Recently I visited Nepal and had great holiday with Trekking Team Group. The company is run by Shree and his brother who are proud of his homeland and are so welcoming to foreign visitors. My first “encounter” occurred shortly after my arrival in Kathmandu when I was looking for a operator to organize Everest Experience flight. I was keen to book a flight to see the mountains as soon as possible as I have heard many good things about this flight. Shree immediately organized this flight for me on the day when I wished to go, picked me up from my hotel at 6.00am on the morning of the flight and was there at the airport to meet me afterwards. The flight with Yeti Airlines was a magical experience. Everyone has a window seat. We took off a little after the scheduled departure time once the early fog had cleared and, within minutes, were soaring past the towering snow clad caps of the Langtan Range. We flew for 45 minutes parallel to the ranges and the stewardess pointed put the various peaks as they came into view. Set against the dazzling blue of the early morning, the rugged, mountainous terrain evoked sighs of awe from all on the plane, especially when we each had our turn to view the scene from the cockpit. Not once did I feel anxiety about our proximity to the seemingly endless stretch of mighty mountains alongside which we just seemed to float, as the views were just so impressive. Everest appeared, a great exultant pyramid jutting into the sky, caressed softly on its mighty peak by a faint wisp of sunlit cloud. The mood on the plane was one of awestruck happiness. If you are seated on the left side of the plane you are closer to the mountains on the outward flight but if you sit on the right, you have the view up even closer on the return journey. It was good to be met afterwards by Shree who seemed genuinely happy for me when I returned, so delighted after the exhilirating flight.
I hope to return to Nepal in the not too distant future and to undertake more encounters with the landscape and people of this stunning country. In future, I will organise all my adventures with TTG Company. He brings an open, sincere and caring soul to the organisation of travel for his clients which just add a joyous layer of gentle Nepali humanity to the experience, making it all the richer.