We’ve now been in Kathmandu for a couple of days. We’ve been mostly getting ready for our trek to Everest base camp — but did manage to explore a bit around Thamel, the notoriously touristy area of town. We have a guide (Dorje) and porter (Rinjing) lined up and are flying out to Lukla (“the most dangerous airport in the world” according to the History channel!) tomorrow at the crack of dawn. It’s been fascinating to see the outdoor fake industry and the Nepali perception of famous brands — North Face is the reigning brand here, with a sprinkle of Mountain Hardware, Marmot and Deuter.