Day 17: Still in Lukla. No planes have flown out in 6.5 days due to bad weather
Email sent to family: November 6, 2011:
"Hi all! Day 6 and the weather is starting to clear! Last night around 4:30 you could actually see the runway and the mountain side... For half an hour. the fence around the airport was lined with hundreds of people just watching. And the incredible happened! one plane took off to cheering from the crowd!!!However, the clouds closed in again and a report came back that the plane had to made an emergency landing between here and KTM because of the low visibility.
Planes don't fly after 5 pm here or before 6 am. I asked why and my guide ( a few days ago when he was still here) said its because it's dark.
I said, " don't the planes have lights?"
he said yes, but they are usually not working LOL.
Today is the clearest it's been all week... I can see a mountain in the distance! Planes will definitely fly today. The thing is, I am low priority on the list to get out: first priority are ppl that have flights actually scheduled to leave today (since Trekkers continue to arrive from down the mountain). Then, rumor has it, either ppl who were supposed to fly out on the 31st, ppl who can still make international flights and ppl who I'm sure have power/influence/throw money around. There all kinds of tourists here, but most are over 40 and rich. And let me tell you, to have all ppl here be in the same boat with no influence or money to make a difference... Well... Let's just say ppl were very upset and making many loud speeches about the difference between third world countries and first world countries.
K! Going to the airport!!!! I hear a plane I think!!!!!!
And don't worry about me... We are really not running out of food. Restaurants are out of meat and some out of eggs but no one is going without."
Email sent to family: November 6, 2011:
"Hi all! Day 6 and the weather is starting to clear! Last night around 4:30 you could actually see the runway and the mountain side... For half an hour. the fence around the airport was lined with hundreds of people just watching. And the incredible happened! one plane took off to cheering from the crowd!!!However, the clouds closed in again and a report came back that the plane had to made an emergency landing between here and KTM because of the low visibility.
Planes don't fly after 5 pm here or before 6 am. I asked why and my guide ( a few days ago when he was still here) said its because it's dark.
I said, " don't the planes have lights?"
he said yes, but they are usually not working LOL.
Today is the clearest it's been all week... I can see a mountain in the distance! Planes will definitely fly today. The thing is, I am low priority on the list to get out: first priority are ppl that have flights actually scheduled to leave today (since Trekkers continue to arrive from down the mountain). Then, rumor has it, either ppl who were supposed to fly out on the 31st, ppl who can still make international flights and ppl who I'm sure have power/influence/throw money around. There all kinds of tourists here, but most are over 40 and rich. And let me tell you, to have all ppl here be in the same boat with no influence or money to make a difference... Well... Let's just say ppl were very upset and making many loud speeches about the difference between third world countries and first world countries.
K! Going to the airport!!!! I hear a plane I think!!!!!!
And don't worry about me... We are really not running out of food. Restaurants are out of meat and some out of eggs but no one is going without."
