Friday 6 November

	We had bed tea early at 06.00 as we have a long distance to reach Lukla, and the end of our trek. We set off at 06.50 on the steep descending path from Namche, through pine forest, to cross the Imja river by the first of a series of substantial suspension bridges. These are wide enough for two people to pass if they turn sideways, but not enough to argue with a a yak or dzo train coming the other way, or porters carrying huge sheets of plywood or iron pipes. Traffic in both directions was very heavy - trekkers (plus porters and bags) mainly descending and porters with supplies for the shops and lodges ascending. For some reason the groups of trekkers were competitive (e.g. to get onto the bridges first) and very unfriendly, with hardly a hallo between them..
After crossing the river the path picked its way along the river gravels and boulders before climbing a little up the valley side. Increasingly the villages had substantial fields with market garden produce such as cabbages, beans, onions, and chard.  Near Monjo we went through the archway that marked the end of the National Park, and where our sirdar had to show our trekking and climbing permits. Lunch - our last one of the trek - was served in a lodge dining room just before the river crossing at Phakdingma. The trail continued descending on the east side of the river, passing a number of painted Mani stones on the way. We had seen many of these on the treks, and the more elaborate Mani walls. They are all inscribed with a mantra (usually Om Mani Padme Hum repeated endlessly) or devotional designs. It is the accepted practice to pass these in an a clockwise direction, passing to the left of them. Whilst most of the sherpas did this we noticed that the porters often took the other route, if it was easier.	Porters crossing suspension bridge
Keith passing a Mani stone	Eventually we reached the branch in the trail which led back up to the village of Lukla and the airstrip. It was obviously the end of the secondary school day as there were children in school uniform everywhere and heading in all directions. The school uniforms looked very neat, but rather impractical - the girls wearing white leggings, for example. Lukla, basically a single street contouring around the hillside, resemble Namche with trekking gear shops and cafes (including a Starbucks, would you believe). We passed through fairly quickly, dodging the children playing marbles in the street, and headed back to the lodge opposite the airport terminal building where we had started our trek. Handshakes all round......
We were staying in the lodge, so no more tent, just a hardboard lined room with en suite toilet (Great!) and shower (not plumbed in!). We celebrated the end of the trek with beers and coffee from the adjacent German bakery, before the session where all the clothing, boots and trekking gear we had donated was shared amongst the porters, cook-boys and sherpas by a tombola process - the sherpas had previously divided up all the kit into roughly equal piles. There was applause after each number was drawn, and the Nepalis looked pleased, even when they got the most inappropriate gear, such as when one diminutive porter got Christine's cast-ff green plastic ski-boots! After this George and Margaret distributed the envelopes containing  tips to each of the Nepali staff - again each one being applauded as they received the envelope.	Schoolgirls and pack animal on trail near Lukla
George presenting tips to the porters, with Panuru looking on	Our final dinner featured chips, rice, chicken, green beans, dhal sauce and mushrooms, and was followed up by another of Biri's iced cakes to celebrate the end of the trek. Dinner was finished by 19.00, but we were ordered to reconvene in the cellar at 20.00 for a session of the sherpas singing & dancing. Before George could return the complement with us singing "Ilkley Moor ba't 'at" the sound system was turned up by the barman and the disco began. And so the evening continued until well after 22.00 (incredibly late as we were usually tucked up in bed sometime after 20.00!) with Bollywood style pop and great dancing by the porters, sherpas and (most of) us!

Saturday 7 November

Despite sleeping in the lodge, we still had bed-tea and warm washing water brought to our rooms. We had breakfast at 07.00, and then everything seemed to slow down. We thought that we had an early flight out of Lukla, but our bags remained unmoved in the courtyard which was now crowded with other groups also waiting for their flights. Eight o'clock came and went, as did nine o'clock. We could hear the odd plane land, and more easily hear them take off, as they had to go up to full throttle at the end of the short runway for a while before releasing the brakes and roaring down the steeply sloping runway and (hopefully) into the air. Eventually at 09.45 we got our boarding cards and went to the terminal and through security - no electronic stuff here, just a brief interrogation and ferret through our bags. Then we waited some more - no planes appeared for almost an hour - until eventually our flight , 106, was called.	The short runway at Lukla
Ready for take-off	Last view of the Dudh Kosi valley
Terraced fields seen from the plane	Most of us had window seats, as there was only one seat either side a central aisle, and we had stunning views of the ridges and valleys as we passed over. Initially there was no habitation, and single tracks up the ridges. Then gradually the area of terraced agricultural land increased and there were more tracks. Eventually I spotted a road with a vehicle on it - the first thing on wheels for over three weeks! We crossed low over the Nagarkot ridge and into the pollution of the Kathmandu valley. On landing we were met again by the chief of the Wilderness Experience trekking company, Ang Phurbar,  who had done all the local organisation for us. As some of our luggage was on a separate flight we had to wait a while for all our bags to arrive. Once complete we set off by bus to go to a hotel at Nagarkot - the place we had only just flown over.
The journey, although short in distance, took almost two hours as the traffic of lorries, farm vehicles, motorbikes and taxis was heavy, and the main road was being (slowly) upgraded. We had plenty of time to observe the contrasts in the Kathmandu suburbs: half finished buildings, adverts for flat-screen TVs, army bases, wheat and rice fields squeezed between buildings, grain drying on tarpaulins, stooks drying in the fields, haystacks, brickfields, motorbikes, motorbikes, motorbikes, Eventually we reached Nagarkot, a ridge about 2,000m in altitude, from which there are uninterrupted views of the Himalayan range from the Khumbu area in the east (Everest was just visible as a pimple) to the Annapurna area in the west. There are lots of hotels on the ridge, and a dirt road that hasn't kept up with the development. We spent a relaxed night here, watching the sun go down, and dining ( a buffet with tough beef chilli) in a real dining room.	Sunset over the Langtang Himalaya seen from Nagarkot
Sunday 8 November
Sunrise over the Himalayan range	Misty ridges from Nagarkot
Passengers on bus roof	Despite being tired I did manage to peer out of the window at dawn, and then at various intervals got back out of bed as the colour of the sky changed, and the mist in the valleys gradually dispersed. The journey back into Kathmandu was even slower than the journey out, and it took two and a half hours to reach the Kathmandu Guest House. Once again we had time to look at the variety of traffic on the roads, from buses filled to the brim (including the roof) down to overloaded motorbikes. Back in the centre it was time for lunch, and a number of us tried another of the roof-top restaurants that serve a 'fusion' menu i.e. Nepali food with international dishes too. Then we dispersed for our individual shopping missions - for maps, postcards, pashmina shawls etc.
We met up again at 18.30 for our final meal together, as Christina was leaving the next day. Although not far from the hotel it took ages, in two minibuses, to wind our way through the dark traffic-filled streets to the restaurant located in a renovated palace building. Shoes were left outside and legs were carefully folded so that we could get down on cushions at the low tables. This was a real tourist experience: numerous small tasty dishes interspersed with dancing displays of the various Nepali traditions. The food items included spicy potato, popcorn, soup, rice, spinach, fish chunks, chicken, tomato, mushrooms, and yogurt with red chunky bits - not altogether! A fitting official end to the trek, accompanied as we were by Ang Phurbar and Ang Jambu (and his wife), the main organisers from Wilderness Experience of the trek.	Stooks of grain drying in a field in Kathmandu suburbs
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