Nicholas Rice: Manaslu Dispatch

2009 Solo Manaslu Expedition

Dispatch One: March 24th, 2009

Day One: Arrival In Kathmandu, Nepal

After more than 24 hours of travel from Los Angeles via Bangkok, I finally arrived in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. The line for the Nepali visas took hours to get through as usual. When I finally received my 90 day visa and entered the baggage claim hall, I was delighted to find that all my bags had arrived; a good start to the expedition. I headed out the arrivals hall into the chaos that is typical of the Indian subcontinent and searched the crowd for a sign with my name. I spotted Parajuli who helped me load my bags into the van, and we headed to the Hotel Annapurna, located just outside Thamel, the lively city centre of Kathmandu. I settled in and was told that the other members of my expedition would arrive later today and tomorrow; the group would leave for Aurghat to begin the trek the next day. Jetlag is hitting me hard this time around, so I am hoping that I will recover quickly and be strong for the long trek ahead.