Cathy’s Nepal Blog ....a personal view of the Who Cares? Scotland Challenge

Setting off...

Well the big day finally arrived. Still wishing I had done a few more trips up and down Cairn Table and Arthur’s Seat and packed in more than the 3 times a week gym visits, it was off to Glasgow to join up with the rest of the team. Frantic last minute packing and wondering how many muesli bars I would need to keep me going meant I was still double checking everything right till the last minute. Finally left messages on answering machines saying I would be out of contact. Very strange feeling – decided only to take the blackberry with me so first time I have been parted from my mobile in years!

The journey south...

All aboard the Haggis Bus. Loads of luggage piling in as well as trekkers to be.  First stop not far from Glasgow to pick up Jeff – essential person!! Then everyone settled down for the long haul. Several stops on the MWay – massage chairs very popular with some, but I decided to stick to coffee to keep me awake. Heathrow at last and on to the next leg of the journey.

Bahrain beckons...

Great flight to Bahrain except nothing on menu for vegans like me. Gulf Air staff are great and get me a nice salad from the business class section! And I eat first of many muesli bars...

Sharon and I put the world of prisons and offender management to rights during the flight. Not looking forward to a seven hour stopover in Bahrain airport but the lounge is great – nice food and showers. No sleep yet and beginning to lose track of time. Still getting emails on the blackberry – including a few from people staring off with “I know you are away just now but could you just...” Short answers in response “no I can’t!”

 It’s a long time since I’ve said that quite so bluntly, but the world doesn’t fall apart.

Kathmandu here we come...

Very tired by now but couldn’t sleep much on this flight. Ended up sitting apart from the group, so no-one to talk to this time.  But at least there was rice and dahl to eat – I think I was the only one of our team who enjoyed it! 

Arrival at Kathmandu really exciting – luggage to be collected, visas to be checked so we join the queue. Ironically first advertising signs I see are for Johnnie Walker’s whisky. Tempted to do some kind of protest in support of my fellow trade unionists back in Kilmarnock who are to lose their jobs but can’t think of how. End up getting my picture taken in front of the sign instead.

Out of the airport and into the chaos...bags everywhere, trying to keep together as a group and avoid the masses of people offering to take our bags.  Greeted by Mahesh, our Nepali trek leader, with marigold garlands, and make it to our buses. Journey to hotel gives us glimpse of the city...noise, dust, car horns relentless, crazy driving, people everywhere, cows wandering in the road, monkeys on fences...wow!

Hotel peaceful in the middle of all this. Join up with my trek buddy Janice to get bags to room, quick lunch and then off to Thamel area with Shelagh to do some shopping. I need to get a Nalgene bottle for water on the trek. Loads of outdoor equipment shops so that’s easily done and end up buying hats as well. The place is an incredible riot of colour and noise. Every garment under the sun – pashminas, t shirts, hats, scarves – anything you want made by the men sitting at ancient Singer sewing machines in the front of their shops. Quick stop at the famous Pilgrims Bookshop to get some cards then back to Hotel.  Join heather, Angus, Jeff and Sheila for meeting with some NGO representatives who tell us of their concerns about out of country adoptions, possible links to child trafficking and need for better regulation. I offer some suggestions as to how I could pick up on this when I go back to UK

Dinner and early bed beckons, as we are leaving early for Pokhara. But first it’s time to reduce the luggage in cargo bag for the internal flight, so non essential items and a spare set of clothes for the return are left behind. Opt to leave books too, as they are too heavy to carry. Will I regret this? I never go anywhere without something to read...and no web access on blackberry. Decide it’s time to just go with the flow and chill...but all the muesli bars go in the bag!!

Pokhara

Great flight on Yeti airlines to Pokhara – the mountain views are incredible and we begin to be able to identify Annapurna, Machhapuchhare (Fishtail Mountain) and others.  A quick bus journey to the next hotel and luggage gets dumped quickly – we all like the look of Pokhara which is quieter and less stressful than Kathmandu so we want to get out and see the sights.  Janice wants to get some prayer flags and presents for people back home, so I go along with her.  She quickly finds skirts that she likes and buys a few.  I have no intention of buying anything at this stage, but Janice becomes my personal shopper and I end up with a bright yellow top and some bangles. I am persuaded that I need trousers to go with the top. I decline the offer of matching trousers and go for my usual black. It’s not that simple.  You can get any colour, any pattern, any size but black is difficult. Eventually the helpful shopkeeper has pulled out half his stock and I find a pair. Helen then arrives and decides she too wants trousers – black of course. The poor shopkeeper is left wondering why Scottish women only wear black trousers...

Then we are off across Lake Phewa for the gentle stroll up to the World Peace Pagoda, a massive Buddhist Stupa .

This is nerve wracking for me as I don’t like going on small boats. I console myself that I am not the only one who doesn’t like boats and maybe all the scared people can go in the same one? And anyway it’s not far. But things don’t quite work out as simply.... what I thought was the other side of the lake turns out to be an island so the trip is twice as long as I thought, and I end up in a boat with people who enjoy it!!

The walk up is quite gentle although we are beginning to realise just how hot it is going to be on the trek.

Brave the boats once again for the return journey and decide to get in first to show I am not terrified at all. That means I end up right at the front which makes for fun as we appear to be in a race with all the other boats, and it ends up like dodgems on water.

A party of Nepali school children take a great interest in us as we alight – particularly Amy and Kirsten who are soon the centre of attention, getting their photos taken with them.

Later in evening we take another stroll through Pokhara. A Maoist protest march makes its way along the main street – red flags and lighted torches bring a blaze of colour to the darkened streets.  I am chatting to a woman selling jewellery at a street stall when they pass.  She doesn’t want to say anything about the protest other than explaining that they are not happy with the government. Most of the protesters are young people and the demo is part of a series being organised across Nepal.

Short time later we are in another shop when the lights go out. Power cuts are common as energy supplies are not enough to meet demand. The shopkeeper complains that the power outages should not be needed as a new hydro electric scheme has been built. He thinks the government should do more.

 A European woman in the shop haggles over the price of a bracelet in a very hostile way.  Most of our group are uncomfortable about haggling, though we know it is the custom. The prices are so cheap that it seems unfair to try to cut them too much.  The woman then demands proof that the beads are genuine stones and not plastic.  The shopkeeper patiently explains that Nepal has an abundance of semi precious stones and that it would not make economic sense for them to make beads from plastic. Unconvinced, she leaves without buying.

The bracelet is lovely, and the price is 185 rupees – about £1.50.  So I end up buying it and another one. I am already getting a reputation as the bangle buying champion of the trek.  Later I see another tourist rudely rejecting a price for a crocheted water bottle carrier and a knitted hat at a Women’s Development Project shop.  The asking price was less than £1 for each.  OK - if you don’t want the items, don’t buy. But I know from experience that to knit these hats takes a good few hours and you couldn’t buy the wool at home for a quid. Fair Trade anyone???

Another early night, but only after once more reducing the weight of luggage in my cargo bag. Even more non essentials are stripped out and left at the hotel for our return.  Community Action Treks are rightly strict about the amount porters are asked to carry on trek.  So out go another load of clothes, phone and camera chargers.  The muesli bars are still in there along with tons of paper tissues, hand gel and all my camping gear.

First day trekking ...at last

By now we are getting used to the early starts, so there’s no hassle in getting up and ready for the 4 hour bus journey to the start of the trek. We’ve all enjoyed Pokhara, but we’re ready to get going on the real challenge. Messages have been sent back to the blogger from the local internet cafe, but we’re not sure when we will next get a chance to communicate.

The bus journey is hot and dusty. We are now accustomed to seeing people wearing face masks because of dust and fumes. Moving out of Pokhara, which is surrounded by a relatively wealthy area, we begin to see the conditions rural communities are living in.

At last the bus stops where we are to start the trek.  This is it for real, and we quickly find out what it’s going to be like as we are now well outwith toilet range! So it’s off the bus and behind the bushes...the women realise that we are getting to know each other pretty well when we just get on with it!

A huge suspension bridge across the Masayandi River heralds the start of the trek. While I don’t like boats, I don’t mind heights or bridges, so I am happy to head off across the bridge. Willie races ahead with the camcorder to get shots of us as we walk across – Willie racing ahead is to become a familiar sight over the next few days. He is already keeping us going with his incessant quick witted humour and his ‘I love you’ catchphrase at every turn.

A short walk is followed by lunch (including chips for those who like them, though I am alone in being delighted to get fresh spinach!!) and then the trek starts in earnest, as we begin to climb. The sun is beating down relentlessly and we remind each other about sun hats, sun cream, and drinking enough water.  3 hours or so in the heat and we eventually make our way up a steep stone staircase towards the village where we will be camping. 

First scary moment of the trek when a buffalo wants to come down the steps we are heading up! The woman herding it along tries to get it to go back up but it is having none of it and it starts to head towards us.  Thankfully it then u - turns and heads back up towards her and she pens it in with a stick till we pass.

A few minutes later and we are at the top where we are greeted with flower garlands and the cheers and clapping of hundreds of school children, all in navy and blue uniforms.  Our camp is literally in the grounds of Shree Jan Canyan Higher Secondary School, and we are led through to seats, with the whole school watching. This is all completely unexpected and everyone is pretty emotional. Some pupils entertain us with dancing, and we are then told a bit about the school by the head teacher.

800 pupils attend, some walking 2 hours there and back each day.  Pupils preparing for exams arrive at 6am and study till 10am, and then many return home to help families with work. There is no running water, no toilet facilities.  Class rooms are less than basic – wooden benches and tables and a blackboard. Classes of 50 pupils are the norm.  Lack of lighting makes the classrooms unusable in the winter or poor weather.  We hear that it would cost about £3500 to install a water supply. Some of us are in tears as we hear how the staff and pupils try to cope in these conditions. The young Board members from Who Cares quickly consult the staff and adult Board members and decide they want to find the money needed to install the water supply.  There are cheers and tears as this is announced.

Like others, I have found this experience to be hugely moving. The pupils I talk to are desperate to learn; proud of their school and want to see it improved for those who come after them.

 Some teachers later take a few of us on a tour. There is some building work going on, funded, I am told, by cash from the German company who built the nearby hydro scheme.  If the translation is right, the building work is worth around 130k, while the investment in the hydro scheme runs to millions. I ask about ongoing funding from that source but get told it was a one off payment and it’s not enough to complete the work.  I explain how we secure community benefit funding from wind energy companies and open cast mining on an ongoing basis. The teachers are excited by this idea as it would allow them to plan for the future but they fear it is too late to make it happen.

We learn that pupils have only basic text books. There are no reference materials. They study English, Maths and science as well as Nepali. There is no scope for proper science lessons without labs.  One of the teachers asks me more about the history of the UK, and how Scotland relates to England. I find myself drawing an impromptu map and trying to boil down hundreds of years of history into a few minutes. I try to explain how our Parliaments work – he is very surprised to discover that I am a parliamentarian!

We head for our camp determined to find a way to help even more.  The reality of life for poorer Nepalis is now literally in our faces.  I am really proud of the way our young people have reacted. They have just instinctively got the message that you can’t just walk past this kind of situation – you have to do something. And that’s what politics is really about. Their instant analysis of what’s right and wrong and what needs to be done was amazing to watch. I hope they don’t lose the passion.

Paul flood offers to return and donate his time and skill as a plumber to help with the practical work. Willie and some of the other young people and adults would also like to help. It would be great if we could find a way to make it happen.

Our first night in camp takes me back to my days in the Woodcraft Folk.  The joys of eating camp food in the mess tent, the delights of toilet tents, and looking forward to sleeping soundly on a comfy mattress.  I am not disappointed. The cooks have gone out of their way to make sure my vegan diet is catered for, although I will have some interesting combinations of ingredients.

(I grew to love chapattis with mango jam for breakfast) And there are more muesli bars. I have now divided them up into separate bags for the different flavours, just as I am becoming obsessive about keeping different items of clothing in separate stuff sacs.  My tent buddy Janice takes a more laid back approach which seems to work just as well.

Happy Birthday

Next morning waken up to the realisation that I am a year older than when I decided to come on the trek.  The hot black tea brought to the tent is very welcome, even though I am not usually a tea drinker. This is followed by a bowl of hot water for washing.  Two people trying to get washed at the same time in a small tent takes a degree of co-ordination which we don’t initially have. Despite my efforts to organise everything into small bags, things have got mixed up in the night. I decide that I can cope with wearing the same gear for another day.

 I have again slept well though the experiences of the previous day have been running through my mind. I had already told family and friends I didn’t want birthday presents and would prefer donations to the fundraising. And I have pretty much decided that I can cut back on unnecessary Christmas spending and give some extra cash to Who Cares and CAN to help with the school project.  I am surprised at breakfast by a birthday card signed by all the trekkers, including a number of the Sherpas.  I don’t think I have ever been away from home on my birthday before, but feel as if I am with a very big family as everyone wishes me well.  I find it hard to hold back the tears as I thank everyone and tell them that a donation for £530 (a tenner for every one of my 53 years) will be made to help the school project, over and above what has already been raised.  And I am already thinking about how to raise even more when I go back home.

It’s a great birthday as we head out on the next leg of the trek.  Every few steps bring great new views. Lunch is ready for us on a ridge at top of a stone staircase on edge of small village. Local women turn out to greet us with garlands once again and give us all a red tika on our foreheads.

We find out that they have been responsible for repairing the path and steps we have climbed – women in Nepal take on much of the manual labour- and we collect cash from everyone to donate to their group to help with future projects. They are delighted by this and pose for photos with us, laughing and joking as they see the images. I ask Mahesh what ages the ‘elderly’ women who have joined the group are. He tells me they are between 60 and 65. They look much older and it’s another wake up call to be told that the average life expectancy for a woman in Nepal is around 56.

Onwards and upwards to our next school visit at Phurano Dhobar.  Pupils again meet us with garlands and we sit round on benches for their choir and dance performance. The whole village seems to have turned out and we hear speeches from the head of the school and the local village committee. Community Action Nepal has been supporting this school for some time, and it is in much better shape than the previous school we saw.  New hostel accommodation has been built for pupils who come from a distance away, and CAN supports well qualified teachers. We have collected huge bags of pencils, pens, notebooks and equipment to hand over – including a substantial donation of pens and pencils from Barr ltd in Ayrshire.  We are all uplifted knowing that it is possible to make a difference, and that pupils will benefit from our efforts. CAN works closely with local communities, who supply labour to help with the building work at schools – it is clear that the local community is very much in charge of this school.

A short walk follows to our nearby campsite – a fantastic location with beautiful views towards the mountains ahead, and the valley below. Local children walk with us from the school as they head home. There’s great amusement from the football fans amongst us when we see an Arsenal strip that’s been turned into a scarecrow next to one of the houses we pass.

As we settle in on camp, an audience of local children grows by the minute. Our young people are great in making every effort to communicate. Paul Murray ropes me in to helping show the Nepali children how to play card games, so that they are included rather than just sitting watching us. This develops further to other games – Harry and I team up for wheelbarrow and piggy back races!  It’s amazing what you can do with trekking poles and imagination...a limbo competition is followed by hop, skip and jump.

The children head off home – with a few new games and party tricks to show their friends.  Play some cards with Paul, Sheila and others in the mess tent – Paul and I bemoan that neither of us has brought travel scrabble, as we didn’t expect to find anyone else who would want to play...

I’m once again surprised by a massive birthday cake, complete with icing and candles, after dinner. Everyone is totally amazed that it’s been cooked on camp. I hand round portions to everybody and tuck in to the bowl of fruit that’s been brought for me, since the cake wasn’t vegan.  Another surprise as Heather (Who Cares Director) presents me with an award for being top fundraiser. For once I am completely speechless – for at least a minute- before I recover enough to thank Who Cares for the award, and yet again more tears as I tell people how much Who Cares means to me and why I wanted to come on the trek.

Some serious business follows, as next day will be a long haul, and we will be heading into the zone where altitude sickness could hit. We are briefed again on what to watch out for, and how we must look after our tent buddies and identify any causes for concern. My buddy Janice hasn’t been feeling great today, and a couple of others have also felt pretty ill and weak, so we know we need to take this seriously. It will be a 5.30 am start, so off to bed early......it’s been a great birthday!

The longest day...

Up and away early for the longest day of uphill trekking. We are set to climb the height of two Munros and expect to be on the go for 9 or 10 hours.  It’s still extremely hot during the day and I realise that my ascent of Monte Grona (higher than Ben Nevis) in Italy in July was probably better training for the trek than Schiehallion in the pouring rain.  But I am glad I stuck with the Gym work and the long walks along the River Ayr to build up my stamina.

I’ve given up with the sun hat, and adopted the buff/bandana trend favoured by others.  I am amazed at how some of my co-trekkers continue to look their best with colour co-ordinated outfits and headwear. My ‘buff’ has red roses.....and skull and crossbones, so I look more demented pirate than glamorous.  Jeff reckons I should wear it in Parliament – I agree to do it if someone sponsors me enough to raise more cash for the school- any takers??

Our team of porters, as usual, clear up the camp after we depart, then overtake us as we trek. Their ability to carry all sorts of equipment in large baskets is incredible. Cooking pots, dishes, tables, chairs, food supplies, tents all go ahead of us and camp is always set up with hot juice or tea awaiting when we arrive.  The Sherpas who walk with us on the trek seem to have a sixth sense about who needs help and when. They carry rucksacks for those who are feeling ill, and offer a hand up the steeper steps to small people like me!  Most of the Nepalis are quite small, yet some of the step heights on the paths are pretty high...going up is one thing, but I am beginning to worry about coming down, which will be harder on the knees.  The group has settled into a routine and we keep a pretty even pace which allows those who like to be at the front to do so, without getting too far ahead of those who prefer to be at the rear.

Jeff and I put the world to rights as we ascend – how we could do better on community regeneration, how to cut down bureaucracy and get cash in to local communities back home – and as usual we have a few good laughs thanks to his irrepressible humour.

 I have pretty much worked out my optimum pace, and count through a few of the taller people before I set off after breaks.  Bistaareï ,  Bistaareï   (slowly, slowly) is the order of the day. I have got used to the need to drink lots of water, sipping regularly as I climb, and dried cranberries are my treat at rest points.

As we approach the highest points, the views are again incredible. Layers and layers of mountains disappear into the horizon. It’s impossible to describe the scale as we see the whole mountain ranges stretch out before us.  I feel quite literally on top of the world as we arrive at our highest camp site on a ridge at Bhara Pokhari.  The air is noticeably thinner, and the temperature drops quickly as we prepare for our meal. I’m now glad I brought the duvet jacket and fleecy hat as it’s clear it will be a very cold night. 

Everyone is pretty excited at having made it to the high point and we decide to take the flags up to the ridge behind the camp for photos.   Paul Flood has carried the St Georges’ Cross all the way, and heads for the top. Grant has brought the Saltire and passes it to me to take up.  It’s a great feeling as we stand at the top, after all the effort to get there. 

There is an option to do an extra early morning walk, leaving at 5.30 am, but I make it clear to everyone that if I suggest going along, it is to be seen as a sign of altitude sickness!  I feel that I could do it, and Grant tells me that he thinks I am perfectly capable. But I am genuinely worried about the downward trek, given my history of knee trouble, and decide not to push my luck. I offer to be the responsible adult for one of the young people next day, to allow other residential staff and young people to do the early option.

Janice, David and Amy are still unwell, and our trek nurse Sereta has her hands full making sure they are looked after.

I make sure that I get my water bottle filled with hot water before heading to bed.  Wrapped up in thermals, a fleecy liner, a comfy sleeping bag (thanks Vango!) two pairs of socks and my fleecy hat, with the hot bottle close by, I settle down for the night.  I’m glad now I’ve brought the thermarest – foam mats have been provided and they are pretty comfy, but the extra insulation is a bonus on such a cold night. Several hours later, Sod’s Law decides that for the first time on trek, I need to get up for the loo, on the night when it is way below zero.  (I am later told it was around - 8 outside) Thankfully the boots and jacket are to hand and I crack the frost off the edge of the sleeping bag and the tent to go outside.

Scary moment time again when on my way back I see eyes glowing in my torchlight. Thankfully turns out to be one of the dogs which had followed us in to camp, and it’s now sleeping in the bushes next to my tent!  Get back inside quickly to heat up again and sleep soundly.

Descent from Bhara Pokhari

Next morning enjoy a long lie – till about 7am. After breakfast take a walk to the sacred lake Bhara Pokhari. Mahesh tells us that there were originally 12 similar lakes but most have disappeared due to climate change and there are fears that this one will too. It’s calm and peaceful as we stroll through the trees to the lakeside. Buddhist prayer flags blow in the breeze side by side with a small Hindu shrine. Once again we are reminded that these two religions peacefully co-exist. Mahesh tells us that people celebrate one another’s festivals and Holy days quite happily. A lesson for us in Scotland perhaps?

The route we have trekked has been used by pilgrims over the years, so there is a real sense of history.  Sereta tells us that it will bring us good luck to wash our faces in the lake and then throw water backwards over our heads three times, so we all follow her example. 

Back to campsite and the early morning walkers return – some have found it very hard going, as breathing has been difficult and some have returned early.  They get a big round of applause for their efforts as we are all proud of them.

We still have three trekkers who are ill, so they set off ahead of us, with Sherpas and Sereta, to give them a longer time to descend to our next camp site.

I enjoy the walk down, as we are treated again to great views, and the walk is along a high ridge and not too strenuous.

Unusually, we are told, we meet another trek coming up – a small group of Israelis. Our young people quickly pick up that this trek’s porters are carrying way more than our guys, and are very poorly kitted out. Later we learn from Jeff that many companies don’t pay their porters proper wages – they have to rely on tips - and don’t put limits on the weight to be carried.  We are told that there is an international organisation which presses for action, but it’s not a high profile issue.  I make a mental note of something else to be followed up when I get back.

The camp site at Chitre Kharka is incredible – tents are perched on a narrow ledge with steep slopes on either side. My tent is at the highest point of the ridge and I have an interesting slope to sleep on!  Janice is still not feeling good, so I leave her to rest in the tent and head down to the campfire the Sherpas have got going. We have an impromptu sing-song – thanks to Paul and the North Ayrshire team we are all able to belt out the Proclaimers 500 miles!  Some more songs from the Nepalis, including Resham Firiri, a Nepali Folk Song which has become our trek anthem (our team sang it as ‘trek like a donkey, climb like a monkey’, though I don’t know what the original words mean!)   and some songs and guitar accompaniment from Jeff and Mahesh and its back up the hill for dinner.

Final descent next morning means another early start.......so once again early to bed

The long way down.....

Janice has not had a good night so I leave her to have some peace and heave my gear outside the tent to pack it up.  Remembered I was on such a narrow ridge only when I see my wee snugpak pillow rolling down the hill. Decide not to try and run after it, but to watch where it ends up and go for a casual stroll to retrieve it. Unfortunately it rolls on for quite a distance and my stroll turns into a walk down the hill to find it!  But at least this gets me going. I am very impressed that  Dawn and Sheryl in the next tent have managed to do clothes washing and hairwashing with the small bowl of hot water...just goes to show how we can manage with less when we need to – another lesson for us back home.

It’s a very long haul down through ‘jungle’ with tricky paths and tree roots to contend with. More scary moments when the forest floor suddenly seems to be filled with ball bearings -  large spherical chestnut like fruits have fallen from the trees in their thousands, and  a few people sliding all over the place.  It might be fun if we weren’t carrying rucksacks and worrying about serious falls.

A landslide on the path usually taken means that the Sherpas have cut another path for us. It doesn’t look much like a path and we walk down through spiky bushes, shoulder high (on me!) ferns and grasses.  We are treated to sights of colourful butterflies, orchids growing on trees, and vultures and birds of prey circling overhead as we approach ‘Eagles View’ where we get spectacular scenery yet again, with the snow topped mountains ahead of us.

It’s pretty much all downhill from here!  More stone steps and paths down through the forest to our lunch stop where we enjoy locally grown vegetables (and of course a muesli bar) before heading downwards yet again. It’s pretty tiring and although my knee is holding up ok I can feel it creaking here and there.  But on we go ever downwards, occasionally looking back up to the top and wondering if we really have come all that way!

At last we are into the valley and walk back through the rice paddies to our last camp site at Bhul Bhule.  It’s a bit of a culture shock being back in even a small village with tea houses, shops and people milling around.  Lots of folk head for the village shop to buy mars bars and crisps, but I decide on coffee. It takes us only a few minutes to walk from one end of the village to the other, but we feel like we are nearing the end of the trek, and the mood begins to turn downwards.

A collection is taken for tips for the Sherpas and porters and the CAT team and who cares staff divide it up into according to an agreed formula. We think we have collected an reasonable amount, but when the young people step forward to hand it over, we all feel we should have given more, as it works out at around £10 each for the lowest paid porters, with bigger amounts for kitchen staff and Sherpas.  Some of the young people are pretty upset as they have become quite close to the team.

We had planned to have some music and dancing on this last night of camping, but the camp site layout and illness of some of our musicians made that impossible, so it was off to bed in a slightly subdued way.

Janice’s fever was still really bad, so Jeff and Grant decided to bunk up together and give me Jeff’s tent, so that Janice could get a decent sleep, and I would be less likely to catch whatever she had!

I had forgotten about my blackberry as we had been out of phone range for so long, so woke up with a start when a text message from home arrived – belated Happy Birthday!

The last day trekking...

The day starts with us piling all our unneeded medicines and medical kits into a bib basket for onward transmission to one of CAN’s health posts. Like others I have brought a decent supply of basic medicines as well as Diamox and anti-biotics.  As I drop the boxes into the basket, I realise that I have had not used a single painkiller for the shoulder and knee pain which often plagues me at home.

In another basket, we drop items of clothing and equipment we don’t need, which will be used by the Sherpas and porters. They organise a massive raffle to see who gets what, and the excitement is all around who will get the football tops which have been included.

We’ve become so accustomed to long days trekking that we are completely unfazed by the prospect of a 4 hour walk to meet up with the bus at Besi Shar.  In fact, we are actively looking forward to what we now consider a bit of a stroll!  The folks who are still ill get the chance to take the bus from Bhul Bhule to Besi Shar, though when I see the bus and the state of the road, I suspect that walking is the better option!  We leave Bhul Bhule via a suspension bridge and are warned that there is another one, in very poor condition still to come. It is possible to avoid the dodgy bridge by a short additional journey on the road. I decide to wait till I see the state of play before deciding on road or bridge. The trek now takes us along the road and we pass rows of tiny huts which house local families. Chickens, goats and cows roam freely. People are washing hair and clothes at water pumps at the side of the road.  We have all been very careful to use alcohol gels for regular hand hygiene during the trek, and it’s apparent to me that health would immediately be improved if clean water supplies and some form of sanitation was installed in the clusters of houses we pass.

Everyone is friendly and the usual greetings of ‘Namaste’ continue as we walk. A few children ask for chocolate or sweets. We have been counselled against giving these, as dental hygiene is poor, but instead offer muesli bars and dried fruit.

The road and river merge at various stages, and we have to pick our way across stepping stones or just go for splashing through. I opt for the latter course, and have proof that my boots are still waterproof. Approaching the ‘dodgy bridge’ Grant tells me that it really is dodgy, with wooden slats missing and bits of the side roping not good. I believe him, and opt to walk along to the new road bridge which is only a short extra distance. On the way, we pass a shop selling mobile phones, which looks really out of place. But a few hundred yards along the road, we see women sitting outside their small hut houses chatting away on mobiles. Round the next bend and a dying cow lies at the side of the road.

At last we are almost at Besi Shar. One more river crossing, and I am helped across the last stepping stones by Paul Murray who has now developed the Sherpa like instinct to know when the steps are too long or too high for someone of my height!

Up the last stone staircase of the trek and into the bright sunlight of the main street in the town. First stop is for juice.  We have all been thinking of what we would like when we get back – some folks are desperate for ice cream or chocolate. I decide I want a banana smoothie. Meantime I settle for fanta orange, and go off in search of bananas. A small girl at a fruit stall gets me two tiny bananas and tells me they are 10 rupees, which I reckon is a bargain!  

I have had no blisters or foot problems, and my knee has held up really well. But now I am desperate to get my boots off. I don’t have any spare shoes in my day sac so head off with Leigh, who is in the same position, to try and buy some flip flops. These are easy to find as pretty much everybody wears them in Nepal, and we get our sizes at the first shop.  Mine are bright orange but seem like £1 well spent as they are really comfy.

There is a bit of a delay as we wait for our bus to arrive. Apparently it has been involved in a bump with a motor bike on the way. Given the state of the roads and the style of driving, I am surprised we have not seen more accidents. Willie is up on the roof of the bus which has arrived, trying out for a job as a porter, as he hauls up the bags! Mahesh says he will give him a job any time!

We arrive back in Pokhara after a long dusty bus journey and into the hotel. I find it odd to see people doing relatively normal things, like sitting at the pool!

A hot shower and clean clothes is just the job to set us up for the evening. Janice has recovered enough to feel the need for shopping, so a few of us head along the main street.  She buys another skirt, and once again I am persuaded that I should get a new top to wear at the gala dinner that night. After much toing and froing I pick one out, but am convinced it won’t fit. The shopkeeper offers to let me try it on and I am pointed through a door. I discover that I have gone from the shop into the family’s living quarters. The room is small, but neatly furnished, with immaculate crockery and dishes on display. I feel as if I am intruding but try on the top anyway, and am delighted it fits!

Two young Nepali boys approach me and hand over a page torn from a jotter. In beautifully handwritten English their note tells me they are setting up a football team and need sponsors to help them buy their kit. The page is illustrated with drawings.  How they managed to pick me out as the one for a good football story, I ‘m not sure.  I admire their initiative but want to check if they really are football fans, so ask them some questions. Their favourite players? Ronaldo and Beckham. Do they know any Scottish players? No, but they can name two teams from Glasgow. Favourite premiership team? Manchester Utd.  I tell them I support Kilmarnock, and that if they meet any more Scots they should mention Killie! And I decide they have passed the test as fans so give them a contribution for their team.

Our gala dinner gives everyone a chance to dress up.  Pashminas and shawls of every colour are on display, Amy has a lovely Nepali dress, and Willie steals the show with a Nepali linen suit he has had made. 

After dinner Paul takes me to the shop where he has bought the Nepali Tiger and Goat game, which I want to take home too.  I get the set I want, but we can’t give it a try as we don’t have instructions – we will need to track them down later.