Like a ski jump...
Well, that's pretty much it with Lukla. Today is the flight back to a hectic, dusty Kathmandu, but not before a cup of mummas milk tea to warm the cockles. Another blue sky day with brilliant white snowy peaks making for another majestic scene. Somehow the little town, it's people and their lives seem insignificant in comparison, but of course that's far from the truth. On the whole I found the folks around here friendly enough, especially those connected directly with tourism, but others away from the town seemed rather shy, particularly the Sherpas. To my surprise Lukla is a well developed town with an adequate sewerage system and buildings are well constructed. It's not a hotchpotch of temporary bamboo and tarpaulin shacks one might imagine of a town in a developing nation but a peaceful, clean and a place where folk need to be resourceful - plenty of rocks, boulders and wood around.
The 5 minute hike up to the airport is hard work in the thin, cold air. Plane leaves at 7.30 and I'm on flight number 2 - that's all I know! Plenty of folk milling around - tourists mainly eager to get to Kathmandu and their intercontinental flights out. A quick check in at this most basic of terminals, freezing cold, no heating - no wonder the hot drinks counter is doing a roaring trade at 100 rupees a throw! No announcements, no screens infact nothing whatsoever to say there is fog in Kathmandu, just a rumour mill in operation, the place has been closed for the next 2 hours apparently - more trade for the hot drinks counter!
finally at 11am a chance to defrost as passengers for our flight are lead out to the sun drenched tarmac to a waiting plane. And more waiting, infact it's going to be another 20 minutes because this crew are out of hours! Well, that's ok since I'm not in a hurry and it's another chance to grab some unique photos.
I suppose it's like a ski jump as the engines of this small Twin Otter plane are revved to maximum and the brakes released. Thankfully and with great relief the plane is airborne, climbing away out of the valley and into that clear blue sky. A good view of the snowy Himalayas too as the aircraft sets course towards Kathmandu.
Well, that's pretty much it with Lukla. Today is the flight back to a hectic, dusty Kathmandu, but not before a cup of mummas milk tea to warm the cockles. Another blue sky day with brilliant white snowy peaks making for another majestic scene. Somehow the little town, it's people and their lives seem insignificant in comparison, but of course that's far from the truth. On the whole I found the folks around here friendly enough, especially those connected directly with tourism, but others away from the town seemed rather shy, particularly the Sherpas. To my surprise Lukla is a well developed town with an adequate sewerage system and buildings are well constructed. It's not a hotchpotch of temporary bamboo and tarpaulin shacks one might imagine of a town in a developing nation but a peaceful, clean and a place where folk need to be resourceful - plenty of rocks, boulders and wood around.
The 5 minute hike up to the airport is hard work in the thin, cold air. Plane leaves at 7.30 and I'm on flight number 2 - that's all I know! Plenty of folk milling around - tourists mainly eager to get to Kathmandu and their intercontinental flights out. A quick check in at this most basic of terminals, freezing cold, no heating - no wonder the hot drinks counter is doing a roaring trade at 100 rupees a throw! No announcements, no screens infact nothing whatsoever to say there is fog in Kathmandu, just a rumour mill in operation, the place has been closed for the next 2 hours apparently - more trade for the hot drinks counter!
finally at 11am a chance to defrost as passengers for our flight are lead out to the sun drenched tarmac to a waiting plane. And more waiting, infact it's going to be another 20 minutes because this crew are out of hours! Well, that's ok since I'm not in a hurry and it's another chance to grab some unique photos.
I suppose it's like a ski jump as the engines of this small Twin Otter plane are revved to maximum and the brakes released. Thankfully and with great relief the plane is airborne, climbing away out of the valley and into that clear blue sky. A good view of the snowy Himalayas too as the aircraft sets course towards Kathmandu.
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