More on Day One Trek

The landing strip at Lukla is about 300 yards with a cliff at one end and a vertical wall at the other end, with an sharp incline to assist the planes in stopping short of the vertical wall.  The inclined runway also helps the planes gain sufficient speed to take off before the encountering the cliff.

It was also a day of crossing suspension bridges.

The buff/mask is to protect our lungs from the dry air, dust and yak dung which can lead to the "infamous" Kumba cough....they tell me the pine trees will disappear soon.

Below is downtown Lukla....a unpaved street lined with shops with lots of yak traffic. 

...along the way to Phakdung (i.e., our first night's stay)....saw lots of mini temples and an more pray wheels