I awoke to a grumbling stomach. Awesome. Only about 7 more hours to go. After a few hours fighting my tummy, the pilot announced the time and date. March 31st. ??. we missed a day somehow…. Crazy. Anyways, we arrived in Thailand. Bangkok, no problemo. Now we had a few hours to kill. I was all for hitting up the clubs, but Willie reminded me of 2 things. #1, its 7:30 AM. #2, he is stricter than dad. We got coffee instead. Asia is crazy, in a good way. Its just so different than the US. We still had a 3 hour flight to Kathamandu though. As soon as we landed in Nepal, the extreme differences struck like heat and humidity. The airport had cows grazing on the grass that grows on the “runway”. There were rusted cars everywhere. Walking through the airport, the vents are holes broken through the brick. Everything just seems so old, like out of an Indiana Jones movie. We stood in line to get our visa’s, and I came out with my visa and my 100 bucks. Working for good karma, I went back through and paid the man, his eyes went bigger than my fists. Willie told me that the missing money would have had to come out of his paycheck. Yikes. Finishing there, we went to get our luggage. Surprisingly, we came out with it all except one bag. We were supposed to be missing 6. We walked outside, into total chaos. Well it was to me. Honking, whistles, yelling. I moved in 800 directions at once. I shook hands with 20 people that im sure had nothing to do with us. I started to cross the street, and somehow a herd of people and 2 cars all got ahead of me. Quite taken aback, an army guy grabbed me, smiles, and says, “You're in Nepal”. Thanks man.

The drive to the hotel is one I will never forget. 3rd world. Kids running, dirty and barefoot through heaps of rubble and garbage. Thousands of people selling the same stuff. Dogs sniffing and lying everywhere. Cows wandering through the streets, little metal sheets put together for houses. Every person riving on the much overcrowded street is laying on their horn like it’s a brand new toy. Total chaos. Vendors everywhere, its amazing. Totally different culture in everyway. As we arrived at the hotel, peace is restored. It is in a little alleyway, with trees, and shaded patios. I soon learn that somewhere at the airport Willie was taken by Jagged Globe, the company he is with this trip. Damn. Here I meet Kili Sherpa, the man who runs many trips, who is helping us with all our arrangements. The rest of the day is filled with unpacking, packing, and wandering through Thamel, the region of Kathamandu we are in. everything is stores selling the same merchandise. Im totally beat, and tomorrow we have a lot of work to do. Welcome to Nepal.