After a long flight, we spent a couple of days in Kathmandu, getting to know the group members (15 from England, 3 from the US) and our trekking guides. It’s a short flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2845m/9334ft), a small, bustling mountain town where all groups in the Everest region begin their trip.  Look up “Most dangerous airports” and you will see why Lukla always makes the top of the list. The 1730ft runway slopes at a crazy angle, and ends at the top of a huge cliff. Our ultimate objective was Island Peak (6189m/20,305ft), and we would also climb a few smaller peaks and passes.