Everest Base Camp -20th Sept

Hi Bob

I'm one of the 11 ! booked onto this a few weeks ago ... never used Exodus before but they come recommended & the reviews seem good ! Website quite good as well ..

Looks like a 'fun' trip - should be quite an experience !

Catch up with you on here in the future no doubt

cheers Pete

Hi Bob, I,m another one of the eleven going on this trip. where abouts do you live? How old are you?   You flying with the group, Delhi and onto Kathmandu? TRip sounds great , can't wait!

I'm going to be 50 by then, and I am tall and curvacious and I want to work with animals when I grow up. But enough of the piss take.

Doing this as a way of my coming of age (50 is the new 21 !) . Live in Nothampton and yes am going via Dehli from Heathrow. Not really looking forward to the flight but hey ho, its a long way away so I suppose it going to take bloody ages to get there.

 Any women coming along I wonder ? Or will it all be testosterone driven and to hell with common sense ?

Later ....

Nice One Bob !!!

Mate .. it's my 50th when on this jaunt as well - must be some mid-life crisis thing !! Did flight to Delhi in January this year ... it ain't great ! but gets you there - just pack the ipod , watch the movies and eat the crap ( sorry ! 'food' )

Sure it'll be a laugh - you watching the ER - Everest prog on Sundays ! kinda gives you an idea of what to expect . Reckon we'll get a birthday pint at 18,000ft ?

well ! 2 weeks to go & no one else has surfaced ! maybe just the 3 of us going !!! Hopefully weather there better than the english summer ! at least here in the South West it's been dire !

Seem to have the boots broken in - so just packing to do !

Guess see some in Heathrow !

 Namaste .

hello everyone .this is dawa jangbu lama ,from nepal .i will be leading this trip .its good to have  contact .i will be leading TNQ  before everest base camp. so i will be there in the airport to receive you all . til then if you have any things to know about or if you  have any thing to ask  i am  here to reply . be in touch ......

jangbu dawa

Hi Everyone

We three Irish girls are also joining you on this trip. We fly Heathrow - Qatar -Kathmandu so wont meet up until we arrive in Kathmandu. My name is Martha & my friends are Monica & Aine. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Hi all its me, Martha again. I only found about you yesterday & I want someone to say "hello" to me. Is there anyone out there, out there ? !!!!Is there anyone there at all?!!!!Are you all as excited as us? Only 10 days to go. Count down is on. Martha 

 

 

so, hello from me

I am also getting holiday fever, though at my age I should be passed such things.

I wanted to fly via Quatar  but wasn't offered that option, we shall have to compare notes although I suspect both routes will be less than perfect.

See you on Sunday evening in the hotel

BOb

Hi Bob. Nice to meet you. We arrive on 21st in Kathmandu. Are you arriving a day before us? You will be able to give us a guided tour then!!!! Martha 

No just being careless. I forgot the date change. I leave UK on 20th and get there on 21st too so we shall have to explore together. 

 The idea of being led astray in Kathmandu by three irish women has a certain appeal ...

Thank God for that. I thought for a while that I had made a mistake with the date. We'll all have fun exploring then. Can't wait till Friday 18th when I finish work. Martha

There is life out there !!! was kinda worried the thing had been called off & I was the last to know ! but tickets arrived today with the bag ... so guess it's get packed & go time !

Obviously travelling different routes but we'll end up together , hopefully with bags !!

So Ladies - whereabouts in Ireland are you travelling from ?

 

Hi Pete. We come from different counties in Ireland but all from the "sunny" southeast.We're all members of the same hillwalking club. I live in Kilkenny, Monica &  Aine live in Waterford. Aine is the baby of the group while Monica & I are a bit more mature !!!!! (in age anyway!!) Looking forward to meeting you all on 21st. Martha  

Hi

I was curious as I've spent a fair bit of time working in the Cork area ! so you are all fully fledged walkers who have no doubt done these trips before !!! I'll be looking out for pointers !

Walking holidays not normally my thing - more a wildlife bod myself ! but this hopefully will cater for most things ( though getting a beer might prove tricky ! ). Looking forward to the break anyway , sure it'll be a trip to remember

Hi again. I've never done anything like this trip before either. Monica has been to Machu Picchu & Aine has been on lots of hiking trips. I'm hoping to get to Base Camp without any adverse effects. The highest I've been is top of Ben Nevis. Martha 

sure we'll be fine !!! just a question of pacing ourselves correctly ... and breathing deeply ! no doubt there will be a few old hands to point out the way !!

Would be good to see a bit of Sunshine hopefully as well .. providing the monsoon has finished !! see temps over there are high at present as well .. forecasting a real feel of 40 degrees + for our arrival !! Guess pack a pair of shorts as well ! ( though with 12kgs allowance that might be all I pack :-)  )

An air of tension seems to be building then ...

I've been skiing at 3000 metres, but I neither hill walk or have much interst in wildlife so a bit of a philistine too. I have however purchased loads of ibrufen; they say it helps with altitude sickenss and nausea.

Anyone  struggling with the idea of only 12kgs of luggage? My sleeping bag is 2.5 kgs so not much left for the rest of the clutter I will be bringing. I will most likely end up packing loads of stuff I dont need.

BOb

YEAH ! 12kgs not a lot ... my theory being you just live in 1 set of clothes & keep one set spare , should be a stiff breeze to keep the air fresh !

That and wear a lot of gear ( jacket , boots , hat , glooves etc etc  ) getting on the Lukla flight - not ruled out hopping on in the sleeping bag as mine also 2+kgs ! Just pack essentials & forget the clutter ...

& Bob if we find a bar I'll show you a fellow philistine !!

Hi Guys. It will be a race to see who gets to that bar first! Wear layers travelling - it will save the packing. A little tip I got  - wear your  walking boots from Heathrow, then if you luggage goes missing you can still walk  (we'll loan you some clothes) Martha 

Has anyone obtained a visa before going ? was planning on getting mine on arrival

Just packed. Lovely Exodus bag full to brim, just managed to zip it up and then the moment of truth, the scales.

14.5 kg! So what is a chap to do ? Are they really really strict, can I argue and shout about the need for every last little thing and what about my day sack (more of a full rucksack really at 36 lt), does that count as well in which case I am completely scuppered.

Can I pay excess baggage ? 

Time will tell. I might just ring the office to see if they know, but I would guess they are just a little too remote from the day to day stuff.

 Pete, I dont have the visa yet either, was going to but never got round to it. Don't forget your photos. 

BOb 

Bob ..

was that 14.5 without coat , boots etc etc ??? I'm going with wearing as much as possible & only having gear in the bag you really have to carry !! My day bag a bit smaller but again you can check yours on the flights to Delhi / Kathmandu without any issues as we have 35kgs then ( one extreme to the other ! ) can't believe flight to Lukla they measure the hand baggage .. I'm packing sleeping bag seperate for all the flights , just keeping the gear in the oh so natty Exodus bag .. Sure we'll get through if we flash a few extra rupees .. usually the case ! ( pardon the pun )

cheers for photo reminder ... do we need more for trekking pass as well ?? guess take 4 the answer

I haven't actually packed yet. I'm hoping to fit 20kg in my exodus bag & another 10kg in the rucksack. I'm going to wear my boots. We can leave our excess baggage in Kathmandu & just take 12kgs on the trek including the rucksack . We were told we get the visa in Kathmandu. Exciting is'nt it? Looking forward to meeting everyone. Martha.

far be it for a bloke to ask what a women puts in her bags but ...

30kgs, what are you doing, hiding a small child ?

Good luck with the 20gks in the Exodus bag. You might make it if your stuff is small and heavy. My sleeping bag takes up the most room in it. I am having to travel in my coat and two fleeces and will carry my other shoes as carry on in my day sack.

BOb

Sleeping bag & walking poles (no child or kitchen sink) warm gear , light gear & wet gear! Hair dryer, curling tongs, hair straightener & make-up!!!!! One must be prepared for everything!!!! Martha

I have just spoken with the UK office and while they are a little wooly the theory is that the 12 kg is a firm figure, we might be allowed to pay to take an excess. They were unsure what that cost would be per kg.

There is also another interesting point that if you are hiring a sleepling bag, it is collected at Kathmandu so forms part of your baggage. The people in the office implied that those people would then carry the sleeping bag as part of the cabin baggage so therefore is not part of the 12kg. 

It then begged the question as to the maximum weight of cabin baggage, but they were unable to answer that one.

They did however assure me that the local rep would know the answers before we arrived at the airport for the Lukla flight.

HTH

BOb

Hi Bob. I have just been talking to a friend of mine who did this trip last September. She said 12kgs in exodus bag & whatever you can fit in your rucksack.She said that they weren't overly strict with the weights. I hope this will be of help. Martha

 

Think I've mastered mine ... only assumption being I can buy some clean clothes on return to Kathmandu to get home in !! I can't face having to sort through deciding what to leave where .. going for the flat 12Kgs + hand baggage sized rucker & sleeping bag travelling as 2nd piece of cargo baggage ! If it vanishes I'll be doing Bear Ghrylls impressions with some dead wildlife !

Seems a bit daft really if we can only take 12Kgs we might just as well carry it ourselves and give the yaks a day off .. but Hey ! maybe I am being cynical !! :-)

Sure the whole trip will be a blast !!! this week at work will fly by for sure !

I trust Martha will be sharing the hair dryer & curling tongs ... one does like to look ones best whilst trekking !

Clare McAuley

Hi everyone, My name is Clare and I am doing this trip too - I will be arriving on evening of 18th September - thought I would have a couple of days mozeying around KTM, so will meet you all in the hotel on 21st.  I'm English, but home is Sydney and now working in Saudi at the moment so flying in from Bahrain.   Really looking forward to it and meeting you all - should be a great trip.  Am sorting out the packing .. do I really need that sort of thing ?? ...  Safe flights to everyone and see you all on 21st..

 

 

Hiya ..

Guess you'll be the Kathmandu recon party ! We'll be hoping you have identified all the best bars & restaurants by the time we arrive !

Look forward to seeing you there !

Pete

Welcome to Everest Departure Lounge. Isn't this a great way to meet evreryone prior  to our trip. Wont it be great putting faces to names when we arrive. Hope you wont be too lonely waiting for us in Kathmandu. You'll know all the best places to visit &  can show us the hotspots. Martha.

Hi

A bit late joining the forum. Whats the sweat over 12kg... the baggage allowance is 20kg?

Am travelling via Delhi (from Heathrow - from Aberdeen) so will see some of you on the way? Am planning to wait in  Kathmandu airport for the group flight and join the transfere to the hotel.

See you there (see I'm not the only one celebrating a big '0' birthday....)

Hiya

the sweat on 12kgs comes on the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla .. on Jet Airways LHR-DEL we get a whooping 35kgs !! but that drops dramatically on the short hop flight ... you can leave the excess behind to pick up in Kathmandu, but only 12kg + what you take as hand baggage + wear !!

But sure we'll all cope ! - & we can wish each other the big '0' !

see you at Heathrow I guess as we assemble !

Hi Janet. Welcome. I wonder who the other 3 or 4 are. Hopefully they will introduce themselves before we go. See you in Kathmandu. Martha.

Clare McAuley

I will surely suss out a suitable watering hole for a pre trek beverage - I am there for 2 days so will see what I can sniff out.  Have been recommended the Pumpernickel Cafe for chilling out and and really good coffee too.  See you all on the 21st sometime.  Bye for now Clare. 

Hi- my name's Gary, by the looks of it one of the last few to log on! Will be flying out from Heathrow so hopefully will meet up with some of you there. I'm a virgin to trekking so please look after me.... nothing like in at the deep end is there! Feeling a bit left out as I seem to be one of the few not celebrating a big birthday while I'm over there so I'll just have to invent some reason to have a drink!!

 Hi  there .m sorry  its the TNT  THAT I AM LEADING ON THE 18TH OCT .SO SORRY ABOUT THAT

CHILL OUT HAVE A NICE TREK ,ONE OF MY FRIEND WILL BE WITH YOU...jangbu dawa

Hey Gary ... it's not your birthday ! I'll drink to that !!!

See you in Heathrow no doubt ! and maybe more banter on here beforehand !

Hi Gary. Looking forward to meeting you in Kathmandu. Are you flying via Delhi or Qatar? We seem to have a great bunch going so it should be fun.

Isn't our trip code TNT?

Martha

I,m  Steve. 3dats to go.See you, Monica and Aine are flyinginto Qatar and then onto Kathmandu.I'm flying from Manchester to Qatar- geting into Doha 18.30(flight QR042)  onto Kathmandu 01.05. What about you three.  Will try and spot/find you at Doha if poss. 

We arrive in Doha at 06.25 (21st) & leave again at 09.35 (QR350). We arrive in Kathmandu at 17.00. So I guess we will all  meet at the hotel. I finish work at 1.00pm tomorrow. Cant wait. Safe journey to all. Martha.

Sorry guys been talking to the wrong group... hope you all have a lovely trip

Well just another 4 hours to go for me then it's officially holiday time ! Fit in a round of golf tomorrow then final pack I guess !

Forecast for Kathmandu looks like we are in for a hot couple of days with the odd thunderstorm thrown in !

Mostly cloudy and very humid with a couple of thundershowers. Winds from the SSE at 6 km/h.Realfeel®: 42 °CHigh: 31 °CMonday Night, Sep 21Partly cloudy. Winds will be light and variableRealfeel®: 20 °CLow: 19 °CTuesday, Sep 22Humid Suspect we will have some wild swings in conditions while away - whilst in India in December we had a daily swing from 0 to 30 degrees ! lots of layers were the answer with a slow motion burlesque show !Looks like Jet Airways have a 24 hour before online check-in - might save a bit of pain in Heathrow !

Officially on holidays now. Wish everyone a safe journey & see you all on Monday evening.

Martha.