NEPAL ADVENTURE
WHY NEPAL?
Well, I would say: why not Nepal? I remember mentioning that idea to a friend not too long after my accident and getting a smile in return, accompanied by a sarcastic : ‘’that’s going to be challenging’’
Early this year, during an afternoon tea of two supposedly inspired zen travelers coming back from a trip to India/Nepal, I raised my hand as of them was asking whether anybody intended to go there. “ I think you cannot go to Nepal’’, the lady said. I stayed put and asked why not. She explained that even for her, enabled body, it had been difficult, because roads were so bad, bla bla bla. I said ‘’alles kan’’ / everything is possible… I just wondered what need she had to say things like that? Did I look like I thought I could do some trekking to the Everest?
Well, one day I simply booked my flight. I yet had to find and book another flight one month later as the first airline from which I booked could not accommodate a wheelchair passenger travelling alone up to Kathmandu (congratulation Cathay Pacific!). All flights to Kathmandu are pretty complicated, relatively expensive and tiring. Finally I chose to fly jet Airways via Delhi, with a short flying time (about 11hours in total), but with extensive waiting /transit time between the 2 flights.
If I had to summarize, I would say this was one of the most challenging trips I made so far, but it was also one of the greatest and richest experiences. Of course a lot of things I could not do. But who cares? I did much more than I dared hope. And all in all, Nepal is a relatively okey country to travel alone, even if you are disabled, because people are extremelly helpful and friendly.
Day 1 – Departure (November 13th, 2009). From Brussels. I was luckily hosted by my very good friend living there and she also dropped me at the airport. Not just me and my own wheelchair but also the second wheelchair I took along as I knew a lot of people might need equipment overthere. Arrival in Delhi, around 11pm. 8-10hours waiting time in the airport transit area till the morning after. Not really comfortable. One funny thing is that I kind of visited some places a ''normal'' person would never see in an airport. It looked like the Jet airways guy who got me out of the plane (via a kind of truck lift after quite some waiting time), did not exactly know what to do with me. After some hesitation i was led to the warehouse area, where I would get my own wheelchair back. First time i experience such a sightseing. Was kind of special I must say and people were friendly. See picture waiting at Delhi airport and other pictures on how to move around or be moved around in a wheelchair in Nepal here .
Day 2: arrival in Kathmandu. “Kathmandu Guest House’’ booked from the Netherlands. They include group pick up at the airport. This went pretty smoothly. Next part was a bit more difficult. Arriving at the guest house, it was chaos. Among others, my room was not ready yet. I had to wait close to 2 hours. Believe me I would have killed for a bed! Well, finally it arrived. Through email they had informed me that there were a few steps to go to the room but that there would always be somebody to help me. Was not always the case, but anyway. What they ommitted to mention was that there was also quite a high step to go to the bathroom which made it very unpractical. Also reaching the shower was impossible.
I spent one night and one day in the room. Did not have the strength to say anything at first. The only thing I wanted was to be alone, to lie down!! So the first day was definitely not great. End of the day, when I decided to be brave and move out of the room, they let me fall, when trying to lift me in the chair to bridge over the 3 steps. Nothing broken but this was a nice sidewise /lateral fall . Did not have this one yet in my collection!
Day 3 - I was given another room, with equally high 3 steps again to go to the room, but without step to the bathroom, and with a possibility to take a shower! Wahoo! As long as there is progress, there is hope ! My mood and my shape was still a bit low, I have to admit. The cold I cought in the Netherlands before leaving had become a bit worse, and I could feel the bacterias conquering my body, at least trying.
I forced myself to move somewhat. First thing was going around, in Thamel, where most guest house/ hotels and merchants are. I immediately was struck by the pollution, the dirt and the noise, but I kind of liked the sphere, the magic of the small details, the faces, the temples, the colours…
Women and children fetching water: this is something you see everyday when you are in Nepal, including in Kathmandu. Turning a tap and getting (drinking) water is something we take for granted !
Day4 - I met ECCA, a Nepalese NGO acting to preserve environment and bringing some local solar lighting solutions to underserved/ offgrid areas of Nepal. Well, yes the discussion reminded me of my job, but who cares, it was a unique opportunity to meet some local actors overthere and learn about their experience.
Early this year, during an afternoon tea of two supposedly inspired zen travelers coming back from a trip to India/Nepal, I raised my hand as of them was asking whether anybody intended to go there. “ I think you cannot go to Nepal’’, the lady said. I stayed put and asked why not. She explained that even for her, enabled body, it had been difficult, because roads were so bad, bla bla bla. I said ‘’alles kan’’ / everything is possible… I just wondered what need she had to say things like that? Did I look like I thought I could do some trekking to the Everest?
Well, one day I simply booked my flight. I yet had to find and book another flight one month later as the first airline from which I booked could not accommodate a wheelchair passenger travelling alone up to Kathmandu (congratulation Cathay Pacific!). All flights to Kathmandu are pretty complicated, relatively expensive and tiring. Finally I chose to fly jet Airways via Delhi, with a short flying time (about 11hours in total), but with extensive waiting /transit time between the 2 flights.
If I had to summarize, I would say this was one of the most challenging trips I made so far, but it was also one of the greatest and richest experiences. Of course a lot of things I could not do. But who cares? I did much more than I dared hope. And all in all, Nepal is a relatively okey country to travel alone, even if you are disabled, because people are extremelly helpful and friendly.
Day 1 – Departure (November 13th, 2009). From Brussels. I was luckily hosted by my very good friend living there and she also dropped me at the airport. Not just me and my own wheelchair but also the second wheelchair I took along as I knew a lot of people might need equipment overthere. Arrival in Delhi, around 11pm. 8-10hours waiting time in the airport transit area till the morning after. Not really comfortable. One funny thing is that I kind of visited some places a ''normal'' person would never see in an airport. It looked like the Jet airways guy who got me out of the plane (via a kind of truck lift after quite some waiting time), did not exactly know what to do with me. After some hesitation i was led to the warehouse area, where I would get my own wheelchair back. First time i experience such a sightseing. Was kind of special I must say and people were friendly. See picture waiting at Delhi airport and other pictures on how to move around or be moved around in a wheelchair in Nepal here .
Day 2: arrival in Kathmandu. “Kathmandu Guest House’’ booked from the Netherlands. They include group pick up at the airport. This went pretty smoothly. Next part was a bit more difficult. Arriving at the guest house, it was chaos. Among others, my room was not ready yet. I had to wait close to 2 hours. Believe me I would have killed for a bed! Well, finally it arrived. Through email they had informed me that there were a few steps to go to the room but that there would always be somebody to help me. Was not always the case, but anyway. What they ommitted to mention was that there was also quite a high step to go to the bathroom which made it very unpractical. Also reaching the shower was impossible.
I spent one night and one day in the room. Did not have the strength to say anything at first. The only thing I wanted was to be alone, to lie down!! So the first day was definitely not great. End of the day, when I decided to be brave and move out of the room, they let me fall, when trying to lift me in the chair to bridge over the 3 steps. Nothing broken but this was a nice sidewise /lateral fall . Did not have this one yet in my collection!
Day 3 - I was given another room, with equally high 3 steps again to go to the room, but without step to the bathroom, and with a possibility to take a shower! Wahoo! As long as there is progress, there is hope ! My mood and my shape was still a bit low, I have to admit. The cold I cought in the Netherlands before leaving had become a bit worse, and I could feel the bacterias conquering my body, at least trying.
I forced myself to move somewhat. First thing was going around, in Thamel, where most guest house/ hotels and merchants are. I immediately was struck by the pollution, the dirt and the noise, but I kind of liked the sphere, the magic of the small details, the faces, the temples, the colours…
Women and children fetching water: this is something you see everyday when you are in Nepal, including in Kathmandu. Turning a tap and getting (drinking) water is something we take for granted !
Day4 - I met ECCA, a Nepalese NGO acting to preserve environment and bringing some local solar lighting solutions to underserved/ offgrid areas of Nepal. Well, yes the discussion reminded me of my job, but who cares, it was a unique opportunity to meet some local actors overthere and learn about their experience.
Solar cooking is very usual as soon as you go up in the Himmalayas, or even in Pokkhara. In many villages each family has one reflector that was granted to them, i understood, and enables them to cook by using the reflection of the sun only. Some other families or hotels, not so many it seemed, have a total photovoltaic installation enabling them to also have hot water and heating enabled by the sun. see picture of solar cooking device on the roof (picture links)
Energy situation in Nepal: power cuts every day. As a tourist I experienced everyday how to rely on a candle or on limited light (in case the hotel is big enough for a small generator for a bit of light only). Fruit vendors on the street also rely on a tiny candle or kerosene light after dark:
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Day 5- go to Bothnath Stupa , Tibetan temple (taxi from Kathmandu). It's busy busy, lots of people, but there remains a sort of magic, or at least a sphere, with all these people going around the stupa, the eyes watching you and the colourful flags accompanying your ride...
Same day: taxi to Bhaktapur (about 10 km from Kathmandu)
Bhaktapur is one of the places I liked most. Mediaval city. Its lights, its colours, its shrines, its side streets are enchanting. Its temples and squares are well preserved or restaured. I accepted the help of a guide when I arrived there and must admit it was a good idea, both for the logistic help he provided to me, or lifting me up various steps or other hurdles, but also telling me some spicy details about what I saw...
Day 6 - Go to movie ‘’you will never walk again’’ . Usha, my new Nepalese friend with whom I had email contacts before leaving, had organized showing the movie. The latter was made by isci (see ISCI website ) to promote research/treatment for spinal cord injury.
This was a well-prepared event which raised attention of many attending people, mostly students, interested by the documentary and raised quite some questions to the present Nepalese SCI surgeon and to myself.
Day 7 – Go to first day of the ASCON conference (Asian Spinal Cord Network = derived from ISCOS). There i learned that, main cause of spinal cord injury is the fall out of a tree, by rural people going to get some grass for animals or wood (see above picture- woman fetching grass), or from their house. Road accident only comes as a third cause. See this woman on the house roof with her baby in her back! (picture below)
One striking sentence was repeated again and again during the conference : "the poorer they are, the lower they fall…" Their priority is to survive. And this is not a given, as the equipment and medication provided is minimal. Even the President of Nepal was attending! And we shook hands. see these pictures.
Hard working women, you see them everywhere. carrying unbelievable burdens, doing heavy work:
Day 8- Go to Pashupatinath - cremation site (by taxi, about 20min from Kathmandu)
Pashputinath is at the border of the Bagmati river, being considered as holy as the Ganges in India. Hindus get cremated there. Depending on their cast / rank, they would be cremated on the ghats on different side of the river bank. Traditionally the oldest son of the family would have a key role. He would shave his head and wear white clothes for weeks. People one sees in the water are ''untouchables'' trying to recover some valuable metal/gold, after the cremation is over.
Picture: saddhu in PathputinathDay 9 – leave by bus to Pokkara. 6 hours bus from Kathmandu (if all goes well).
Going to the bus station wheeling from the hotel. After a slight stress due to the fact that, at 6am, there was first nobody available to help me go up the bloody steps!!! again something i could have planned better!! well finally a tourist helped me out. Going to the bus station, which was not too far away, even though it took more time than i planned, because the bag on my lap combined with the uneven tiles on the ground was preventing me from swift progress. Anyway I made it to the right bus station (beware there are two!!), Staff carried me/lifted me into the bus. After that, not possible to get out. So better not drink too much! Everybody goes out of the bus at breaks and I stay inside. When they go out for lunch, to the restaurant with about 20 steps, I think ok, no lunch. Well anyway, I usually cannot take a spoon of this spicy food… but actually the guy assisting the bus driver brings me a full plate of food, most of which will remain, because of spicy status! Travelling in Asia when you don’t like and cannot eat spicy food is quite a challenge. Being high maintenance on food as I am is a challenge!
Arriving to Pokkara and to a hotel which I booked from Kathmandu. – steps, steps, and steps…Step to bathroom. Bath without hot water... hum, wanna more details ? i spent one night there, and then looked for another place.Day 10-Go to butterfly lodge, Pokkhara Lake Side
Great place. Entering that place was such a relief. It is quiet, basic, very simple, but spacious, and most importantly, incredibly friendly. Khem, managing the lodge, from the very first minutes, tries to help me make my stay as confortable as possible. The place is not exactly wheelchair friendly, but with a bit of help, a stone placed on the ground here and there, the path is modified, and this is the very first time i am finally going to be totally independant and be able to enter my room without any assistance!!! this, and the loverly garden in front, makes me so happy!!! then i can enjoy Pokkhara. go around the lake, watch, breath... Pokkhara lake. I rolled around, well not completely as it was getting too steep. but it is possible to spend a nice time there!
Day 11- trekking in a basket, to Sarangkot
By taxi a few kilometers away. Then a few people prepare a basket for me. It's a basket they (the so-called Sherpas) carry all kind of stuff in, and occasionally people, mostly old people who cannot walk easily anymore. I heard it was possible to do that and I wanted to try. see picture here. I would not recommend it. At the end, although I am pretty light, once you have added cushion, clothes, shoes and cameras, I could not help realizing that it could not be good for the neck and back of the guys carrying (fortunately there were 2 of them and they could interchange every often to rest a bit).
It was and probably by far, not the heaviest weight they carried, and it was only for a short trek, but I decided I would not do it ever again, even though I enjoyed the view, the very small villages and houses along the way.
It was and probably by far, not the heaviest weight they carried, and it was only for a short trek, but I decided I would not do it ever again, even though I enjoyed the view, the very small villages and houses along the way.
Day 12- going to the Tibetan refugee camps, by taxi from Pokkhara (approx 30min).
I was not very lucky, the monks were all away, in India, and thus I could not hear their songs. Next time! but the place was nice to see. I was accompanied there by Sunil, one of the guys serving at ''Chilly bar'' where I went quite often, as it's a restaurant without steps and with wifi connection!! (and with non-spicy food as well!!!). Sunil was helping at each step, even wanted to help me remove my shoes for entering the temple. He was very friendly, very helpful, too helpful to say the truth...
There are 10 000 tibetan refugees in Nepal. It’s not so much but you see them everywhere, and you experience a part of Tibet, with its prayer flags, again and again.
Day 13- fly to Jomson (2800 meter)
The flight takes place every morning in a small plane. From Jomson airport I needed to go to the jeep stand. Not having a clue of where I was going and how, i thought it might be smart to team up. So, I approached a German couple at the tiny Jomson airport and they were nice enough to help. They were very patient as well! And I was lucky to have their help: there are not only a lot of tiles on the way but also a bridge and huge steps at the end of the bridge. Again, forget doing that alone if you are not ready to ask for help!.
It is supposed to take 15 min walking. it took us about 30-45 min. The view to go to the jeepstand is wonderful! (see picture above and below).
Although my first intention was to stop at Cakbenni, a small village on our way up, when the jeep stops announcing Cakbenni, i rapidely change my mind. We are in the middle of nowhere. Well, basically, in the Himmalayas, Cakbenni being almost 1 km away from the stop. The driver will not go any further. He explains that there is no road to Cakbenni!! hum, i wish they would have told me that earlier. Never mind, I decide to stay in the jeep and go to the end destination, being another village, much higher, Muktinath (3800m). The view from the jeep, up and down, is breathtaking. great great great. I love it !!!
– In Muktinath: relax, drink drink drink. I am afraid of having problems because of the altitude and the sudden change. that will be ok though. There are just very few hotels in the small village. We go to one of them. Its name ? The North Pole. Believe me, it's an excellent name. No heating. But hotel owners very friendly and helpful. Made it possible to get a room with bathroom, downstair. and very surprisingly, it is also a place that I can enter without any assistance. If it would have been just a bit warmer, it would have been perfect!! the dinner there is great, cheerful. All tourists meet in the living room. There is fire (gaz) under the table and you get warm for a few hours at least. But going back to the room, it is cold, cold, cold. I did not sleep that night, as it was so cold and my legs never got warm!
Corinne and kids at Jarkot village
Day 14- jeep to jarkot.
Realizing that I might have made a mistake not taking a guide/porter, as it had been advised to me, I thought ok, let's hire some help now, to go to the small villages down the hill. I tried. it was all arranged, but finally, the guide did not show up. so I was on my own again!!! nevertheless, I managed to take the jeep at 9am. Stopped at the next small village Jarkot. Stayed quite a while there, with the kids around. I could not enter the village on my own as the way was too steep. but I took my time. enjoying the view. breathing, watching, playing with the kids around, making pictures...
Finally, after a long while I decided to try and enter the village. it was going up up up. I rapidely realized that i would go nowhere without help. I ''arranged'' two guides/ porters, who helped me go through the villages and the steps. it was great. It was really rock and roll. Miracle if I did not fall. The two guys spoke only a very few words of English and were not very attentive to my advises of going slowly when the path was becoming too steep or the step too high !!!
They have to carry me up quite a few steps to enable me to see a monastary. good to see. a few temples are there to see as well.
At 12.00pm, I take another jeep to Cakbenni (2800m). Fortunately, that jeep goes all the way down to the village. It 's a terribly difficult way. It is indeed not a road!
The whole village is again very difficult to access and going around is difficult. First thing is to find a hotel. I am supported by one of the inhabitants to do so. but the challenge will prove difficult. We are checking a few hotels. no luck. no room downstairs, or no room with restroom... Finally I go to one hotel which has either room upstairs, or room without bathroom, downstairs... well, i will not give too many details here, but it was not easy...
That issue being 'fixed'', i go around. There i manage to find some Nepalese guys on my way to help me, and even go through quite a few steps to see a monestary. It was worthwhile all the steps.
Day 15- Jeep to Jomson.
I would have liked to stay 2 nights in Cakbenni, but because it was so difficult to find a hotel with an accessible or pratical room, I had to go back to Jomson and put forward my flight by one day.
Day 16- flight jomson-pokkara
go back to lovely Butterfly Lodge and happy to feel like ''home'' and warm again!
Day 17- rest . eat Italian food, and drink a lot of delicious fresh fruit juices. Enjoy the sun and the warmth! Apologies to those preparing and selling local food, which I did not honoured very much I have to admit!
Day 18 - bus Pokkara to kathmandu.
Accidents, traffic jams... the trip back to Kathmandu was not smooth ! and i arrived very tired after more than 7 hours in the bus. bye bye the beautiful Pokkara lake and the quietness...
Day 19- go to other hotel. Hotel Mandap, Thamel
Going for the famous ''German Bakery'' in Thamel /Kathmandu, actually for the first time since I arrived in Nepal (surprising, because all tourists rush to those bakeries!) , I notice another hotel and realize it is much more accessible. nothing great but practical. Hotel Mandap, Thamel , very close to Kathmandu Guesthouse. By the way, the bakery there is fantastic, try the banana cake!!!
Then, after some shopping, go to hospital with Usha and meet spinal cord injury patients. All of them have been injured recently. All of them don't know what's happening to them and they hope, pray to get better. I can only bring the message that the science is making progress, but is it going to be quick enough to save them from lifetime paralysis ? see pictures .
??????
Often during my trip, I was asked by Nepalese people whether I believed in Karma. That belief seems to guide many people's behaviour (including good deeds to get out of a non favorable karma). Well, whether there is a karma or not, I do believe that we do still have possibility to influence things greatly, that we remain responsible and that we do have to try and change things for the best.......
By the way, if you want to help, in anyway, promote research towards finding a cure for paralysis, pls mail me at corinne4cure@gmail.com. You can support us in many ways, advise us, create networking, communicate, sponsor...
Day 20- Rally for the handicapped of Nepal. There I met a lot of people, with all kind of limitations and all kinds of possibilities!. Took time to talk and try to get to know people and situations.
Realizing Millenium Development Goals, with children and adults living with disabilities. Rally was co-organized by Handicap International
Middle picture: Beautiful Anita, 19 year old, felt from the roof of the house and now has complete spinal cord injury. She asked me to not forget her...
Being handicapped in Nepal, hum, what to say? not the best place, although there is no good place to be blind, deaf or paralysed. Nevertheless, seeing what they have, vs the equipment and relative luxury we have here in the western world is again a reason for not complaining (no reason to not try and change things though). If you wish to help them in anyway (eg by sending equiment, or in any otherway, pls let me know!)
Day 21- flight to Dehli - waiting 10 hours in transit- flight Delhi-Bruxelles
Saturday 5 December: arrive in Bruxelles. happily welcome with breakfast. My car battery needs to be recharged. It's raining and I am riding back to Eindhoven under a very grey sky. Looking forward to the next adventure!
Wanna see more pictures of my trip to Nepal? click here
