Face to Face: Mt. Everest

I am 27, slim built, with low HB level. Climbing Mt. Everest is a far fetched dream. Hell, seeing it up close is also like building castles in the air!

I travelled to Nepal on a family trip and there is where I learnt that one can go see Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha, as it is known there) for a few thousand bucks. They take you up on a 16 seater plane as close as possible to the Everest. I would be stupid to not take that opportunity. So, it was decided then. I was going for a ride to the Everest!

We reached the Kathmandu airport (which is more of a bus stand) at 5 am. The flights start early morning to catch the sunrise over the magnificent Himalayas. Looking at the airplane I had absolutely no sense of security whatsoever! They looked fragile for the harsh Himalayan environment. And Everest is above 8000 metres tall! I was wondering the whole time whether I would be alive at the end of this exercise. Well, I was. Thank god for that!

I climbed last onto the plane so I got the seat near the pilots’ cabin. All the seats are single seats BTW. There was a loud roar as the engine kicked off and it did not in any way help in boosting my confidence. I was even more apprehensive about the idea of seeing Everest in a plane ride.We flew over Kathmandu towards the far east of Nepal. That is where Everest is located. On the Nepal – China border. The pilot was announcing the different peaks as we were passing over them. The large window in the plane helped immensely. And so did the weather. Finally the pilot called us into his cabin one by one to take a glimpse of Mt. Everest, the tallest and youngest peak in the world. OMFG! Mt. Everest! Right in front of my eyes! I was on the Top of the World (literally). It was the most spectacular feeling, soulful and spiritual. Every mountaineers dream and nightmare. Every individual’s ultimate goal. In front of my eyes. Standing there mightily as ever. Phenomenal!

The total ride lasted for almost an hour. After landing on the Kathmandu airport we were then given merchandise and a certificate which is now proudly hung on my wall. This tour is a must see for everyone. It’s an experience you’ll never wanna forget! You can directly book a ticket at the domestic airport in Kathmandu. There are several airlines providing this service. Choose wisely.