Page 16 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

14 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Exercise Northern Trek – British Services Dhaulagiri Medical Research Expedition (BSDMRE) Nepal (19 Apr–11 May 2016)
Defence Medical Group North participated in the British Service Dhaulagiri Medical Research Expedition in Nepal. The purpose of the expedition was to assess and record how the human endocrine system responds to high altitude. Leeds Beckett University lead the research and two researchers accompanied us on the trek. The Dhaulagiri circuit is one of the more challenging routes through the Himalayas, with a mixture of humid jungle, cold harsh mountainous terrain and awe-inspiring scenery. The trekking team attended a 5-day training week in the Lake District during the winter months; the changeable UK weather was ideal for preparing the team for the expedition. The training involved wild camping, navigation and personal administration on the mountain, ensuring all team members were competent before the expedition to Nepal. It was also the perfect opportunity to bond as a team, and ensured we had the right kit, as many of us had never ventured to such a high altitude.
The trip began in Kathmandu, which is the largest city in Nepal. The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1400 meters, in a bowl-shaped valley in the centre of Nepal and is surrounded by four major mountains. Over 20% of the overall population of Nepal live in Kathmandu and this was clearly evident in the hustle and bustle of the vibrant streets. The main religious affiliations are dominantly Hindu, followed by Buddhism with many temples doted around the city. One of the more spectacular was Boudhanath, which is one of the largest in the world, with elaborate gold decoration on the roof, and colourful prayer flags which drape from building to building creating a perfect back drop. This attracted monks dressed in orange clads, and tourists from all over the world snapping shots of the ancient place of worship.
To start the trekking phase, we had to travel by bus along what was referred to by the locals as a road! The trekking team, Sherpas and all of our trekking
equipment was squeezed into a tiny bus with no room to move once inside. We began our 9-hour bumpy journey along a single dirty track road, which was covered in huge boulders, massive potholes and sheer vertical drops into fast running rivers. The manoeuvring etiquette when encountering another vehicle consisted of beeping your horn loudly whilst heading towards each other, almost like a game of chicken of who could get closest to the edge!
We survived the treacherous bus journey and began trekking; for a few days we headed along the Myag Khola River, on sun-exposed paths, which ascended and descended through picturesque villages and over many rickety bridges. The terrain was very challenging, through sub-tropical forests and small rocky paths that ran deep through the valley. Some of the most memorable features were the waterfalls, which were overflowing, thousands of metres above us, clearly being fed by the snowy mountains that stood behind. At these lower levels of the trek the weather was extremely warm and humid, so we needed lots of sun cream and insect repellent to avoid being burnt and savaged by the local bugs. The team of Sherpas that accompanied us were incredible; their strength was phenomenal, sometimes carrying over 75kg. They would tie two grip bags together and any additional kit they could balance, and strap this across their foreheads, in their jeans and flip-flops; they lead the way.
The altitude became apparent once we got to Sallagiri which is 3100 metres above sea level; breathing became more difficult and even simple journeys made you breathless; some members of the group were beginning to show symptoms of altitude sickness.
We were more than thankful to arrive at Italian Base Camp at 3500 metres which was our first rest day. This allowed the team time for rest and to acclimatise to the altitude whilst enjoying the splendour of the surroundings. At Italian BC the change in temperature was dramatic; one minute you could be enjoying the beautiful Himalayan Mountains whilst the snow fell, the next the sun would break through and the
temperature would increase by up to twenty degrees. The researchers from Leeds Beckett University began the first phase of medical data collection at Italian BC. All members of the trekking team volunteered to have blood samples taken and echocardiograms to see how they were responding physiologically at altitude. After all the tests were completed we would retreat to the mess tent to enjoy some hot drinks and biscuits, including playing a few games of cards noticeably slower than we did at lower levels; the ever thinning air was making even simple decisions more difficult.
After our day of recuperation, we gained altitude heading to Dhaulagari Base Camp (BC) (4750 metres). The trail meandered between glacier and moraine with stunning geological displays as the glacier carved the way through the valley. There were crevasses with big holes and sheer drops; we could only guess how deep they were. Underneath were the sounds of a river that we could only hear but not see. Further along the trail the rock fall increased, and the sounds of avalanches were all around, making us realise how dangerous it was so high up on the mountain. As we approached Dhaulagiri BC, to the North was Tukuche (6920 metres) with snowy covered crags which gave a swirling effect. To the West of camp was the giant Dhaulagiri summit. It stands at 8167 metres above sea level and is the seventh highest mountain in the World. The name comes from Sanskrit (dhawala), meaning dazzling, white, beautiful and (giri) meaning mountain, and it most certainly meets the description. We spent a day at BC trying to rest, but due to the increase