03/14--Day 1-- Lukla to Phakding-- 21/9/2022

We got up early morning alright, but what with one thing and the other, getting ready, dawdling over breakfast etc, we left for the airport only around 7.30 am. The flight was to Lukla, billed the most dangerous airfield in the world, and half the spine-chilling thrill we felt when we thought of the trek, came from the prospect of landing at this airport. 

Nepal, being landlocked as well as mountainous, has plenty of airfields and airstrips; indeed the only speedy mode of transport between hilly regions is by air. Flying small planes among mountains and valleys is fraught with risk, and air crashes occur in this region with depressing regularity. So, just why is Lukla chosen for the dubious honour for being the most dangerous airport, when there are so many worthy contenders nearby for this title?

For one, the runway is ridiculously short-- just 547m. Next it has a gradient of 11 degrees. At one end of the runway is a sheer precipice, and at the other, a cliff. Only small aircraft (14-19 pax max)-- Dornier 228s, Twin Otters and the like can land there. The plane drops vertically touching the first runway markings at the precipice end, and it had better stop before it reaches the markings at the cliff end, if it knows what is good for it. Added to all this is the fact that the pilot has to maneouver his craft between mountains and for good measure, the weather in these parts can turn bad without warning. 

Having left our suitcases in Potala Guest House and transferred most of their contents to the duffle bag allotted to each of us, we reached the airport by 8 am. Bags weighed (A duffle had a weight limit of 10 kgs), we checked in (Tara Air, operating Twin Otters) and waited for our flight to be called. And waited. And waited. Which is when we found that delays of 3-4 hours in this region are merely minor inconveniences, and you are good as long as the flight takes off. The worry is that as the day progresses, the cloud cover builds up over the hills, very often resulting in cancellations. In which case, you go back and return the next day, hoping for better luck.

We were lucky; our flight eventually took off at 12 noon or so. After 25 minutes of marvellous views of the valley and cloud covered peaks, the pilot made a smooth, feathersoft landing at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, to loud cheers from all the passengers. That was one worry crossed off, right there. 

We took selfies with the captain of the flight, collected our bags (no conveyors here, the bags are hauled to the terminal and handed over to the passengers) and stepped out. Lukla has just the airport and one cobbled street that offers lodgings and shops that sell all possible trekking gear and souvenirs. And that's all. And we realised that from hereon till we return to Lukla Airport, the only wheels we were going to see were prayer wheels, which of course were in plenty. All transportation is through yaks, dzos, mules and human porters. 

We had lunch at the restaurant of the Danphe Guest House at Lukla. And were introduced to what would become our staple for the next 10 days-- Dal Bhaat! This humble meal, along with Thukpa, is the main source of fuel for all trekkers-- easily digestible carbs. Shops in Lukla carry tee shirts with the slogan Dal Bhaat Power! Of course, there were many other items too-- momos, phulkas, limited varieties of vegetables, eggs, and baked goods. We were advised to avoid alcohol as well as meat during the course of the trek, advise that we rigorously followed. Alcohol tends to dehydrate the body besides reducing alertness, and meat has to be transported long distances to Tea Houses, with concomitant chances of it getting spoiled.  The dogs on the street came up to have their share of morsels from various tables. We were to find this to be a pattern as we trekked, the presence of dogs would indicate that we were approaching a settlement/ tea house and they would come up to us and claim their share. 

It was here that we also met up with our Assistant Sherpas-- Santosh and Nabin. Nabin was barely 19, with a baby face while Santosh, though just a few years older, had the looks and swagger of Dev Anand. The guides literally had our back-- one of them would always be at the rear, bringing up stragglers, thus immeasurably augmenting the safety of the trekking party. 

Payment for the meals, a final check of all duffle bags, appropriate items transferred into our day packs, checking and adjustment of trekking poles to individual requirements, a final briefing from Tenzing and we were off at about 2.30 PM-- finally commencing the actual trek!

The first day was from Lukla at around 2900m to Phakding, which was actually a bit lower in altitude (2642m). The trek was to take three hours, but owing to the fact that each of us walked at varying speeds, actually took around 5 hours. We trekked through quaint villages, getting used to the feel of trekking poles in our hands, saw a multitude of prayer inscriptions on rocks, met sweet, chubby children who lisped Namaste and were very happy with the little gifts (chocolates, dry fruit sachets, crayons, little notebooks) that members of my group had brought specifically for them. It is a pratice all trekkers in that region follow, and brings a lot of joy to the little children one encounters till one reaches Namche Bazar.

During the trek, we also crossed the first of the many suspension bridges we would encounter. These swaying steel bridges with mesh sides adorned with hundreds of prayer flags look extremely scary to cross, but actually are strong enough to bear trains of yaks and mules day in and day out. These bridges, spanning the Dudhkosi river (which we would follow right from here on till we reached the EBC) are the lifelines of the Everest Region.

Enjoying the landscape of the flowing milky white river, the mix of deciduous and coniferous forests, the quaint countryside, and with many rest-stops on the way, we came to Phakding by way of another suspension bridge as it was turning dark. Our tea house for the day was the Mountain Resort and we thankfully trooped into the warmth of the tea house. 

And now about these Tea Houses. The entire EBC trek is actually from tea house to tea house. There are plenty of them on the route, catering to all budgets. Considering the remoteness of the region they are in, they are actually luxurious, offering you a bed with mattresses and blankets, a bathroom, food (not just tea or coffee) and most important of all-- wi fi 😀. As you go higher and higher, the facilities become more and more basic-- still reasonably clean and well maintained, but at a certain point, the bathrooms would be common rather than attached, and they would be Indian commodes rather than European closets.  Also, the prices of food, water and wi fi would progressively increase-- the prices may appear exhorbitant (a bottle of water starts at NPR 200 and goes up to NPR 500 at Gorakshep) but when you see that every single item has to be transported up by yaks or human porters, you do not grudge the charges. Also as you go higher and higher, the order for lunch or dinner has to be placed early-- i.e., the previous day. Fortunately, the ordering as well as the service of the food is taken care of by your group's sherpas, and we were never at any point put to the slightest inconvenience on this account. 

The most lovely (and lively) part of the tea houses is the common or dining area. A large, cheerful comfortably furnished room, heated by a stove that burns yak dung, the room is the centre of all activity once trekkers come in. You order and eat your food, chat with other trekkers from different countries, exchange tips and stories, play cards, read books, browse the net. The interactions with so many people so different from each other, of all ages, genders and nationalities leaves one inspired and all the more ready to take on the challenges of the next day. 

Captain put us through the stretches that all runners are used to-- but for the non-runners in the group it was the first time. We adjourned to our rooms and convened in a little while in the dining room for dinner. 

And here is when we had our first encounter with the sickness that plagues unacclimatized trekking at high altitudes. Rathika suddenly threw up, became giddy and developed a fever. Captain gave her a tablet from his stock and asked her to rest. I was quite ready to call off our trek even before it started, but Rathika said she would wait the night and see how she felt in the morning.  Captain too felt that this could just be a combination of tiredness and relatively low oxygen, rather than Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).

Shalini, Vidya and Malthy kept aside some chapattis and dal for her. Fortunately, in about 2 hours, she felt okay enough to eat the food. She went to sleep and woke up fine the next day. And thus it was that we stayed to progress to Day 2 of the trek 😁 

Yes, I know there are way too many pics and videos, but the sensory overload of the first day of a trek is to be blamed, not me 😉