February 3: The plane was just a dot in the sky as it approached Lukla. The landing strip at Lukla was nothing larger than a football field made up of grass,dirt and rocks. The field sloped upward at the far end which basically permitted the plane to slow down on landing.
This is the jumping off point for most treks through the Himalayas and up to Everest.
Although nearly a month had passed since we arrived,the rains had started and we waited our turn…a few more days to get on a small plane to take us to Kathmandu.
A helicopter was there already. It was picking up an Australian team that had summitted. Quite a sight indeed.
After the copter took off the plane landed and we got on.
As it left the airfield high in the mountains and just lifted off making its way through the mountain ranges the engine light went on and the engine stalled.
The moment was frozen in time,the plane dipped, the light went off, the engine kicked in and we were on our way back.
There was a certain calm.There was a timelessness .
Maybe that feeling exists when you feel that you completed something you always wanted to and didn't cheat yourself. Hard to say. Don't know.
Just know that the window can get narrow but your wings should be spread for the entire journey.
The engine may stall but it also can kick back in to take you higher when you least expect it to.
At any age..