5/4/13 Lukla to Kathmandu: The morning began with lots of excitement getting ready to head to Lukla Airport for our flight to Kathmandu. On arrival at the airport it appeared like organized chaos with lots of Trekkers heading home.  After sitting around the airport for 2 hours our first of 3 flights took off.  When we landed in Kathmandu  after our 30 minute flight we found out that Lukla Airport closed down and there would be no more flights out due to  winds  greater than 10 mph. This left 12 of our group stuck on the mountain. 

Jiban, our Outfitter, was in constant communication with the airport, his office and our head Sherpa, Lalit, trying to figure out how to get the rest of the group off the mountain. He waited until 3pm to see if the airport would re-open and it did not. Negotiations took place with Jiban and Reed on whether or not we should hire a helicopter to bring the others down.  Two helicopters were hired and 9 of the group made it down with the other 3 to hopefully get flights out in the morning.

While in Kathmandu Reed, Hans and I took a tour to Pashupatinath. This is Nepal's holiest Hindu pilgrimage site. It has temples, Sadhus (holy men),  and public cremation. For dinner Jiban treated Reed, Hans, Todd and I to dinner at Villa Everest Authentic Korean Cuisine.

Upon my return to the Yak & Yeti Hotel in the afternoon I ran into none other than Peter Hillary, Sir Edmund Hillary's son. He is here for the 60th Anniversary of his father's summit of Mt Everest and to  check on the schools and hospitals.

5/5/13 Kathmandu: The morning news from Jiban is that the scheduled trekkers for today were able to make it out of Lukla, but our 3 trekkers were put on a wait list for a flight out. Again the winds did not cooperate to allow them to arrive by plane and a helicopter has to be hired to get them off of the mountain. With each of the 3 helicopter's hired and the helicopter needed at the onset of the trip has increased the cost of the trek per person about $235.  

The group that is already in Kathmandu will go on a City tour and go to Swayambhu (Monkey Temple), Boudhanath (one of the worlds largest Boudha Stupa).