Everest '07 - Team Diary

12th September 2007 - Escape from the Mountains!

We rose again at 0545 to catch the earliest flight out of Lukla, but familiar dull light through a crack in the curtains, indicated that we were still enshrouded in cloud.

A couple of the guys went to talk with the airlines, in case the cloud lifted. We arranged to have the balloon kit on an early cargo run with Gorka Air. The team were to be on a later flight out, flying with Agni Airlines.

After another agonising wait there was a patch of blue sky and an air-raid siren indicated to the whole valley that the first flight in 5 days was approaching. Pandamonium reined, as people fought for their places and then much excitement as a second and then third Twin Otter landed in quick succession. We watched the balloon loaded on one and it turned around from landing to launch in under ten minutes.

Then silence and valley fog crept over us. It looked like we were stuck in the mountains again. After an hour, from nowhere and to great local excitement, a Yeti Airlines 18 seater landed, offloaded, took on 3 passengers and cargo and started off down the runway. But then it stopped, metres from the end of the cliff, turned around and came back! The pilot wasn't happy with the conditions and aborted with seconds to spare!

We were due to fly with another airline, but it was apparent that if we could negotiate our way onto that Yeti flight we might get out later in the day.

And we did!

We are now back in Kathmandu where, tonight, four of our group are attending a Lions Club of Nepal convention and meeting VIP's.

So, we are making our plans for the last few days, which should involve the balloon again.... Watch this space ;)