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Day 4 - Our first day on the trail and our first night in a tea house.
After flying from Kathmandu at 1370m to Lukla at 2800m we undulated down to 2610m at Phakding before climbing up to a monastery at 2825m and descending back to Phakding for the night, obeying the adage, 'climb high, sleep low' to help our acclimatisation.
Boarding our Yeti Airlines Twin Otter for a 35minute flight to Lukla...
Despite only having room for less than 20 passengers, we still had an air hostess to distribute a sweet...
View from Lukla...
Whilst we knew the airstrip was on a hill, we didn't appreciate that it was also on a slope and that it's the gradient that slows you down on landing....
The slope...
There's also a cliff at the bottom, making take-offs a rather shit or bust affair...
Thado Koshi...
Prayers carved and painted on the rock...
The holy mountain of Kusum Kanguru (6367m) in the background...
View of Kusum Kanguru from our lunch break stop...
Close up of the summit of Kusum Kanguru
National Park sign warning of the stray dogs that try to latch onto groups. We were spared this until Lobuche.
The trail to Phakding...
Chhuthawa...
Painted Mani stones near to Chhuthawa, these are generally inscribed with the words "Om Mane Padme Hum", which means "O hail the jewel in the lotus"...
500 year old Monastery near Thulo Gumela...
Prayer scrolls...
Harvesting carrots by hand...
Bridge back to Phakding across the Dudh Koshi (Milk River) to the east bank...
Tashi Taki Lodge at Phakding for our first night on the trail...
Buddhist shrine inside the lodge for a recent festival...
