We make our way out to Tribhuvan Airport with our trusty friend Tillac from Himalayan Mountain Bikes, but on arrival we find an overcast sky and a delayed BIM501 from Dhaka, Bangladesh. As befits two characters such as Nick and Tim they have chosen a route into Kathmandu that take them via old East Pakistan before making the final descent into the Kathmandu Valley. Anxiously Andrew Dean and I await the two tall fellas from Somerset and we twiddle our thumbs and eagerly watch each landing flight. Finally we see a dribble of BIMAN passengers leave the arrivals door and we know it can't be long. Unexpectedly Tim and Nick emerge amongst the general mass of the flight. Normally we would think for them to be one of the very last remembering their two huge bike boxes - travelling as special baggage. Delighted we scream at them across the concourse - 'WAAHEY!'. Its not long and we discover why they have had no problem leaving the airport - NO BIKES! The tiny tiddler plane with barely enough room to accept Tim and Nick could not fit their bikes through the cargo doors and so the bikes are still in Bangladesh - HMMPH!

The following day after a late bonanza in the Tom and Jerry Pub celebrating the arrival of Tim and Nick, surprise surprise we had hangovers. Wandered aimlessly around the streets of Kathmandu - not the ideal place for a hangover!

Acclimatisation Trek to Gosainkund Lake
2^nd to 6^th March

Rich, Andrew, Tim and Nick all find headaches at 3300m at Sing Gompa. Dean escapes scot free!! Andrew's head doesn't lift and also it seems he has illness recurrence - and so Dean and Andrew descend back to Dunche and then 4 wheel drive to Kathmandu - interrupted on numerous occasions by Shivaratri festival - kids holding up the vehicle for money or sweets. Further up the trail Tim Nick and R discover a wonderful host at Lauribinac - altitude 3900m. The ABC Lodge is run by one Bibi Rana - a native Tibetan , and her boyfriend and baby son - Karma. Its freezing cold up here - overnight estimated outside temp is minus 7 - and inside the lodge it drops to about minus 2 - as there is ice inside in the morning. The views of Langtang Lirung in the morning are awesome. We march slowly - Tim has a growing headache - towards Gosainkund Lakes -- and we climb to a final height of 4360m - not a bad effort - we decline the pass at 4600m - its rather icy and we are not equipped - also we shall save our energy for another day. We storm back down the hill all the way to Thimpsu - back down at 2700m - ready for our departure back to Kathmandu the following day. We take brekkie in the Langtang View Hotel before piling into the bus - a long bumpy and hair-raising ride down the road which resembles a ploughed field - until Tisuli - where it regains the black top surface.

LOST PASSPORT

Back in Kathmandu Tim discovers he has lost his passport - and descends in to a major depression - he is not amused! This really is the last thing we need - now one of our number is completely diverted by trying to get a passport back - running around British Embassy, followed by Chinese and Nepalese - quite a time waster all in all - especially when it is discovered that the passport was residing in the back of Nicks rucsac all along. At this point Tim loses it all together - and is utterly unconsolable! This lasts for about two days and then he returns to good form.

Nick McCurtin, Pat Dean and Neil (aka Squealypops), arrive in Kathmandu as part of their South Asian roundabout holiday and make one more equipment drop - thanks guys - much appreciated. We celebrate with them and visit the Rum Doodle restaurant and sample copious quantities of Star Beer - lovely!

Dean and I go for a two day exploration of the Kathmandu valley - visiting the National stadium of Nepal - first football match ever for Dean - Army versus Friends Club. We visit Patan, and Pashupatinath Hindu Holy spot and watch cremations agogo - and then end up in Bodnath where we spend a very peaceful night amongst the exiled Tibetan Community

RICH SCRIVEN ARRIVES SAFELY

Rich arrives looking totally wiped out - he has had a hard week at work as well as having to fly around the UK picking up various bike bits - THANKS RICH. He seems over the moon to be here though - and has successfully delivered the last bicycle for the onward journey and our full contingent of spare parts.

NICK AND TIM in DIAHORREA OPENER

The boys whilst visiting Nagarkot pick up a nasty bug and are confined to bed for 36 hours - fortunately it passes rapidly and soon both are back on their feet. Bit of a worry though. During this time Andy, Rich, Dean and Rich S pick up the preparations for Tibet and storm through the mile long list of jobs to be done.

GARY's MATE CHRIS

We also meet Gary Quinn's (Support Leader Indonesia) friend Chris from Harrogate, and spend an enjoyable evening back at Boudnath in the Stupa View Restaurant.

FINAL RUSH TO PREPARE FOR THE LONGEST UPHILL!

The last couple of days have seen frenetic preparations - sorting money - paying Himalayan Mountain Bikes, getting new panniers for Rich, sourcing new racks , and sorting the mountain of equipment into that which will be carried by bike - that which Dean will bring in support, and that which must return home. Dean lands probably the toughest and least enviable task - food planning for our stretches without food in Tibet. 150 pounds is spent in the local supermarket - a veritable fortune - and we negociate a 5 percent reduction - WOW! - and we also get the food boxes delivered back to Hotel Swoniga by a caravan of local helpers -a funny sight. Finally though it is Friday morning - I'm late for breakfast - as usual and we are packed up - Saracen kit on- and our bikes are gleaming and ready for the sternest of challenges. It will be a while until we can write again - but we shall be thinking of you all - just think - we are about to ride our bike up four Ben Nevises all piled on top of each other.  Adventure On Everyone - HERE WE GO!