Another 5.30am start to get to the airport,just as well as the taxi conked out by the car park so a walk in the pitch dark through the building site that is the domestic terminal.Still they have real coffee! Bit misty and the notices go up "delayed" but the we hear engines and the plane for Everest base camp takes off and we are go too! Up through the clouds and there in front of us all the highest peaks of the Himalayas stretched out in the morning sunshine. Pure magic! We all had a visit to the cockpit and nice to see the co-pilot was a woman as the captain shook our hands and pointed out Mount. Everest.On our return a glass of champagne to celebrate.It was fascinating to see the hamlets and tracks below on the mountain sides with tiny terraced fields and then the descent into the Kathmandu valley with it's brickworks belching out smoke to increase the smog that sadly lingers in the valley.On our return to the city centre another Buddhist festival was taking place,lorry loads and scooters filled with yellow sashed revellers.
We had a last breakfast together at the Himalaya Java restaurant and went our separate ways .
We decided with Shirley(one of the gang) to walk around the bazaar area to do some browsing and shopping. A welcome beer in a rooftop bar overlooking the Durbar ( ancient palace and temple area) whiled away a sunny afternoon before packing our bags for yet another 5.30 departure and a final dinner a few yards from the hotel.