A high point on the Annapurna Circuit. Photos by Robert Painter.
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here is nothing like the beautiful scenery, fresh air and the excitment of trekking through the outdoors. From the Himalayas to the Shawangunks, GoNOMAD has stories for every hiker.
Even though it's the sixth smallest country in the world, only 62 square miles, Liechtenstein has a lot to offer the traveler: charming villages, excellent cuisine, breathtaking Alpine landscapes, friendly citizens, and a prince who jogs around town and says "hoi" just like everyone else.
Liechtenstein is a principality bordered by Switzerland to the south and west and Austria to the east and north. It is home to 36,000 inhabitants and has only 90 police officers. It is a true landlocked country with neither an airport (the closest airport is in Zurich, Switzerland) nor a seaport.
Everest sat high on the near horizon blowing its nose like a blizzard over the top of neighboring Lhotse, the eternal hurricane force winds scouring Everest from its west to east summits. This was the first time I’d seen Everest other than a glimpse from an airplane into Katmandu or Lhasa. This time had taken some doing.
Ama Dablam is seen behind a shrine in Dingboche - photo by David Rich
The only way to get to Everest is to fly to Lukla, unless you’d prefer a rickety bus to Jiri and a week’s hike from there to reach the Lukla trailhead. For $93 ($30 for locals) you can fly from Katmandu to Lukla, the third busiest airstrip in Nepal -- everyone wants to see Everest up close and some fools actually harbor ambitions to climb Everest or one or more of the dozen other incredible summits in the area.
