Back in Kathmandu...at least most of us are...

So, although some of our group took a short side trip to the Royal Chitwan National Park, most of us are now back in Kathmandu after a final day of trekking from Namche to Lukla. That Namche hill didn't seem as bad coming down as it did going up! We had a long day but the satisfaction of a successful trip to Everest base camp and the high fives we got from our guides, CJ and fellow trekkers made that last climb into Lukla worth every step.

We had a very nice celebratory dinner at the Lukla tea house which turned into a fun evening of singing, dancing and a punishing game of "chubby bunny". Congratulations to Court for taking the top prize, although Erin exhibited great skill and was a worthy competitor. We had to use those 'smores marshmallows somehow! I'm still wondering where the chocolate and graham crackers are though. Hmmm...

Now that we're back in Kathmandu, some of us are resting while others are exploring the twisting, narrow streets of the Thamel tourist district. It seems as if the trip insurance we purchased may be more useful here than in the hills of the Himalayas, considering the fact that we're constantly dodging tuk tuks, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, taxis, tourist buses and the infamous tiger balm sellers who are constantly trying to push the stuff off on everyone. I cannot figure out why it's so popular here. Despite the busy days, the district seems to really come alive at night. You can hear music coming from every direction as the live bands at the different bars compete with one another to attract all the people walking along the crowded streets.

Tomorrow, most of the group will head back to the United States and our trip will officially come to an end. For me, it was the experience of a lifetime and I'm so happy that I was able to enjoy it with such a good group of people. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. We couldn't have done it without you!

Jill