Hello from London.  Only one more flight to go!

After a night of restlessness and fitful sleep, it was a relief when
the alarm went off at 4:15.  I dragged my huge duffles down the stairs
quietly (quite a feat!) and loaded them in the car Raj had hired.  The
trip to the airport was swift as only vegetable sellers and joggers
were out.

We ended up at the airport too early and so stood beside the dusty road
drinking tea in the dark until the guard let us past.  The first of six
queues had already formed.  It was a swirly mass of humanity: tourists
with big bags and carts, a family or two, and seemingly hundreds of
Nepali migrants heading to the middle east to work.  We stood unmoving
for about 30 minutes then the crush began and people pushed towards the
entrance.  Carts got relegated to the bag as the lightly packed
migrants charged forward.

Finally I get through to the front and throw my bags through x-ray and
submit to my first of three pat-down searches.  Given women were
outnumbered at the airport 10 to 1, I often made good progress at these
stations since they used same sex security people for the task.  Line
up for departure tax was next.  Then line up to pay Qatar Airlines too
much to take my extra bag.  Then queue for immigration.  Metal
detector.  Another line for hand luggage  x-ray and inspection.

The last queue was hardest.  For many of the migrants, this was their
first experience in an airport.  The last "line-up" was for the bus to
the plane.  As they opened the doors a crack, the crowd crushed forward
not seeming to understand that our seats were reserved on the
plane-this was not like a bus.  I was pushed and shoved and almost
picked up off my feet by the mass of humanity flowing through the small
opening.

One last pat down search and I took by seat on the plane. Suddenly and
unexpectedly, I was hit with a rash of emotions.  I was sad to be
leaving Nepal.  I was grieving leaving the mountains as summits were
beginning to happen.  I was angry and frustrated by the airport
experience.  I was tired from no sleep.  Given some privacy, I'm sure I
could have had a big cry.  Indeed, I sat with wave after wave of
emotion-like a stormy sea crashing up against the Cape Spear shore. 

Then I settled. Into the seat I had worked so hard to get. Into travel
mode of patience and bardo.  Into beginning the transition home and out
of the Everest experience.  Into post Everest life.  Whatever that
holds.  Lots of couch time to be sure.  A few more movies.  Lots more
talks to kids.  Adults too!  Back to teaching and research.  Stir clear
of the gym for awhile.  Rest and recovery. Reflection.  Conversation.

Until the seeds of adventure and sowed into fertile soil. When the time
comes, I will know what is next and I will nurture the next dream into
reality.

Take care,

TA