Be prepared for a good kind of shock by such rapid meeting with the Mother of Mountains :)
Mark Ka_bdor-Marcus Polus JR, HungaryTrip Date: January 01, 2024The intro, planning:
Finally, after a lot of planning and ban because of an unfortunate and sad heli crash, back to July, limitations, restrictions... we could make this happen in December: Kalaphatar heli tour. Chandan was so patient, all the time with me from distant too, as someone who represents Nepal's overall culture and shiny side very well! He was attentive all the way and treated me like a family member. He even visited me in the hotel before the day of the flight, what is unusual in the days of growing technocracy. We could've solved the payment online too, but he felt as well important to meet in person, to build friendship and to be the face of his country.
He is really respectful too, and thankful if there is mutual trust and the love of that mountaneous area. As well he took notes about we discussed all the way to improve the business, so that is full humbleness too.
As we had of course some issues and logistics or to get ground of common understanding too, and things to be resolved, but for now all those are gone.
I'll definitely be his contributor in the 'Western' Region, and hope to bring him more and more Customers! I really hope that I was not the first and last of it but only the pioneer of this exact type of adventure from our region(s).
About the flight itself:
It was a bit too rushy, but by the hour, so no big complaints. I actually wanted to do a kind of record-breaking experiment again (just when I went beyond the Northern and South Circle (66) just in 2 weeks, 2-2 times), to have this all packed into a day (or much less), so nothing to push onto Chandan, who just tried to help in this. ;) Yes, I had that much time left that I could do a bit of city tour, and still arrived for my 9PM flight to the airport, hours before...
The pilot was originally fun and everything started smooth, however it was a bit uncertain where we are at a certain moment during the tour, so a bit more communication and agreements beforehand could've been better to get sync between him and the Company, as well maybe, and/or if Chandan or another rep. would fly too, it may be easier. This gap is just about the communication segment, since I felt myself all the time safe, we agreed about the heli's parameters are so fitting to that area (much more than a plane's would) and had a good mood chat about the mountains, but there was still a bit of uncertainty left, what should be the exact spots for scenic view, and how many times and where to stop and so. All may be about time vs. money (both were quite fixed for that time between Company and Customer), but neither should be a surprise (less or more) for none of the parties in the story, but should be figured out and not only by intuitions or indications but in advance, and not 'inside' the experience.
Otherwise yes, the pilot was a real expert, the heli was nice and the views... look at the pictures and you'd want to be there right now! :)
I got some friends too on the way, it was a nice meeting with hikers, sherpas and those who we picked up on the way. So it was a good improvisation of local-feeling too, outside the hotels too.
