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Friday
27 February 2004
This
morning was quite unforgettable. I must confess that getting onto
an aircraft for a flight, however short or long the journey, rarely
excites me. However, today was different; a lot different.
At
5.30 am my alarm clock reminded me that I had an important appointment.
I caught a taxi and drove through darkness and thick fog to the
domestic air terminal at Kathmandu.
The
signs were not good. I checked in, armed with my camera, and sat
in the departure terminal. The weather had closed the airport and
nothing was going to move for a few hours, so I waited.
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It
was as if it was the mountain wanted to be admired
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My
7.00 am flight was finally called at 9.45 am. By then I had read
every sign at least a dozen times and could memorise the details
written on my flight ticket.
The
day had suddenly come alive, with the sun burning off the fog and
the runway beginning to radiate heat. I was on my way to catch my
Cosmic Air mountain flight to the top of the world: Mount Everest.
Sitting
in seat 1A on the left of the aircraft was ideal for our approach
to Everest, or Sagarmatha, as it is known in Nepal.
We
soon reached 25,000 feet and levelled out, flying east towards our
destination. Within minutes we were flying parallel to the Himalayan
range, with all the peaks sitting proudly in the crystal clear blue
sky to the North.
Unexpectedly
the air hostess asked me to go to the cockpit. Probably repeating
the words for the thousandth time, the Captain told me that the
large peak, up ahead and just off to the left was Everest. If I
hadn't been so struck by the beauty of the mountains, I would have
laughed at the directions.
Everest
was spectacular. Of all the hundreds of peaks pointing to the heavens,
Everest was the only one with a whisper of snow blowing off the
top. It was as if it was the mountain wanted to be admired. It simply
towered above its nearest rivals, snow covered and dominant. The
thought did occur to me whether there was a climber on the summit
that morning.
All
too quickly we had turned around and were heading back to Kathmandu.
After touching down I was given a certificate, signed by the Captain,
recording my meeting with Sagarmatha.
I can
already see the spot on the wall in my house where it will hang.
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