We made it from Kathmandu to Lukla today, via helicopter, which was very cool. Not a shabby place to go on your first helicopter ride. The Himalayas are breathtaking. It’s hard to process just how massive they are.

After we landed, we collected our gear, had tea and momos, then started the trek in. Today was really mellow. Three hours of mellow up & down, although mostly down, and we ended up in our first destination which was Pakding. We’re at a great hotel called the Star Lodge. We had a great lunch, and of course more momos, then headed up the hill for a quick hike up to a monastery about 20 minutes up the hill.

It’s also a school for kids training to be buddhist monks. I think there were 16 kids that lived at the school. One of them was nice enough to unlock the actual monastery so we could check it out. Tons of prayer books, written in Tibetan, and buddhist deities all over the wall. Very peaceful place.

We’re back down in our rooms, sorting what we may want for the next day, then eating some dinner and going to bed.

Tomorrow, it’s off to Namche Bazar where we’ll stay for a few days to acclimatize and check the scene out.