Posted by Phoebe Denton
The Home Run
“Don’t worry, it’s all down hill after Mera”, an exhausted team was re-assured after their 13 hour summit day. Unfortunately this turned out to be a Nepali ‘all down hill’. The walk out from Mera to Lukla had to be compressed from 3 to 2 days, and our last walking day was to bear the brunt of it.
After an early start the brief was an hour up, an hour along, another hour up then 3 hours down. These also turned out to be Nepali descriptions, as it was 2 hours of steep up, 2 hours of not quite so steep up, then another 2 hours of very steep up. It was a relief to reach the top and begin the long (also steep) descent. In total we ascended 1000m and descended 2000m, admittedly a net decrease, but I would personally call ‘all down hill’ a slight exaggeration. Not a grumble or complaint was heard however, and the team faced the day with steely determination. Carl even commented on how happy he was with the day’s proceedings.
Finally we strolled into Lukla. Upon rounding a corner we were first amazed to see a lamp post and cobbled street, then spread before us were a plethora of neat stone buildings with blue and green roofs and woodwork, complete with manicured lawns and flowerbeds.
Jo and I comprised the tail end of the party, so we were slightly bewildered on joining the others to find that Carl and Dusty were missing. Dave, Sam, Colin, Nick and Ski were all on their second pints by this point. Not wanting them to be deprived, a search party was speedily dispatched, and the wandering pair were safely returned. They had taken a wrong turn in Lukla, which chance would have it led them to a rather attractive young American girl. None of their standard chat up techniques seemed to fit the situation though, so the chance introduction was missed.
The team was re-united in an alarmingly plush bar with wooden-floor-effect lino and furnished benches. Aware of our dirty, smelly, tent-inhabiting appearance Jo and I felt acutely out of place, and were tempted to bring some mud in and sit on the floor. We didn’t, of course, and our 2 day diet (we fervently refused 4th helpings on the walk out) ended with a fantastic meal of rice, beef, chicken and salad, which everyone enjoyed.
The view from the bar overlooked the runway, our only option for departure. The threshold was almost normal, but after about 50m an alarming change in slope occured to 20⁰ down! At a height of 2800m, the runway is not long enough for a standard take-off. Sam further increased our anxiety by telling us the plane drops off a cliff at the end, then dives to pick up enough speed to fly away. There were some worried faces, but more of this later.
The evening turned from pleasantries to merriment to sheer abandon during the Tipping Ceremony. Claire, Joe and Dwain were sorely missed throughout. Paddam, our Sirdar, the head cook and his cook boys, the 4 climbing shirpas and the porters all received their tips. Some received extra. ‘Med Man’, the porter who staunchly carried the two massive boxes of medical equipment day after day was given Jo’s hat. Others received extra cash, gloves, books and random items of memorabilia. ‘Patrick Swazey’, a particularly cheeky looking porter, got a large cheer.
At Sam’s direction kettles of Ratchi were distributed and glasses filled. Ratchi is a clear alcohol made from maize, it tastes like whisky. Not being one to hold back, Sam took the lead, and took the rest of the room with him.
Luckily at 5.30 this morning the hang-overs had not kicked in, but the dismay at the impending take-off re-emerged with renewed force. We boarded, and waited. Lined up on the runway, one eye half daring to look, brakes were released and we rolled. With the bushes and scrub at the end getting a little too close for comfort, we rotated and flew smoothly away. There was no screaming dive or enormous cliff, just sighs of relief.
Right now we’re basking in the sun at the Shanka Palace, Katmandu. Renewed, refreshed and clean we’re looking forward to 2 days of relaxation before flying back home. Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest and supported us throughout our trek. The trip would not have been the same without the almost daily updates from the Guest Book and email, and we hope you’re enjoyed sharing our ups and downs. We look forward to seeing you all soon.
Having now had some time to reflect, below is a summary of each team member’s highlight of the trip:
Dave: Making it up and down Mera Peak when suffering from suspected HAPE.
Sam: Getting the team to the top of Mera Peak when 18 months ago no-one had used an ice axe.
Colin: Being part of a challenging trip.
Jo: Getting everyone back safely.
Nick: Summiting Mera.
Dusty: Gaining confidence abseiling and the first beer in Lukla.
Carl: Summiting Mera and the first beer in Lukla.
Ski: Summiting Mera and my Mum’s loving messages.
Me: Helping each other as a team through a challenging journey.