Date: 2005-10-12 07:49:37
Geo Coord: 27.74298N 86.71371E
Altitude: 8644

Lukla to Phakding: We woke up and had to wait for the weather to clear at the airport.  As we drove to the airport, our hopes of departing were low.  The heavy clouds had completely engulfed the city and It did not look very promising that we would depart today.  We made our way in to the chaotic airport and stood with a hundred other trekkers and their piles of gear hoping to catch a break in the weather.  We sat in the upstairs snack bar with our two new trekking partners.  Simon is very upbeat and Nicolas is a little more distant in his conversation. I had coffee an a nice egg sandwich to pass the time as we looked at maps and talked to each other about our previous travels. Finally the weather broke and we went downstairs as we heard the buzzing of planes taking of to destinations unknown. After clearing security, we boarded a bus that took us to the edge of the runway where all the small planes were coming and going.  We soon learned the way up to the mountain was a cattle car service that would get as many people and cargo up and down in the few hours of good weather each morning.  The planes did not even shut down as people on luggage were quickly shuffled on and off.  When our plane landed we had to wait for a group of weary travelers who had just finished there trek to disembark from the small plane. They look tired, sick, with leathery brown sunburns. They had a look of confustion and happiness as they steped back into the bussaling world of planes and cars, leaving there months of yaks and no power behind them.  We boarded the small plane and went to Lukla.  The flight was exciting as we buzzed at a lower altitude that the towering mountains around us.  The plane lands into a steep ramp that had been carved into the side of the hill. The entire runway is less than 300 meters so the planes start to slam on the breaks as soon as the first wheel touches down so we don’t run into the side of the mountain, which towers over the end of the runway. The mountains around us are huge and we now know we have started our adventure. 

There is allot to see in the small town, and we walk to a small guest lodge to meet our porters and have a good lunch.  When we arrived we soon learned that luggage was first come first serve and we would have to wait for several more flights to arrive before all our luggage made it onto the mountain so for several hours we waited and hoped everything would arrive. The porters are getting cold weather gear and boots issued to them.  They seem to be a happy group of people, all chattering while we sat and waited.  At 2 in the afternoon people are starting to pack up and it looks like we should be going soon.  Our guide approached me several times asking if I needed help with my backpack.  I have all my camera gear in it, and want to have it on me if I need to change lenses.  He recommends that I have a porter carry my pack with my camera gear for me because of the heavy weight. It is almost 40 pounds with all my stuff, and he introduces me to Zambo, which will be my dedicated Sherpa for my camera equipment if I need to take a break. Today I decided to carry my own pack because the hike was half day and not at full altitude. I am sure I will pack far less as we go and will probably let them carry my tripod, lenses and extra body in another bag so I don’t weigh myself down.  So far so good, but we will see how I feel on the steep mountain journey and in the morning.  After hiking for 4 hours we get in to our camp after dark.  As soon as we get to the lodge for a cup of tea, it starts to poor down rain.  Its good that we arrived when we did.  The Sherpas and porters are now rushing to get our tents set up.  We sit and have a large dinner in the lodge and it gives me time to sit and write this story.  We are going to run out to the tent and settled down for the night.   Shawna and I hope our trusty tent we have packed around the world for the last 8 years is still waterproof. I put a new coat of weatherproofing on it before we left and I hope is holds up as tonight will defiantly determine its weather worthiness. Well I will try to send this YakLog via our Thuraya phone; don’t know if it will work so I hope you guys see it soon.