the serene Boudhanath Stupa, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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Yes, I love the vibe of Kathmandu. It is just so vibrant.
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Now this was an adventure! Awesome!
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My BIGGEST adventure to date! It will definitely take some topping. 🙂
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Wow amazing post
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Many thanks. An amazing adventure, more like it.
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I’ve really enjoyed my virtual trek (the only kind I’ll ever attempt) and loved the honest way in which you described all the challenges as well as the high points – thank you 🙂
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My pleasure. Thanks for following along.
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Thanks for sharing your Nepalese adventures in both words and fabulous photos. I do recall riding in a Nepalese minibus is certainly hard on the backside. As for your first shower attempt, I confess I did laugh at your expense. Good thing they moved you to a new room. Cheers, Mark
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🙂 At least that shower felt amazing when I finally got it! 🙂
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As always, I really enjoyed your hiking series! You’ve given me great reading pleasure and I take my hat off to you Mel. You’ve had such a great adventure – something most of us will never do! I wish you and your family all the best for 2025 and can’t wait to see where you take us this year 😁.
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Thanks so much for your kind words, Corna. Likewise I enjoy your road trippin’ through the wilds of RSA. You have a wonderful country and no doubt there will be more exploring for you this year, too.
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