Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Plot twist: Bonus Lukla Landing!

Sonia for Sarah...


Nov. 14, 2021 Lukla, Nepal 6:41pm

Last we left off on this story, I had just gotten back from Base Camp, had lunch, and was getting my game on for the hike to Pheriche. Turns out there was a plot twist and I had to open my mind into letting this journey unfold differently than I expected. 

There were two team members who were not doing well. One had what we suspected was bronchitis, the other had low oxygen levels. They were set to fly back to Lukla via helicopter. There were two seats left on the flight and, long story short, I ended up in one of those two seats. Rest assured, my health was never in danger but for some reason, this was meant to be my path and next steps on this journey, so I rolled with it. 

On that note, what I have for you is a helicopter ride from Gorak Shep to Lukla! First, a photo of the helipad, with the village of Gorak Shep below. 



Here's a pic of the helicopter that brought us to Lukla. 



A video clip of the ride and landing. What a gorgeous landscape to see from this vantage point. Absolutely amazing!



And of course, another Lukla landing. Much different by helicopter!



And a pic with the pilot, Claudio.


Once in Lukla, we settled into our room and then went out to discover more of Lukla. Lots to see as we explored the culture, including a prayer ceremony, more hiking, focused on the cause of the trek - fighting human trafficking, and waiting for the rest of our team to arrive.

My boot time came to a close a little early, but the journey continues and I will take the huge accomplishment of summiting Kala Patthar and reaching Mount Everest Base Camp and welcome the opportunity to learn more about the issue of human trafficking and how it's being fought on the front lines in Nepal, as well as the culture in this amazingly beautiful country I am so very fortunate to spend time in.

Thank you all for following my journey. There is plenty more to come so stay tuned. 

Next up: A prayer ceremony at a Lukla temple and first sights in Kathmandu!

Lastly, today I learned there are 60,000 women and children trapped in trafficking in Kathmandu alone and I talked with front line resources working to help them find rescue and recovery. Any amount helps and together we can make a difference. Check out the "Give to the Cause" menu option above for more information and to donate. Thank you ❤️





 

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations, Sarah. This is a huge accomplishment! Glad you are getting to spend more time learning about the cause and fighting for the freedom of women and children from human trafficking.

    ReplyDelete

About once a year I like to take a solo trip. Time to myself to reset, recenter, and make sure I'm keeping these two feet that don't...