Who: Dr. and Mrs. Myron Smith of Greeley, Colorado and sister Bonnie Petersen of Lakewood, Colorado
Where: Katmandu, Nepal
Out and about: We are about to board an Buddha Air flight to view Mt. Everest which is about 65 miles from Katmandu, Nepal. We board a twin engine Beechcraft and everyone gets a window seat for the journey. We fly along the Himalayan Range and view Gauri Shankar (Holy Mountain) and many other peaks that range in height from 19,058 ft to 29,028 ft. at Everest. The security check to board the plane was about the “most intimate” any of us had ever experienced. It was gents to the right and ladies to the left behind the curtain. Machine gun emplacements, due to the recent political turmoil, also surrounded the airport.
Travel tips: If you book a flight to Mt. Everest, don’t get the first two seats unless you want the propeller in all your photos. While in the city of Katmandu, be sure to experience a taxi ride, especially at rush hour. Also a visit to the Rumdoodle Restaurant is fun in order to witness the signatures of all the climbers of Mt. Everest including Hillary, Rob Hall, Chris Bonnington and many others. We were the victims of a pickpocket at the Buddhist Temple so be alert in large, pressing crowds. Namaste!
