Flights to Nepal Posed Challenges and Disappointments

In 2013, MK and I trekked in Nepal’s Himalayas, spending time both pre- and post-trek in Kathmandu and Pokhara. This is part 1 of an 8 part series on our experiences. Please use the search function to see other parts of this Nepal series.

Flying is generally not a fun experience. But, you must endure it if you are to see the larger part of the world. Keeping an open mind and a sense of humor will sometimes make a trip bearable. But not always.

We had the mother of all layovers in New Delhi, India on our way to Nepal and our trek in the Himalayas. The costly and cumbersome visa process for visiting the city made an exit from the airport impracticable (it has since become much easier and more convenient). Our challenge was to make the best of our 16 ½ hour layover while staying in the airport. We arrived at 3:00pm on Friday and wouldn't take off for our flight to Kathmandu until 7:30am on Saturday morning.

We spent our time in the international terminal like homeless nomads. We'd move from one seating area to the next, one restaurant then another, a walk down the terminal from gates 1 to 14 then turn around and try the length along gates 15 to 30. 

We were relieved, or so we thought, when late evening finally arrived. We had reserved an in-airport sleeping pod in which we would hopefully have a safe and restful sleep. There was a conventional in-airport hotel with access not requiring a visa, but the cost for that option didn’t seem worth the investment.

Our sleeping pod reservation was for six hours, from 11:00pm until 5:00am the next morning. For $14 per hour, we would have what I can best describe is a small shipping container in which there is a small desk, two short and very firm beds, some fans, and a reading light or two. It was an airport's version of a "no-tell motel." We were way too tired for the "no-tell" part and instead tried to sleep off our weariness. 

Our Dehli Airport sleeping pod

Comfort is not a priority

When in the airport during the busiest part of the day, you tend to drown out the noise and the many public address announcements over the intercom about safety notices, status of flights, gate locations, etc. But trying to sleep during these announcements is a whole other matter. 

This airport doesn't go dark during the wee hours. Given its location, many international flights use it as a hub and need to fly out at odd hours in order to arrive at their destinations at respectable hours. Throughout the night, there would be one announcement, then another. Just as we nodding off, there would come the next announcement jarring us awake; and so it went throughout the night. 

To make matters worse, each flight had three announcements, and each one of those was given three times using three different languages. So, say a flight was to Moscow. The first announcement would be that the flight will begin boarding soon at gate such and such. They would make this announcement in English, then in Hindi, then in Russian.  A little while later, an announcement would be made that boarding for that flight has indeed begun and that passengers should get to the gate. This too was given in the three languages. Then, finally, there would be an announcement, in the three maddening languages, giving notice; last chance if you will, for any stragglers to get to the gate and board the plane that will be leaving shortly.

On and on this went throughout the night; announcements for flights to Hong Kong, Dubai, Istanbul, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, and many other exotic locations in this part of the world. It was a wonderful geography and language lesson, but a terrible occasion for any restful sleep

We finally made it to Nepal. In another post, I will describe our arrival there and our time in Kathmandu. But for this post, let me continue to describe our challenges with this trip’s air travel.

Our guide picked us up at our hotel in the early morning hours so that we could arrive with plenty of time before our local flight out of Kathmandu. Many other westerners were in line at the domestic terminal to take flights for their own trekking holiday in the Himalayas. We felt good about our scheduled 6:15am flight since, generally speaking, the mountain weather is better in the morning than in the afternoon. But for this day, that would not be the case. As the sun labored in its attempt to brighten the skies, it became evident that the low cloud cover would result in delays.

Kathmandu is at a lower elevation than the village of Lukla, our scheduled destination. Lukla serves as the gateway and starting point for those taking on the trek to Everest base camp. If it’s cloudy in Kathmandu, then it is real cloudy in Lukla higher up in the mountains. And in these conditions, they simply don't fly.

The runway in Lukla is short, real short. Pilots must be able to see it from a long distance to make sure they approach and land right at the beginning of the runway and then come to a screaming halt just short of the end, which is at the edge of a precipitous cliff and a long drop into the valley below. If there is any type of low cloud cover, flights are delayed until conditions improve. In fact, several years ago, an attempt was made to land in sketchy weather resulting in a crash that killed all but one or two of the tourists who were on board. 

So, we waited. Our 6:15am scheduled flight became a 7:00am one instead. Further delays were announced; 8:00am, then 9:00am. 10:00am became 11:00am. And so it went. We discussed and contemplated the costly option of flying by helicopter which doesn't need the greater visibilities that an airplane would. Our itinerary is tight, so we wanted to try and avoid losing a day. Any delays would complicate the scheduled stops while on the trek and the need to ensure we finish in time to make our eventual return flight back to the States. 

The domestic terminal at the Kathmandu airport is nothing to write home about. The waiting area was tiny. Hard backed chairs were lined up in the central hall (I use the word "hall" loosely here). The place was crowded with other trekkers waiting for their flights. Locals also filled up the place. 

Kathmandu's domestic terminal (courtesy CNN)

Waiting. And waiting (courtesy of Tomcentral)

Keeping a smile, surprisingly

All age ranges, nationalities, and ethnicities were represented out of the many of us that were there. Many flights to villages and trekking areas starting at lower elevations were leaving on time. So a good number of people were cycling through the place while the rest of us waited.

The small gift store and snack shops were making a killing. The prices rival those found at O'Hare. The bathrooms could not handle the crowds. The floors are slimy and coated with wet, yellowy pools of water and used paper towels. God help the person who had to do a more serious level of business while in there. 

It was now 2:00pm. The clouds had thickened. We learned not even the helicopters were flying anymore. At 2:30pm, the call went out. All flights to Lukla were cancelled for the day. Scores of us, too tired and dejected to care anymore, filed out of the airport and went our separate ways.

Those going solo and without guides were now left with the unknown of how to get their trips back on track in the next couple of days. This points out the value of having a guide and a booking through a tour company, especially when in a very foreign land. They are hired to take care of things like this.

 

Waiting out the weather in Kathmandu

Maybe I could kill time helping this lady lay bricks

Or, I could get a hair cut

I could ask these kids where the action is

Or maybe not

We met the office manager of our tour company the next morning as we were coming back from breakfast. He was just at the airport on behalf of another client. As of 10:00am when we saw him, he said that all flights to Lukla have been delayed again due to weather. There were also no helicopters flying out. In fact, he said, many trekkers were stranded in Lukla since all flights from there back to Kathmandu were grounded as well. Many of those poor souls would be missing their international connecting flights in Kathmandu. 

The weather forecast for the rest of the day indicated the rain and cloud cover in Lukla would be increasing. The forecast for the rest of the week was the same, if not worse. I asked about the available options.

"Come up to my office and let's discuss," the office manager said, pointing the way.

MK and I followed, knowing the news was not good and that our long sought and dreamed after trip was about to change.

"In cases such as this," he said, "we suggest an alternative trekking trip. Instead of Everest Base Camp, the alternative is to take the Annapurna base camp trek through the Annapurna Sanctuary." He told us the weather at Pokhara, the gateway town for that area, is usually very good with few delays and cancellations. "You should have no problem getting there and then back in time for your international flight."

We anticipated this as an option overnight when MK and I continued to fear the worst on the weather front.  So, we researched it and were already a bit familiar with this alternative route. But, we were still extremely disappointed with the bad luck the weather brought us. 

We now had three choices: 1. Continue to wait and sit in Kathmandu's domestic terminal (with its luxurious bathrooms and wonderful snack bars) hoping for things to improve, finding out that they won’t, and end up wasting our vacation, 2. Say the hell with it, throw in the towel, call it quits and head home, or 3. Take this alternative trek and make the best of it.

MK teared up. This Everest trip was very important to her. She told me to go with option 3 and to work out a new itinerary with the office manager.

"The Everest dream will have to be fulfilled another day," she said quietly.

She then left the office for a walk. She said she wanted to get her head around the fact that the trip was canceled and that our hopes and dreams of an epic Everest trek had been dashed.