Page 31 - 1995 Mountaineering Club Bulletin

PhaRding Bridge over Dudh Kosi
use the mess tent to sleep in on completion of the evening meal and as they drifted in this particular evening we stayed put and coaxed them into Nepalese folk song and unexpected dance. We matched them song for song until it was decided in the interests of neighbourly relations we had better quieten things down.
The following day we returned to Namche via the hospital at Khunde and left all our spare medical kit with the two Canadian doctors. It was sufficient to keep them going for a month and they are very appreciate of any groups who can donate medical equipment at the end of a trek.
The trek from Namche to Lukla is a long haul however by this stage everyone is extremely fit and most a good deal lighter. The distance is therefore quite manageable though it is by no means all down hill! The rickety suspension bridges are just as heart lurch­ ing but you have by now mastered the technique of remaining in balance as the rough planking sways madly under your feet.
At Lukla we had to say good bye to all our Sherpas, porters and the cook team who had looked after us so well for the past 26 days. We had come to know many of them quite well and it was a poignant moment as we tipped each in turn and handed out clothing that individual team members donated. As night drew in they lifted their dokos once more and went to find lodgings before walking back to Jiri with all the trekking company equipment.
LUKLA TO KATHMANDU 24 OCT
Fixed wing flying operations from Lukla had been suspended owing to essential runway repairs and in their place three airlines were operating ex Russian military helicopters to ferry passengers and freight between Kathmandu and the mountain airstrip. The Mil 8 helicopter has an impressive payload capability particularly when operating at up to 13,000ft. Its downwash is considerable as we observed several helicopters landing and wreaking havoc by blowing boxes over perimeter fences, and baggage that was stacked ready for loading would be sent bounding down the runway. Flight Safety does not appear to be a major issue - yet.
Our aircraft was loaded to the gunwales. In fact we were begin­ ning to wonder just where the 30 odd passengers would sit as sev­ eral tons of expedition equipment and all the baggage was piled high in the centre of the aircraft. The two cabin staff ushered us
onboard and we clambered over the luggage and squeezed on to canvas troop seats that ran the length of each side of the fuselage. Flying time to Kathmandu was approximately 35 mins and the journey was smooth and uneventful. The small porthole windows offered limited but superb views of incredible terrain and gave tantalising glimpses of quiet valleys and little known tracks that would be a welcome respite from the heavy trekking traffic on the popular routes.
October and November are the most popular months for trekking in Nepal. Our decision to depart UK relatively early in late September meant we ran the risk of catching any late monsoon rain, (which we did), but the campsites and lodges still had plenty of space. In the height of the season every lodge and campsite fills to capacity and you have to be an early bird to reserve a bunk or decent pitch. It is a sombre thought that had our expedition departed three weeks later we may well have been caught out in the unseasonably heavy snows that hit many areas of the Himalayas this year (NOV 1995). The loss of life in the Gokyo valley avalanche and subsequent landslide resulted from over crowded campsites forcing the Japanese team to pitch camp on an unpre­ pared site along the trail between Dole and Machermo. Any team could have been placed in a similar situation, but could the acci­ dent have been prevented if the dangers from above had been recognised by the Sirdar/Team Leader? It is easy to be wise after the event, but one point this tragedy emphasises is that any poten­ tial expedition leader must plan to expect the unexpected.
In the event that Lukla flights were delayed due to poor mountain weather conditions several days flex was allowed to ensure we had plenty of time to catch the flight home. Fortunately we departed Lukla on time permitting two days in Kathmandu for R&R, Defence Attache debrief, a cultural visit and a good haggling ses­ sion for souvenirs. A visit to the airport and some persistent searching located Dave’s expedition bag from the depths of the lost property store just in time to take it home again.
Royal Nepal Airways however had not quite finished with us. After an unbelievably smooth transition through airport officialdom we departed on the carriers’ only Airbus. The journey was uneventful until one hour short of Gatwick during the transit stopover at Frankfurt, an engine fault grounded the aircraft overnight. Instead of spending our first night at home we retired to the luxury of the Frankfurt Sheraton. If you are flying to Nepal consider seriously which airline you use.
ANNUAL BULLETIN
THE ROYAL NAVY & ROYAL MARINES MOUNTAINEERING CLUB
29
Dave Barren