Hey guys, my very set is in the MR Queue, so here is my first blog homework :) I chose an oldie as I am an avid traveller and naturally I love to talk about my travels :) @missy @rambo
Write about your favourite place you've travelled to :
For someone who has travelled a lot, this might not seem like an easy choice, but the minute I stepped off the plane in Nepal I knew I was going to absolutely fall in love with the place.
I travelled there in November 2013 pre the most recent earthquake.
Kathmandu is a place filled with avid adventurers and explorers bustling the busy streets, either pre or post their latest adventures in this amazing country. The vibe there is just amazing, such an amazing inspiring atmosphere to be a part of. Everyone is happy and excited for what they have just achieved or the adventure they are about to embark on.
The Nepalise people are just absolutely beautiful souls. They cannot do enough to help you. Before our hike we spent hours talking to the locals in the shops and in the street, sharing their stories and advice for what was to come.
We, ourselves, were there to complete the mighty Everest Base Camp trek, a 2 week round hike from Lukla. It was something that I had been wanting to do for a long time, and I finally had the opportunity to do it!
On the first day of our adventure we boarded the most miniature plane I have ever seen and set off into the Nepalise mountains. The runway itself in Lukla was insane! The air-hostess pointed out the window as we approached and we all couldn't believe what was upon us. It was, what looked like, a very small strip of tarmac sitting vertically on the mountain. We were told shortly after that the airport was among one of the most dangerous in the world! We could certainly see why!
And from here, our adventure began!
For two weeks we hiked every single day, some days for 7 hours of more, into the Himalayas. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and I found myself pinching myself to check if it was all real and I wasn't just dreaming. Along the way we stayed in these super cute tea-lodges, hosted by the most welcoming Nepalise people who couldn't do enough for you. We even visited a monastery nestled high up between the mountains. Along the way we also passed the cemetery of those who had died on the mountain, a very surreal experience, certainly one I will never forget.
Being able to see Mount Everest with your own eyes is certainly something I will never forget. Standing there at Base Camp and looking up on the most majestic mountain in the world, standing where so many great climbers have stood before. I felt at home in Himalayas and at one with the world. At that point, nothing else in the world mattered.
In May 2015, when news of the earthquake had surfaced, I was stood in an airport in the Philippines. I instantly burst into tears. It was so devastating to hear that something so tragic could happen to such a beautiful country. Having not long ago stood in the exact same place where such devastation happened was truely a surreal feeling, and it was so so heartbreaking. To not know if all the amazing people I met on the trek along the way are alive, to not know if the amazing sherpas who carried our gear are alive, to not know if our guides on our trip are alive, the shop merchants that told us their amazing stories, the taxi driver who picked us up from the airport...the list goes on. I will never forget and always hold a special place for Nepal in my heart and I can't wait to go back someday.
