"Call it our Christmas present to ourselves."

"Christmas comes early!"

"Life is for living. When we will have the chance to do this again?"

"Indeed, those mountains are youngsters, geologically speaking, of course!"

"Besides, I haven't really thought about any other way we would get there."

"We could climb...."

"I don't think so.....Not on this trip anyway."

"We have to be there for 0600 which means leaving at 0500."

And that is pretty much how we found ourselves sitting in Yeti Airline's bus waiting to transport us to the aircraft for our flight to the highest of them all; Mt Everest. But we were late. Either that, or the other aircraft that had taken off before us where extremely early!

One by one, aircraft took off for the Khumbu region of Nepal, home of Mt Everest. A huge business has grown up around trekkers flying a considerable distance into the route and walking the rest of the way to Everest Base Camp. But a quick fligh there also comes with its dangers. Such a rapid altitude gain means that the body suffers because it has no time to adjust and it hurts. Weather in the mountains can literally change in a matter of minutes. One pilot we chatted to heard that a plane had crashed because the clouds had obscured his approach, and since he was committed, he had to land. But he missed the end of the runway by 5m and killed all on board. There is really no margin for error when flying in the Himalayas.

Fortunately, we would not have to worry about anything like. We were just freezing on the airline bus in the pre-dawn cold, shivering, wondering why in the world we got up so early to just hurry up and wait (again!)! With the morning sun high above the horizon, it was time to go. Down the runway and onto our aircraft; and to be fair, it was brand new and very plush. I have never been in an aircraft where you can still smell the new-leather-seat smell. The pilot looked like he knew what he was doing, good, and the plane was new, good. Barring a catastrophe, we were as good as gone!

Perhaps our pilot felt that needed the airport cleared of practically every plane before he decided to take off? Maybe he was a little shy? Who knows? But it seemed like the sun had decided that morning was too early and opted for afternoon instead! Ah....an ever increasing void between the belly and the ground. Nice! Lets pay reverence at the high of highs......

Clearly Kathmandu airspace meant flying into crystal clear pure mountain air and the views from the windows were sublime. Here were so many peaks to gawp at, marvel at and exclaim over. This was where the ground reaches out for the sky like child reaches for its mother. Colours so pure that it seems that only a god could have applied them with the ability of the ultimate master (obviously). Here we could appreciate the supreme skills of those, and that, which created the panorama that swept below us and all the way to every horizon.

Where a few days ago we were among peaks like these and staring up and marvelling, now we were staring at them from above and marvelling. The change in perspective was delicious and ever the more sweet for it!

Even our blank "proof you did it" certificate, and boiled sweets could not eclipse the wonder of seeing the highest mountains in the world and sharing air space with these grand old dames!