October 21, 2015
Kathmandu, Nepal
Dear Family & Friends:
I am so happy and excited to be back in Kathmandu.
I arrived here on October 19, after my flight from Los Angeles. My initial flight from LAX landed in Hong Kong; and I had a 12-hour layover until my second flight from Hong Kong to Kathmandu. I took advantage of the layover to board the train from the airport to downtown Hong Kong. Sharon and I lived in Hong Kong for 3-years, from 1996-1999 when I was practicing international law. This was a very satisfying part of my legal career, and we loved Hong Kong. My short visit to Hong Kong was so much fun, as it gave me a chance to revisit all the places we enjoyed so much, including our apartment at Queens Garden, our club across the street, the Peak, the Central District, Victoria Harbor, the Star Ferry and Kowloon.
I arrived in Kathmandu on October 19 at 7:30 pm. Kathmandu looks the same, although I have not had an opportunity to tour the city and see the earthquake damage. As usual, I am staying at the Yak & Yeti Hotel. The rest of the team, except for Nick Logic, arrived yesterday and today. Nick will join us on the trek to Burke-Khang Base Camp. Everyone is looking and feeling so good, and we are all excited and anxious to get the expedition started.
We had a team dinner tonight at Kilroy’s Restaurant, which is my favorite restaurant in Kathmandu. Garrett gave some last minute details about the trip, and we all enjoyed a wonderful dinner. We depart for the airport tomorrow morning and will fly to Lukla at 7 am. On the first day of the expedition, we will trek from Lukla to Phakding. This will be our easiest day of the trip because we trek downhill and lose about 1,000 feet of altitude. The trek shouldn’t take more than 3 hours, so we will be in Phakding by noon. I love the Everest Base Camp trekking trail.
The weather in the mountains has been good, so our prayers have been answered. Thank you for those prayers. We are hoping the weather will stay good, so the heavy snow on Burke-Khang will have a chance to consolidate.
I feel so great about this team, the best ever among all my expeditions going back to 2002. Everybody gets along really well, and the excitement and anticipation is contagious.
My next report will be from Phakding.
Bill
Bill at the Peak View Restaurant in Hong Kong
Hong Kong across Victoria Harbor
Shopping district in Hong Kong
Dinner at Kilroy’s
What a team; Garrett looks like quite the mountain man!
I wonder if you will see Mingma at some point.
P.
As always, excited to follow you on this adventure. Praying for safe trekking and climbing for the team, from Charlotte NC.
Bill,
You and your team, and family back home, are covered in prayer, every step of the way. You are blessed to be a blessing!
Bill, instead of being concerned about who our next Canadian Prime Minister of CANADA was going to be, on our Election night, October 19th, I was thinking about where on your travels you were. Glad to see the photos and hear about your brief but enjoyable visit while in Hong Hong. I have not been back there since the early 1990s…my husband used to fly into that city and during those days, I got to ride up in the cockpit. (a sight never to be forgotten, and never to be experienced again, after the airport was relocated)
Thanks for the information about where you stayed in Katamandu and your eateries, as I have never been but have not given up the dream of trekking there. I shall take note of where to eat and stay as you continue on to Lukla.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all…Alana
Bill and Team,
You inspired our Church (Calvary Church Santa Ana) with your visit this past July and we are all excited and behind you here in Orange County. A great passage I am praying over you and your team comes from the New Testament book of Ephesians, Chapter 3, verses 14 thru 21…
“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
-Matt Doan, Pastor, Calvary Church Santa Ana
Hi Bill!
So excited for you and so excited for us to be able to follow you on your adventure on the Burke-Khang mountain. We are with you all the way.
Bless you and stay safe.
Jerry and Linda Glenn
Kathy Myers, I am following you in my thoughts every step of the way! Blessings to you and your entire group. love, m
Happy to say that I have visited all of those spots in Hong Kong while visiting you in ’97! Like seeing you wearing your Stanford T-shirt and zipper pants–surprise surprise!!