Sangay leads us on the last day, the long walk back to Lukla. It's a sad day, although we're reunited it's the last day of trekking, and the end of the journe is now in sight.
In fact it's in sight nearly all day as we watch the plans coming into land at the world's most extreme airport.
Despite this it never seems to get any nearer! We chat as we walk, enjoying the forests and the improved oxygen supply at this elevation! We pass a memorial to a plane that crashed a few years ago a reminder to me that I have one small hurdle to cross - the flight out, and after what seems an eternity of walking we reach the village.
Sangay offers to show us his monastery but we're all beat. It's a negative I regret, even as I write my notes up,because I think he was very excited that Lon had shown an interest.
We are late at the lodge, it's nearly dark as we walk down the side of the airstrip, and it's not long before we have black tea and Finjo joins us.
Tonight's the last supper, a communal meal of Dal Bhat with everyone, porters, guides and the team, with the table exceptions of Fletch and Barbara.
We all tuck in heartily and the beer starts to flow, tips are issued and speeches are made. Jim nominates me as the person who fell over the most, which is true by some wide margin!!!
The porters leave us for their homes after the meal, clutching large tips in appreciation of the important and incredible work they do. It's hard enough lugging a six kilo back around at 5400m on steep ground in the freezing cold, I cannot conceive what it is like to do so with two 15kg or so packs, in flip flops or converse trainers like this guys do. One of them is no more than 4ft11 tall, and is as strong as an ox. It's really incredible. Without them we couldn't have got as far as we did, and they do it all with huge smiles on their faces and never a complaint.
The guides, Finjo, Nima and Sangay all stay for what starts off as a few drinks. We're told we're in outside rooms as another group is having a party and will be noisy and we have a 5.30am flight. That's not quite how it works out.
At midnight Ken, Kristin, IngeElin and I and the three guides are the only people awake in the lodge, incredibly dunk dancing to a mixture of Nepali music and Norwegian pop. It's a great evening, really good fun, with arm wrestling, and Nima doing an entertaining dance that mimics my everlasting cough. I put him in a gooseneck hold, which he immediately wants to learn, and later I recall doing squats with Finjo Sherpa over my shoulders. Which probably does my ribs no good - but I'm not letting a little thing like that spoil what has been an incredible experience.
I share with Ken and have an incident involving a bin and a total lack of navigational ability, and before you know it we have to get up for our flight.
I struggle with breakfast, which of curse Lon doesn't - and am glad I don't have too long to sit and stress about the flight.
On the Twin Otter we are taxied past the crashed plane and then held at the top of the runway while the pilot winds up the elastic band. Then he takes his feet off the floor and we zip forward like some crazy fairground ride, before plummeting off the side of the mountain, gaining lift and heading back to Kathmandu.
Back at Shakti Ken offers to let me go in with Dave who is already back, and probably regrets his kindness as they all wait several hours for rooms to become available. There's lots of tired smelly hungry people about when I emerge clean and fresh from the shower.
There follows a day of mooching about and cleaning up before our evening party at Kilroy's. I get to eat fish and chips, which isn't bad at all, and we all have great fun joking about the joys of trekking.
Ken, Gabe, Fletch, IngeElin, Kristin and I take Finjo and his friend to Paddys after, where we listen to a Nepali rock cover band and get stuck into the tequilas in a big way. Unfortunately someone tells Finjo it's water and he gets a bit enthusiastic in his consumption. This later contributes to an unfortunate incident with the police and a slightly sad exit from the evening's entertainment.
There'll be some hangovers tomorrow.
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