Arrival in the Himalayas

 Nepal!

I am in a solo seat at the front of a tiny two engined prop plane with 20 Nepalese passengers flying to Lake Rara in the Western District of Mugu. The pilot is within a metre of me but behind a curtain, unlike last time I flew here in 2019 when you could watch his technique! We are flying over the dry forested foothills of the Himalayas as we climb to about 10,000 feet and then descend to a small sloping runway just below the deep blue lake. Cotton wool is provided as ear plugs for the engines are very loud. All the senses are stimulated: there are unsubtle oily fumes and the prop is also within a metre of me. I think as one gets older one’s mortality feels greater on these flights. Tragically a large prop plane crashed at Pokhara 2 months ago killing over 100 people: early reports suggest a technical failure of the feathering of the blades. A fellow passenger, working in Mugu for United Mission Rescue, was telling me of 14 people killed in a mudslide there in the October Monsoon: risk is everywhere. 

It has been an exceptionally dry winter here: more climate change, just as the UK has its coldest snap for over 10 years. It is late winter now but already a lovely warm 20s in the daytime. 

There have been no flights to Rara for 3 days due to cloud; fortunately I have only been delayed by a day! Some have to leave by the 2 day jeep ride to meet their deadlines! I will have 3 spare days to meet mine! 

The typical blue corrugated roofs of the hill villages are appearing just below the dusty snow-line as we almost touch the top of the foothills. The smaller rivers are dry. Most of the hills are parched but there are some watered and green fields. It is good to be back in the glorious Himalayas.  


Safely touched down at 2700m. 


Likely no more WiFi for 10 days beyond here…


Thereafter, I briefly met my preceding PHASE GP who was ‘handing over’ to me; she boarded my plane and departed within minutes. I joined our fellow Nepali PHASE colleague and we began the two legged taxi-jeep journey to our village destination 3 hours down the valley. Unlike my previous two trips ‘high’ in the hills, this time I am adjacent to a cold and racing turquoise blue river. 

The team supervisor & I are met by the sole US-AID funded community physiotherapist for the 7 districts, our PHASE Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (just one at present, not the usual pair) and the Agricultural assistant (& chief chef!). 

After a good walk to stretch the legs, the physiotherapist & I give an impromptu tutorial about shoulders, followed by supper and playing cards. And I try to learn some basic Nepali, realising very quickly that I must learn very different guttural sounds to be understood! 

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