The descent into excitement.

Are you excited?

“I will be. I have a few things to do before I leave”

In the lead up to one of my trips, there is preparing, packing, getting to the airport, checking in, security, immigration and then boarding. I finally lift my hand luggage into that overhead compartment, sit in my seat, fasten my seatbelt and then it happens. The smile. The kind of smile that won’t leave your face.

And the excitement. The kind of excitement that you feel physically.

Are you excited?

“I will be once I am on the plane.”

This time, there’s more nerves than usual, more fear. I took my seat on the plane, fastened my seatbelt and nothing. I gulped my first drink when it arrived after take off and started to worry that I had overstretched myself on this trip. That I hadn’t given myself enough time to mentally prepare. What am I doing? Should I even be going?

Are you excited?

“Yeah. Yeah I am. I’m just tired. It’s been a huge year.”

22 hours of flights and airports ahead of me. When would the smile come? When would I feel that visceral excitement? I ate dinner, slept, watched a movie or two. I changed planes (and terminals).

And then it happened. 21 hours into my journey: One hour from Kathmandu. The plane turned and I looked out the window. And there they were – the Himalayas. All the normal hyperbolic adjectives apply: huge, expansive, daunting, breathtaking.

The word I would use is grand. Their combination of size, beauty and history commands respect.

Add to this the farms and terraces on the ridges as we came in to land and the descent into Kathmandu airport is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen.

My only issue: no phone or camera to take photos.

But I still smiled. And then I felt that visceral excitement.

Are you excited?

“Yes. Yes I am.”

Get lost. Stay curious.

PS This is the best I could do from the plane once we’d landed: the Himalayas just peaking out over the top. I’m writing about this one to secure it into the mental photo album for now. We are beholden to the weather but I’m told that there will be plenty more opportunities to see those mountains in the coming days.