This crazy little airport in the Himalayas
Twenty years ago if you had asked me where I was least likely to visit in my lifetime, I would have had to say the Himalayas. I had no reason to go, and it seemed far off the beaten track.
That’s why in January of 1998 I was unexpectedly drawn to an advertisement in a catalog for a trekking trip in the Himalayas around Everest Base Camp. Maybe I was intrigued by the chain of events that led to Everest's most deadly climbing season two years before, the subject of Jon Krakauer's book "Into Thin Air." In 1996, twelve people tragically perished trying to summit the world's highest peak, including two extremely experienced climbing veterans.
Suddenly obsessing with visiting this exotic region of the world, I decided I would become a hard core outdoors-woman. Who are we to question the universe’s plans? In April, we set out on a trekking expedition of a lifetime to the Khumbu region of Nepal, the gateway to Mt. Everest. Intensive physical training for high altitude would be required; we had a few months to prepare.
Getting to Kathmandu involved a series of long haul flights from LAX - 12 hours to Osaka, six to Bangkok with an eight-hour layover there, and then three more to Kathmandu. We had a few days in Nepal’s capital to get used to our new surroundings and recover from culture shock. You can read about some of my experiences in Kathmandu here.
https://steemit.com/travel/@fairytalelife/one-way-trip-to-the-ganges
The real challenge came on a quick flight from Kathmandu that takes you into the lower altitudes of the Himalayas to a place called Lukla. This airport, unbeknownst to me, is considered the most dangerous airport in the world from a pilot’s perspective. Its approach is visual only. If it’s cloudy, you don’t land because Luka has no air traffic control tower.
Lukla - where the tradition of old school aviation lives on.
This arrival marks the beginning of our journey into the rugged realm of Sagarmatha National Park, home of Mt. Everest. Over the next ten days I had countless adventures that I will describe in forthcoming posts, but today's story begins at the end.
After those ten days, we found ourselves stumbling back into civilization, weary and soaked to the bone, where we would soon find ourselves caught in a rainy holding pattern. It was only when we arrived that we discovered we might be stuck in Lukla indefintely. Our next day’s flight was canceled. A series of weather patterns slammed into the mountains and no one could go anywhere.
On our first afternoon back in Lukla, we saw a preview of the effects unpredictable weather had on dozens of stranded travelers. They looked anxious and worn out. Is this what we had to look forward to?
Last flight in
Trekkers camped out next to the runway waiting to leave - see all the yellow tents?
Everyone waiting
The calm before the storm. Look at that runway. It goes downhill (unpaved at the time)and makes a sheer drop, straight down
The last to get out - we weren't booked on these flights
As I mentioned, Lukla has no air traffic controller. Backed up departures caused traffic jams and bad tempers. No pilot was foolish enough to take off or fly into a cliff without visibility. Some people didn’t quite understand that and demanded immediate evacuation regardless of the weather conditions.
I think this was what happened in the last air disaster - a sketch I did to kill time
Everyone had connecting flights to make- our trek companions had a flight booked to Delhi from Kathmandu. Schedules were rigid, but all we could do was ride out the delays. We hung out in the lodge drinking hot tea wishing for nothing more than hot showers and a chance to do some laundry. This was the closest thing to civilization we had seen after 10 days and it felt great to stay put. I was used to squat “toilets” from the trek, but the porcelain cap over the hole at our accommodations in town seemed luxurious.
It was cozy in the lodge’s main room
Our room with a view
Some of the last few lucky souls that made it out in time – a view from our room at the lodge
That's me up in our room accepting our fate
On our last night, our Sherpa guide Passang said he would ensure we had a feast. I passed him in the alley and he was talking to the cook who had two chickens under his arm about to become our dinner. Horrified, I begged him to reconsider. We were happy with our usual dal bhat – lentils and rice. I couldn’t stand the idea of chickens being murdered for our benefit. With a hearty laugh he let them go. I'm sure I earned the unfortunate label of the typical squeamish American woman. Maybe I had a spiritual awakening after feeling so close to death on the mountain. Who knows why - we didn’t want any more sacrifices; we had all seen enough at this point.
The next day was cold and wet. No one was flying in or out and no one knew when the weather would clear. I remember one big Russian helicopter took a chance.
But no planes. Somehow Passang arranged for a private pilot from Kathmandu to come for us. We had to pay an additional $800 for that ride out, but we also had flight schedules. It was worth it and we all eagerly handed over our emergency funds. We had to leave one way or another, and this was our chance.
That's Passang Sherpa in the middle
I’d never been in a helicopter before. I am deathly afraid of heights - to me it's illogical that a little metal pod can fly like a hummingbird. Isn’t it incredible how we can rise to the occasion to do what is terrifying when we have no other choice?
Here we go - confronting a runway
Don't look down - but you have to!
The terrain slowly changes as we descend
And back to Kathmandu
Maybe it had to do with those holy scarves we were wearing.
Stay tuned for that adventure.
love the pictures taken out of the airplane! amazing !
You're right! I would love to go to that point in the mountains where you are just above the cloudline, it would be like you are walking on a cloud. Just a totally different world up there. Magical.
I have never been that high up before, I wonder if its difficult to catch your breath up there, I would certainly we having a little heart attack in that helicopter.
good
Meanwhile, the son of Michael Jackson already went 15th year ...
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://cs8.pikabu.ru/post_img/2016/08/07/2/1470528578120472831.jpg)
The young man is tired of bullying classmates in all schools where he studied, on behalf of his father. And he called his blanket. The child has changed its name to Bigi.
Read other interesting stories on my blog
https://steemit.com/@konstplus
Good to read about this, especially when I am in Nepal and was enquiring about that very flight just a few days ago! Had gone to lukla in 1998 and must say i have not forgotten that trip as yet! Well written.
@norbu, that's when we were there - 1998. Thanks so much. What are you doing in Nepal? I'm sure it has changed so much since we were there.
In Nepal on holiday! Though I live in another part of the Himalayas, Sikkim, we do come here once every 2/3 years. But time seems to stand still here.
Fave part:
Isn’t it incredible how we can rise to the occasion to do what is terrifying when we have no other choice?
Thanks, @thisisbenbrick. Isn't it, though?
Absolutely. As soon as you leave your comfort zone things shift like tectonic plates!
Very scary here is some video perspectives showing how crazy this is:
takeoff:
landings and takoffs:
cockpit perspective:
Wow! It is impressive.
First Person View:
Almost Fatality:
Remember your safety.
Heavens. They were lucky
Brings it all back!
Breathtaking views. The closest I got to that was Animal Kingdom at Disney World. ;-) Climbing one of those mountains is definitely on my bucket list, if Dash and STEEM do well...
Thanks, @taoofsatoshi. Animal Kingdom is its own kind of adventure! Wait and see what the future holds, but by all means travel whenever you can.
👍have fun to traveling @fairytalelife
Namaste
Did you happen to try Himalayan ketchup? Place looks like a scene from journey to the center of the earth.
The hiccups that occur along the trip are what really make for memorable stories. I might not speak for everyone, but when someone tells me about the resort they went to vacation with the open bar and massages, my eyes start to glaze over.
But give me a story where you lose all your clothes and supplies because an airline put your luggage on the wrong flight and you are now spending two weeks in a remote village, and my ears perk up.
As much as I'm sure that you would have wished for smooth sailing (flying in this case), you now have stories to tell that anyone would be interested in listening to.
You seem like the type of adventurer who would love the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. If you have not read the book already, it tells the tale of a mischievous boy who turns into a man with some of the most incredible stories I have ever read about. (Skip the movie, as it is not as good as the book).
I appreciate all the photos you posted to give us the experience of actually being along with you on that crazy runway and plane ride. I'm not afraid of heights, but did receive a thrill from taking a helicopter ride in Alaska and landing on a glacier to explore with a tour guide. Also, Uganda is a place I will write about someday as it is full of adventure and the people have incredible stories of heartbreaking loss, but are extremely generous and hopeful.
I especially enjoyed your rendering of what airplanes should not do when approaching cliffs haha.
Hope to follow along on the next chapters of your journey.
@fairytalelife, could you, please make an introduction post in @introduceyourself so we could learn more about who you are, what you do in your life and about the stories you post. It would be really great. Thank you
Hi @logic. I have two. Thanks for your interest.
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@fairytalelife/time-for-something-new
and my first, before I changed my name
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@jlwkolb/an-illustrated-life-part-two-of-it
Thanks. I'm reading :D
I have finished reading your introduction on other account. I liked it a lot, same as I like your art. Your artistic self expression seems very honest, straight from the heart. This is artistic quality which is hard to find nowadays, including Steemit.
I described this quality in my post quoting B. Lee's great definition of art:
https://steemit.com/art/@logic/bruce-lee-s-wise-quote-what-is-art-an-amazing-description-of-steemit-s-common-artistic-pretentiousness-original-lee-s-quote-you
I remember having a similar experience back in Northern Territory Australia. Great post. Brings back memories
Wow, what an incredibly inspiring post and adventure. As someone who still shoots with a 35 mm camera, I want to express how beautiful your film photography here is. This is truly spectacular art, and even more so considering your fear of heights - bravo! If you're in the mood to see some film photos of Iran or other exotic places, feel free to check out my posts.
Upvoted - cheers!
Thank you, @runaway-psyche. I will most certainly have a look! Something about a 35mm - hard to beat.