大象传媒

Kathmandu

• Ben
• 23 Mar 07, 06:59 AM

Right now we're in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu. We've been here for about four days, and it feels like the calm before the storm. Normally on a filming trip, we'd be frantically rushing around filming within a few hours of stepping off the plane. But this trip is so long and complex that we've been spending the last few days testing our equipment, finalising logistics and getting to know the expedition team.

We've heard that the trek up to Everest Base Camp is very snowy at the moment, so we went into the centre of Kathmandu yesterday to buy some gaiters. I've never been to the Indian subcontinent before, and Kathmandu is great! As everyone says, the roads are crazy, with no discernible separation between cars, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians and the odd cow. The people are extremely friendly and polite; there is much less hard selling than I had expected.

The weird thing is that in the middle of the crowded bustle, there are dozens of mountaineering shops selling every piece of kit you can imagine. It's also beautifully cool here. It's sunny, but we're already about 1400 metres high, so the temperatures are quite low. Together with the ubiquitous mountaineering equipment, it's a consistent reminder of why we are here.

We found some gaiters with no problem. On Saturday we leave Kathmandu to fly to Lukla, where the 14 day trek to Base Camp starts. Then the real adventure begins.