Go with the flow

Wow. What a whirlwind the last 24 hours in Nepal have been. A day spent on layover in Hong Kong already feels like it’s in the distant past. From the moment my plane touched down in Kathmandu, it’s definitely been one ‘go with the flow’ moment to another. The airport’s many quirks, just a small taste of the chaos that lies outside. 

Kathmandu is like no other city I’ve been to. I’ve traveled to cities in Africa and Southeast Asia before. Their chaotic nature is somewhat of a given. But never have I been to such a large city without traffic lights or stop signs of any kind. I’m pretty sure I risked my life a half dozen times trying to cross the street within the first half hour after leaving the hotel this morning. Basically, if you want to cross, you just forced your way through the oncoming barrage of cars, tuk-tuk’s, and motorcycles. Miraculously, they stop. There are, simply stated no rules of the road. Except one. Anything goes. 

The hotel that serves as race headquarters is set just off this chaos. But as soon as you walk through it’s gates, it’s the polar opposite. A sea of tranquility, the Hotel Shanker is a former royal palace turned hotel. It’s glory days are certainly past, but its stunning architecture, combined with an attentive service make it a good home base for the average visitor to Kathmandu. Our group, however, is not comprised of average visitors. We are about 75 runners from 31 countries all in Nepal for the Everest Marathon.

From the minute I first set foot inside last night, there was a nervous buzz, anticipation…talk of a race meeting I missed because of my flight’s late arrival; a press conference scheduled for the next morning, which we are all expected to attend. Then, there is the last minute news that we have to keep our combined luggage weight to 33 lbs (15 kilos) that has everyone stressed. We had anticipated having an additional 10lbs (5kg) to play with in our already limited allowances. Hasty plans are hatched to simply wear all our layers on the upcoming flight to Lukla, stuffing every pocket with our heaviest items, mostly snacks, power banks, shower and toilet wipes—which are surprisingly heavy. In the end, we figure it out. Several frantic visits to a scale set outside the lobby are made by all, to make sure we will be OK. 

Then came the real adventure for the day. Because of ongoing construction in Kathmandu’s airport most internal flights are departing from another airport, some 81 miles away. By U.S. standards, that wouldn’t be a big deal. Here, it means a five hour drive along what is essentially a one lane mountain-hugging highway. I learned long ago, that while in this part of the world, it’s best to trust that the drivers know what they’re doing and simply avoid looking at the road.

Today, that was most definitely the case. 

Fortunately, we made it to our tea house for the night intact, if a bit rattled. And horrified. This place is, without a shadow of a doubt the dirtiest, most horrific place I’ve ever had to lay my head down at. But that’s another story. Tomorrow, the real adventure begins. The flight to Lukla marking the official start of our 10-day trek to Everest Base Camp.