5am and early morning call as I booked with Buddha air, to go the 6.30 mountain flight to Everest - 166 @ and we'll see if it's worth it (oh and 170 rupees departure tax - what's that about - I'm not even leaving the country only the ground!)
Interesting sights on the way to the airport - loads of stray dogs enjoying an early morning bonk, cows having a nap in the middle of the road, joggers (including women joggers dressing in saris - at first I thought they were just in a hurry) women sweeping the roads with 'witches' broomsticks.
Check in time was an hour before the flight but the domestic flights doors don't even open until 6am - I guess it's just the Nepali way!!
Then we had to wait to see if the flight would go as if the weather is bad then - no flight and it is the monsoon season after all..
Right ! - so we get on a bus to take us to the plane and the pilot and the crew get on the bus with us. Arrive at the plane and the pilot carries out his own check of the plane - wings etc. I'm thinking - this could be an interesting flight!!.
Off we go climbing above the clouds and start to approach the mountain range. There are only 20 seats on the plane so everyone has a window seat and we all get to visit the cockpit (I got to go twice!) The views from above the clouds were good but a little disappointing because of the clouds and you know there is so much more underneath (like an iceberg really). And we only flew past the range and did a u-turn and back so he couldn't get too close in these conditions. I'm glad I did it though.
When we got back to the airport there were a couple from the states with a video camera(what a surprise)who said they were going to ask for a refund. I and a few others tagged along as although I enjoyed it - it was expensive. I was not interested so much in a refund but wanted a free DVD as a record of what we would have seen in better conditions and which they were charging 25$ for. As the others wanted a refund and I only wanted a dvd - I left the others and went upstairs to the office. After - 'I don't have the authority to give refunds' , then they had to contact the pilot who was off on the next flight, then they tried to contact the MD of Buddha air who was on vacation - 1 and half hours later I get my DVD - RESULT! I don't know if the others got their refund (Isuspect not) and if they did they're probably still at the airport filling in forms and waiting for them to be authorised. I'm happy though and I have some photos and I knew before I went that the views wouldn't be like the ones you get in the winter season.
Over and out for now
Love Sue xxxx
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