This is it. We are going back to civilization. We were told to be ready by 9:30am. We are not hiking back out. Instead the helicopter will be coming this morning and fly us back to Lukla. What a thrill.
The 3 ladies were to go first, then the 3 guys, and finally Dilip and our bags.
Vicki, Ellen and Bert waited outside the tea-house by the helicopter pad. They saw a few hikers being flown out by medical helicopters. Altitude sickness is not picky. It picks on unprepared hikers randomly. Even strong, healthy individuals die from altitude sickness. Luckily, most hikers have travel insurance. The US$6,000 medical helicopter ride is a steep price if you are not covered by insurance.
A little after 9:30am we were told to go outside to wait for our helicopter. The ladies have left. Instead of flying straight to Lukla, we heard that the flight plan calls for us to be flonw to Periche first. At higher elevation, the helicopter cannot carry as heavy a load. Periche is at about 13,907ft, about 2,000ft less than Gorak Shep. Apparently, that makes a difference how much load the helicopter can carry. The flight took a little over 5 minutes. Watch the video below on YouTube:
Our helicopter arriving at Gorak Shep
Getting ready to land at Periche
Refueling from a Jerry Can
After our entire group landed at Periche, the pilot flew 6 of us straight down to Lukla. It was a flight that one cannot forget. The view from up high of the places we hiked through the last few days was truly amazing. We flew between the mountains and sometimes the pilot would fly just above places we could identify. We saw the village of Tengboche from the air and easily identify its colorful monastery. The flight was only about 9 minutes but it felt like a very long time. Here is a YouTube video of the flight:
Our Pilot - Cool As A Cucumber
Lukla Airport
Everest Summit Lodge in Lukla
We were very lucky to be blessed with beautiful weather. Our helicopter landed in Lukla without any delay. We checked into the Everest Summit Lodge before lunch and soon enough, we were in the dining room. Stephanos had ensured that we reward ourselves with a stay at the best hotel in Lukla. Indeed it was. The lawn was beautifully manicured with colorful flowers. The rooms were nice, by Nepal standard. The meals and service were excellent.
After a hot shower and some rest, we were ready for a stroll through the "Big City" of Lukla. We visited our assistant guide Dilip's family. Instead of treating them to a dinner at the hotel, we opted to use the money to buy his family groceries. It will probably last them about 3 weeks to a month. The dinner would've satisfied them for a few hours. Such is the inequity between us, the haves', and them, the have-nots'.
Dilip's 3 children on the left. On the right are two of our porters
Dilip and his family
Groceries instead of a dinner
The next morning we were ready for a flight back to Kathmandu. This time there was no delay. We checked back into Hotel Tibet, had our lunch, and get our laundry ready to be washed. We ended up spending our last 2 days in Kathmandu: resting, relaxing, recovering, reminiscing, and shopping. Anything that does not stress our tender bodies physically. The extra day is a buffer in case our flight from Lukla to Kathmandu was canceled, as it happens often because of the weather. Nineteen days after I arrived in Kathmandu, I am ready to go on to my next adventure in Bhutan. The others are all flying back to the US, memorialize and brag about an adventure that we all will never forget. Thanks TEAMIES!
Many thanks to the staff and guides at Dharma Adventures and Adventures Within Reach, for putting together a wonderful trip. The money that we raised for Make A Difference Now (MAD) will go to deserving children in undeveloped countries.
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