Katmandu again

Successfully arrived to Kathmandu.

16th day: from Lukla to Lukla

This day we were supposed to fly to Ramechhap where we can drive to Kathmandu. The weather had other decision.
Our accommodation is 5 minutes walk from the airport so early morning (around 6am) we heard airplanes to fly. We were at 7am at the airport, did the security check-in but unfortunately the flight route become foggy so flying was stopped. Around noon some passenger decided to pay 2500 USD / 5 person to fly with helicopter to Katmandu. We hoped for the change of the weather.
In the meantime guides and accommodation owners walked in and out of the security gate and tried to inform their guest.
Around 1pm the one and only airplane in Lukla airport (the rest of the planes were in Ramechhap) was closed and parked so we went to the accommodation for a lunch. There we water for further info and around 4pm the final decision was arrived: no flight today. So we went to the airport and collected our checked in luggage from the runway.
We occupied our accommodation again and searched for some wifi (succeeded :)).
Tomorrow we try it again. The little worry is that tomorrow will first fly the ones who has originally ticket to tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Fooooood

During our hike we meet 3 types of Nepali dishes: rice, potato and 'momo'.
Rice is offered boiled of fried mixed with vegetables or meat or omelet (scrambled eggs) and optionally cheese on the top.
They have 'dal bhat', that is boiled rice with lentil soup poured onto it. They eat it plain, with vegetables or with meat stew. 'Dal' means lentil and they use it even on the English menu, like 'dal soup'.

Dal bhat

Potato: they offered it mainly fried, mixed with vegetables or meat or tuna (dunno how traditional this version is) and optionally cheese on the top.
They eat smashed potato as well, e.g. with cheese.
They have 'hash braun', that is mashed potato mixed with spices and fried.
They are proud of the quality and taste of the potato and it really tasted nice.
Potato can be grown even on the altitude of 4400m, in Dingboche.
Momo: this is a bit of something covered with thin pastry and steamed or fried. It resembles a bit to the Hungarian 'baratfule' or the Slovak 'pirohy'. The original one is stuffed with chicken. We ate them stuffed with mashed potato and cheese.

Fried momo

Update: I have just learned that mono is not traditional Nepali but it came from China. Though it became quite popular among Nepalian people.

15th day: back to the civilization

Today we had a 3 hours walk to Lukla, where we will fly back tomorrow. Took a look at the shops, had lunch, took a deaper look at the shops and find a coffee where the wifi works. (Without wifi life would stop, I guess.:))

14th day: Kaiserschmarn

14th day.
The first proper rain. Ultimately. We needed even to take on raincoats on the way to Phakding.
On the way we had lunch near to the entrance of the Sagharmata National Park. For our surprise Kaiserschmarn was also on the menu. It was nice. The lady said that she learned it 4-5 years ago from one of her guest, a German man, who has a mountain hut in the Alps.
In Phakding we tested the products of the local bakery (they passed the test). And had a hot shower. After 13 days.
For lunch Reni ordered pumpkin soup and we learned that pumpkin is quite common here. Though traditionally it is not used for a soup but a curry, combined with rice.

13th & 14th day: back down

On the 13th day we went down from Dingboche to Namche Bazar and on the 14th day to Phakding.
It is interesting to see the already seen places from an other perspective.
On the 15th day we plan to walk to Lukla and on the next day back to Katmandu.

12th day: my first 5000er :)

 Today with Csilla and Raj we summited the lower peak of Chhukhung Ri (5400m). This is my first fivethousander. Ok, I was higher than 5000m in the EBC (5347m) and even slept over 5000m, in Gorakshep but have never been on a summit higher than 5000m.
We took the 600m high difference in 3,5 hours. It shows how technically difficult the path was... No. It was only a hike to a hill. No snow, no climbing. Only that the oxygen was the half of the one on see level. Indeed there is half atmosphere at 5500m. So we hiked snake-style: we stopped to look at the picturesque scenery after each 10 steps. Yes, we needed to check that the 6-7-8000ers were still there: Amadablam, Lhotse, Makalu. We also checked the summit of Island Peak if climbers were there.
The weather was perfect: sunshine without any clouds and almost no wind. We can also see the halo effect. This time the second circle was a rainbow.
The Chhuchkung Ri is really like a hill. There was even scattered vegetation on it. Some brushes on the lower part. Grass and dry flowers from last year on the upper part. The flowers said to be blossom in June and July.
In the meantime Reni summited the Island Peak and joined us at lunchtime.
After lunch and packing together we walked back to Dingbodse in an Xmas-like, snowing landscape.