Heading to Kathmandu...

Terri, Carlin, Kent and I were all smiles after smoothly checking in our bags. However, getting through security and passport control was very slow going as there was some kind of employee strike, so there was no time to relax in the lounge or grab lunch. Other than a brief moment of concern that we might have been kidnapped by a rogue airport shuttle driver when transferring between terminals in Dubai, our journey went smoothly. 

After all of our bags arrived, we headed outside to meet a representative from our trekking company, Himalayan Wonders. He led us to a rickety van...

 ...where our bags were tied to the roof and we squeezed inside. 

The 30-minute drive to our hotel in Thamel, the tourist district, was crazy, but not as scary as what I recall of being in Dehli. Later we learned that there were 50% less cars on the road because there was a summit in town and the government was trying to impress those important visitors. 

Our hotel, The Address Kathmandu, was impressive with good sized rooms, air conditioning and a very nice shower.  

Not sure why there were bars on the window, but this was the view from our room.