My journey started in Kathmandu, where I would be taking a domestic flight into Lukla, the most scenic airport in the world, or as I was also told just a short while before taking off, the most dangerous airport in the world!
The reason Lukla has this prestigious title is because it has a very short runway due to being on the side of a mountain. It experiences high winds and rapidly changing weather conditions, and it's nestled in between other mountains that the pilot has to navigate over and around. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have watched a YouTube compilation of flights into Lukla moments before flying... All this aside, I actually couldn't wait to get on the tiny fourteen-seater plane to what could either be the most beautiful place I've would ever see...or my impending doom.
Because of the nature of Lukla airport, conditions had to be really good to even be able to fly. That morning I'd gotten up at 4.50 a.m. to fly at 7 a.m. Three hours later, after a couple of journeys to and from the plane because it wasn't deemed safe to fly yet, it was finally time to set off!
After all the drama, the flight was actually very relaxing and peaceful, that is, until we were about to land. The plane suddenly nose-dived, hurtling towards the mountain runway and only seemed to pull up just milliseconds before hitting the tarmac, bringing up to an abrupt but welcome halt! I've gotta hand it to the pilot; he not only looked like an extra from Top Gun, (leather jacket, aviators and all) he also flew like Maverick himself and bossed that landing. Heart racing and feeling like I could take on the world, I'd made it to Lukla and was ready to start trekking the Himalayas in search of a fine Irish tipple and some good vibes.
I entered Phakding just before the sunset feeling tired but accomplished. The weather in the day was pretty warm but as the sun came down it started to get mighty chilly.
In the day the temperatures are around 14°C, but at the nighttime it can drop drastically. Depending on the altitude it can go as low as -10°C! Luckily Jameson hooked me up with all the gear I needed to keep me toasty. My accommodation for the night was a little tea house with a bed and shower, which unfortunately had no hot water. I did have a an electric blanket on my bed though that reminded me of staying at my grandma's house. It was extremely cold in my room but luckily we could all crowd around the fire in the communal area and we were even entertained by one of the people who worked there with a mix of nostalgic bangers and some traditional Nepalese songs.
Dal bhat is basically sherpa-approved mountain climbing fuel! The main ingredients are boiled rice with a lentil curry, but you can also have it with chicken or beef. It usually comes with some boiled and pickled veg and a papadum for dipping, too. I was so hungry I would have probably eaten my walking boots, but this was extremely tasty and exactly what I needed. After washing it down with a few Jamesons on the rocks, I was ready to jump into bed and get some rest - the next day was gonna be tough.
The mist and cloud had rolled into the mountains but the bright coloured roofs of Namche were beckoning. I could practically taste the ice cold drink I would be ordering at the bar, and that's what got me through those last few steps.
I don't think I'll ever go to another Irish bar that has yak steak at the top of the menu, that's for sure! The cocktail menu featured some rather interesting sounding drinks as well. These included the Yak Attack, the Khumbu Ice Fall and the Sherpa Killer. After seeing how unfazed the sherpas were with the mountain terrain, I could only imagine what would have to go into a drink to take one of those guys down. The walls were adorned with photos of trekkers from all across the world who had passed through the bar. Some had been to Everest basecamp and others had even reached the summit and had stopped for a cheeky and well-deserved drink on their way back down to celebrate!
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