I remember getting up at 4:30am to be on the bus by 5am as we had to be at the airport at 5:30am. I was a little sleepy but super excited.
Once we were dropped off we went inside, went thru security, and then waited in this large room which was the terminal. There were barely any seats and it was pretty packed with people waiting for flights. It was also dirty but that didn’t matter as we were all hoping that it would be clear weather or the flight would be canceled. Our flight was delayed but not canceled so now it was just a waiting game to see if the weather cleared up. If by 6:30am it didn’t clear up our flight would be canceled. I was so apprehensive that we wouldn’t be able get the flight and a bit antsy as well.
Finally at 6:15am our flight came up on the board saying boarding. They did announce the flight but it was so loud in there that it was barely audible.
As we walked out to the plane I could feel the excitement building. Everyone got their own window seat. It was just a small runaway and in no time at all we were in the air.
As we came out of the clouds the majestic Himalayas came into view. It really is nothing like you see in the photos to actually see them out your window. They seem like they would never end.
One by one we got to go up into the cockpit and the captain would point out the different Himalaya peaks. I was in the last seat in the back of the plane so it took awhile and finally it was my turn to go up into the cockpit and wouldn’t you know it Mount Everest was right out the captain’s windows. I was so excited I took a quick picture out his window and hurried back to get better photos from my seat window.
I couldn’t believe it. I was actually 20 miles from Mount Everest and seeing it with my own eyes. It was unbelievable and so amazingly beautiful! You could see the wind blowing off the snow on the top of the peak. It was just breath taking. I could only imagine how the climbers must feel when they reach the top of Mount Everest and to be on top of the world. It really was a once in a lifetime experience….
Mount Everest Interesting Facts:
- Is the highest mountain about sea level. Elevation 8,848 m (29,029 ft)
- The China and Nepal border runs across the summit point.
- There are 2 routes you can climb one from the Nepal side and one from the Tibet side.
- 1953 was the first successful ascent of it.
- There has only been 1 person that has ever summited Mount Everest a total of 24 times which was done in 2019 by Nepali Sherpa guide Kami Rita.
- 2013 667 climbers summited Everest and that record was broken in 2018 as 807 climbers summited.
- In 2008 for the Summer Olympic games taking place in China the touch relay went on a special route and went to the top of Mount Everest. The touch had to be designed to burn in frigid, windy, oxygen-thin environment.