Karl and Kara In The Himalaya

Bhutan. Fan-bloody-tastic. The country with an official measure of Gross National Happiness has made me immensely happy. Started with a great flight out of Kathmandu (once we managed to extract ourselves from Kathmandu airport, no mean feat), in smallish plane (think Aer Arannn or Qantaslink) with a lowish cruising altitude so we were below-but-felt-level-with a broad sweep of the Himalayan range including Everest for most of the trip. Played “guess which one is Everest” and regretted not having done more research.   Had a hint that Bhutan was maybe going to be civilised when we managed to get a snack and a glass of wine on the hour long flight. Then came a very interesting landing, we got lower and lower among the hills and along the valleys, then another bank/turn, then lower and lower, another swoop/wobble/adjustment, lower still, surely touchdown will be any moment, another turn/adjustment. There was about one metre of stabilised approach before landi...

Manang had wonderful home comforts but was also a bit of a circus as regards volumes of tourists. We had a sobering lecture on altitude sickness from the volunteers at the Himalayan Rescue Centre which provides consultations to foreigners at a $40 charge and thus enables them to provide health care to locals at an affordable 50 rupees (roughly, can't remember exactly). Volunteers work for three months and this season were from the US (Mass General ED physician), the UK and Canada. 2% of people who attempt the 5400m Thorung La suffer from significant altitude sickness. In the weeks before we arrived one lone hiker started to show symptoms and was put on a horse by his porter so he could continue to ascend. He died. Another lone hiker started to show symptoms, she was carried by her porter on a 24 hour trip down to the medical centre and survived. The moral of the story? - don't hike alone or choose your porter/guide well. After the luxury of Manang we set out for another...