Packing Up For The Trip Home:

May 30th Tacoma WA

Click pictures for larger image

The last week or so has gone by so fast compared to pace of life that I was growing accustomed to at basecamp. Consequently, many of the events since coming down off the mountain are a blur in my mind. After resting and recuperating at Base Camp for a few days and waiting for the climbers from our second summit attempt group to return to BC we started packing up - well the sherpas did most of the packing, but we helped out. It was a little sad to see the collection of tents that we had called home for two months were coming down and would no longer be our home, but at the same time it was really exciting that we would be going to our real homes ( and beds!) soon.

On the hike down to Pangboche on our first day out, despite the fact that it was snowing, then slushing, then raining (as we descended lower) - I had a couple of amazing experiences. The first was when I first started to see green plants - ahhhhhh! - even though there were just a few little shrubs spread around at first I felt like I was in Ireland surrounded by greenery. The other experience occured lower down when I got my first hint of sweet smells from flowers - amazing! Two days of walking brought us to Sangboche were we were able to catch an earlier than expected helicopter flight out on a Russian made M17 helicopter. We were scheduled to fly out with our gear 2 days later, but because the weather was not looking ideal for flying, we were not looking forward to being stuck and the fact that there were seats available on a helicopter that was headed to Kathmandu, we decided not to wait for our gear.

After being in the backcountry for two months, coming back into modern day hustle-and-bustle can be a little shocking; coming back into Kathmandu (a city that has way too much going on everywhere you look - even for someone used to being in cities) was quite the shock. After a few days we were readjusted to life and went out on the town. Kathmandu's Rum Doodle Restaurant features boards that can only be signed by Everest summiters and that have been signed by many summiters including Hillary, Messner, and other famous climbers. I took my opportunity one afternoon to "sign the board." With this privelege also gcomes a special ID card that the restaurant issues that gives you free meals for life (I think I ate four meals at the Rum Doodle during the four days I was in Kathmandu). Finally, I boarded an airplane, then a couple more after that and two days later I was home.

The Numbers...

You eat for free if you are an Everest summiter at the Rum Doodle Restaurant in Kathmandu (for life).

4000 kg is the maximum payload for an M17 helicopter.

 

Day by Day

19 May - Packing in BC.
20 May - Packing in BC.
21 May - Hike from BC to Pangboche.
22 May - Hike from Pangboche to Sangboche.
23 May - Fly from Sangboche to Kathmandu.
24 May - Rest in Kathmandu.
25 May - Rest in Kathmandu
26 May - Packing and tie up expedition loose ends.
27 May - Fly from Kathmandu to Bangkok.
28 May - Fly from Bangkok to Seattle - go home.

Photo Captions

Camp packing
Taking down the tents that formed the place we called home for two months.

Making piles
Some of our gear was destined to travel with us back to Kathmandu for washing and repair and other gear was to stay in storage in the town of Pangboche for furture expedtion use.

M17
Our transport out of Sangboche was on a Russian made M17 helicopter.

Inside Heli
Inside Asian Airlines' M17 helicopter, looking into the cockpit.

Board Sign
Back in Kathmandu - signing the Everest Summiters board at the famous Rum Doodle Restaurant.