5th September 2007 - It's Raining Yeti Again!

Another day spent in the departure lounge waiting for the weather to clear. The expedition and trekking community is upside-down with the impact of the unexpected rains. With each day, more and more people squeeze into the airport bustling for a place on the next flight into the mountains. - But no flights are coming as the planes can't fly in the zero visibility mountain clouds or land on the waterlogged runways at each end.

It is frustrating, but we remain front of the queue and entertaining everyone with our own special Uno games, shoe cricket and general jokey behaviour! It's a good team spirit and our good humoured approach seems to be appreciated by most the staff and passengers at least :)

Today's flight delays finally turned to cancellations mid afternoon and the lads went to negotiate changed itineraries and the girls went off to knock on the door of Joint Scouting/Girlguiding Nepal HQ, in Kathmandu. Our visit consisted of a tour around the museum of Scouting. In Nepal there are no Girl Guides but they have female Scouts instead who were keen to meet us. Many photos and badges later we depart on friendly terms and the promise to visit again.

So, tomorrow we rise at 4am again and head to the airport with a revised trek itinerary which should still see us with the balloon, above 15,000' in a fairly rapid climb. Prayers being said and fingers well crossed!