Day 13 - Lukla
Groundhog day, but less cheering this morning.
At 9am we relocate to the airport. High wind and cloud is interfering again following successful phase one getting out. People, generally groups are investing in helicopter seats as they can still get out. We count seven helicopters coming in and out.
We relocate to the bakery and invest in some books. Small huddles at various tables which have the intensity of councils of war discussing travel timing concerns and frustrations.
Note a passing Buddhist funeral procession. The ceremonies or sky funerals sounding a lot nicer than Tibetan funerals of the past. Bodies these days (sometimes in a seated position) are carried on a bier to generally a high ridge where they are cremated following being anointed on the eyes, mouth and top of head with butter.
Khatas are tied to the surrounding wood. Monks lead the ceremony with family and friends. Once the body is cremated, (the pop of the skull being an auspicious sound of the soul being released) any remaining bone fragments are crushed, mixed with clay and placed in small base relief religious images which are then relocated to religious locations. In Heinrich's time (Seven years in Tibet) bodies of non monks were butchered into small pieces and left on high ridges for the vultures and birds to consume leaving no trace including bones. This as one could imagine was a particularly gruesome task. Monks were cremated but this was expensive. The only other alternative for the really poor was that the body be thrown into the river where the fish performed a similar task.
Another interesting thing with the Sherpa is that apparently according to Frances Klatzel (Gaiety of Spirit - the Sherpas of Everest) the youngest son inherits to the family home and the responsibility to care for the parents in old age. If no son then daughter. Anyway..
Back to the Yeti office at 3.45pm. Secure flight 6 and told to turn up at 7.30am, sounds much more promising.
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