Memories

Just lately I've been thinking a lot about a trip I made to Nepal in 1987. I flew out on the 12th April so at this time of year I always think about my visit to the mountainous country, and sadly, Nepal has been in the news recently as 16 Sherpas have died on Everest at the start of the climbing season.

I personally don't think that anyone should be climbing Everest any more. Human beings have no right to be there, in my opinion, but I can't ever see that happening as there is so much money to be made from climbing the mountain.

But anyway, I spent most of this evening taking out old photos from an album and scanning them onto my laptop. Here are a few of them:

Kathmandu airport

Our transport to the start of the trek in Pokhara

My trekking companions, Corrie (left) and Matthew

Testing the loads. We had a female porter on our trek who was lovely.

At the Tibetan Refugee village - an ideal opportunity for them to sell us stuff!

Little Nepali girl

Having a breather. Note the heavy load next to Corrie...

Me, after a very steep climb!

Preparing dinner!

The Annapurna range

The mountain I travelled to Nepal to see - Macchhapuchare (The Fish-Tail Mountain)

Our guides Ninja and Dawa

One of the terrifying rope bridges!

Nepalese village house

Several of our porters

Little Nepali boy

I trekked for ten days and then returned to the Kathmandu Guest House before embarking on a seven day river rafting trip down the Trisuli river. Here are some more photos:

Sleeping under the rafts was great until the night it rained!

Riding the rapids was exhilarating!

After the river rafting we visited Chitwan National Park and rode elephants while on the lookout for tigers!

Setting up camp

Stunning scenery

Visiting Nepal on my own when I was 19 was a turning point in my life. I felt like I grew up on that trip. It's certainly a time I look back on with enormous affection and one day (one day!) I'd love to go back!