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2003-09-12 - Kathmandu - Mt. Everest - Kathmandu (Day 150)

At 6:00am, I am up and on my way to check off another goal. Several airlines offer morning flights along the Himalayan range flying along this amazing set of peaks above 7,000 meters in height. The peaks were amazing in their cold sharp edges with overhangs of glacial snow and ice. I was up in the cockpit when I got my first look at Everest after flying along the rage from Machhapuchhare to Everest. While someday I may complete the trek to base camp, for now, flying over the mountain completed the goal of at least getting a good look at the world's highest mountain.

Later in the morning, I make a last attempt to arrange an overland motorcycle trip to Lhasa but the Chinese government is not going to make it easy to take a bike there so I have to write off that part of the trip plan of going all the way to Tibet. Tibet Travels had said they could arrange a permit but after three days of "come back tomorrow, come back tomorrow" I found they had done nothing and made no progress.

And in the afternoon, I am off to the "monkey temple" the Swayambhunath Stupa, which with its distinctive "Buddha Eyes" is a well-known symbol of Nepal. The temple is quiet and the only thing remarkable is that one of the monkeys a cross-eyed old mother apparently took a dislike to me and chased me out of one area. Feisty little critters but mean enough that I didn't want to mess with her.

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