Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding

We left Kathmandu very early in the morning to catch our 6:30am or so flight.  After going through lots of security checks, we boarded our twin otter propeller plane.  To my surprise, this 16 people plane, had a flight attendant that distributed candy and cotton balls (to be used as earplugs).  The flight was pretty exciting as we clear passes really close to the ground, and we were surrounded by high granite walls on both sides.  But the end was the best when we landed in what the guide claims is the "shortest runway of the world", a very steep uphill runway that starts on a cliff and ends on a rock wall.  Everybody clapped after landing...

 

Welcome to the Tukla, the airport of the Himalayas.  After the chaos of getting our bags, we went to town.

Tukla is a big town catering to trekkers heading to the many trails on the area as well as expeditions heading to the high peaks of the Himalayas.  Anything can be bought there at 3x the prices of Kathmandu.  Also, many cafes and all the convenience of home can be found too, including a "Starbucks Coffee".  Rumors are that another one is opening at the other end of the town...

After breakfast in Tukla, we started our trek towards Phakding.  This is an easy day as sometimes the flights from Kathmandu are delayed because of weather (ours got delayed 30 minutes which is considered unusually good).  The trail is very good and it passes many Moni rocks, small temples, and praying wheels.  Next to the trails, there are many fields where farmers grow potatoes, garlic, and onions.  It's obvious that this trail is the lifeline of this regions with lots of porters carrying from food supply, to small refrigerators, to a one-foot diameter 12-foot long iron cast pipe.

After just 3 hours of walking, we arrived at Phakding which could also be name Lodge City.  This is the first stop for many treks so there are lots of lodges.  Being in the low season, most of them are closed which gives the town a strange empty feeling.  The guide told us that during high season, every single room is taken and that sometimes lodge keepers transform the dining rooms into dormitories.

Accommodations are very nice, I could even call the luxurious.  Being the only male in the group, I got my private cabin overlooking the river with a private toilet (no sink),  After lunch, I decided to go for a walk.  I found an old bridge that got me across the "Milky River" and from there I found my way to the river bank. 

This is an cold, fast, glacial river that derives its name from the color of the water, a whitish tone given by the sediments that were carried from the glacier.  After practicing some stone skipping and relaxing, it was time for dinner.  Options included Pizza, water buffalo steak, and apple pie; but I opted (like most of the group) for the traditional Nepalese lentils, rice, and curry vegetable dinner.  As we were having dinner, it started to rain.  This is good as it will clear the air and improve the views for tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Namcche, the Sherpa capital, were we will spend 2 days for acclimatization.  It's a longer walk, 6-7 hours, and we may get the first views of Everest in our way there.