We were greeted by many mosquitoes in the area due to the climate but this didn’t put us off. We went for a jungle walk firstly and managed to see fresh paw prints from tigers from the night before. One only understands how huge these cats are when they see them or a print with their own eyes. Full of nervous excitement we continued, but we were not rewarded with any noteworthy wildlife.

Yet in the Jeep Safari we did come across many things, largely due to the fact that the jeep covers so much more distance than on foot. Indeed we fulfilled my ambition my having a number of encounters with rhinos as well as three of the four species of deer found in Chitwan. The guides have eagle vision for wildlife, we were at a loss to explain how they manged to spot some of the animals.

Finally we also enjoyed an elephant safari. Though a little less comfortable than the jeep we actually got extremely close to a rhino in the thicket. We followed him for a while as he went about his business and eventually he disappeared into a seemingly impenetrable bush. The elephant were beautifully coloured and seemed well looked after and cared for.

It was really good to make it down to Chitwan. It offers a very different side of Nepal which would not jump into most people’s minds when you talk about the country. Of course it will always be famous for its incredible mountains and Everest, and rightly so, but Chitwan offers something the mountains cannot. If you have much time I would definitely recommend a two or three day visit.

It is very special to snake your way through Nepal on a raft often being faced with some unfriendly looking rapids. The views you get from rafting are very different to those whilst trekking, the cliff faces seem so much closer and taller as they plunge down towards the water. Not only are the views different to trekking, but the exercise forces you to exert just as much energy, only using different muscles.

We were given a comprehensive safety briefing beforehand for our 8-man raft and practiced the various paddling commands. It was certainly very important to do so as two of the biggest rapids of the whole three days came soon after launching. Appropriately named little brother and big brother they immediately threw us (literally and metaphorically) into the spirit of rafting. I never felt in real danger due to the precaution of having two safety kayaks in case of a capsize or man overboard.

On the contrary to the adrenaline fuelled bashing of rapids, there were some sections to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings and observe some of the wildlife. There were countless eagles and we also saw Langur monkeys and some kind of large rodents too.

The camping was great too. The spots they chose for the campsites were very special and an enterprising local villager would come to sell beer which was very welcome. The nights would wind down by sitting around the campfire and staring at the incredible star-lit sky. The food was plentiful and very good considering it was all had to be rafted down with us too. All of the guides were terrific, friendly, helpful and most importantly up for having a laugh with you.

Overall I would say that the rafting on the Kaligandaki river was one of the highlights of my 3 months in Nepal. There are gentler rivers just as there are more extreme rivers. But for me there was more than enough excitement on the Kaligandaki.

Certainly the festival brings smiles to everyone. After all there is nothing like acting as a child again, drenching whosoever dares to pass near enough to you. Being on the back of a motorbike, racing through the alleys of Bhaktapur receiving water from all directions was something which I won’t forget soon. Women pouring buckets from windows, gangs of kids on rooftops squirting down on you with water guns, not to mention the ground-assault of water balloons.

I think it’s fair to say being one of the only Westerners there, our motorbike was targeted more than others, but this was something I relished. The colour as well was great. It was the norm to see people walking past you with faces that looked like they had face-planted into a pool of colour. Reds, blues, yellows and purples were everywhere you looked.

I was told a little about the reasons of the festival. Firstly it is seen as the coming of spring (hence the colours) and better weather. Secondly it represents good overcoming evil and this was most definitely indicated in the smiles, laughs and joy of everyone involved. Ages from toddlers to the elderly all joined the fun.

The only down-side, and something which I was stupid to do, was that in the midst of it all my phone and camera broke. Quite simply, do not take your electronics with you and if you must ensure they are safely sealed in a Ziploc bag. Luckily this did not detract from the fun I had in the day!

The greatest challenge now left is the legacy side. The villagers were clearly pleased and happy about the whole project as shown in a fabulous evening of thanks to us. We were adorned with paint, scarves, tradition Tamang dress and many signs of thanks. I’m sure a night none of us shall forget. But it did make me realise that the challenge has shifted away from the physical side of the project.

We need to make sure that the villagers are trained in how to use computers to make sure that they can make good use of the full capabilities of the Internet. At the moment my impression is that they are a little afraid and intimidated by the technology. If we can not only train them but display to them the wonders of such technology then it is our belief that they will be captured and become desperate to make full use of it.

Nick believes that the best way to do this is through Skype. Many of the men of the village are currently working abroad in Malaysia and if their families were to be able to see their father/husband/son on their screen through Skype technology then their communication with these family members would be revolutionised. Just this display would lead to a greater curiosity of the capabilities that would be enabled.

This curiosity can lead to exploration and self-learning. It is my aim to give especially the children a certain level of knowledge and know-how so that they can begin to explore for themselves. I think a lot of training can be done by the village itself. If we can identify 3/4 villagers who have an aptitude for learning, they can pass on their knowledge. Much can be picked up from simply observing others on the computer over their shoulders too, something which should happen once the computers are set up in their community room. I genuinely believe that this technology and the Internet could hugely expand the horizons of the children of the village and give them opportunities for careers that perhaps would not have been possible before. This is the reason that getting the legacy correct is perhaps the most important part of the project.

From now we are sending a technician once a month to the village to ensure that all of the infrastructure is working as well as helping to train the villagers. Therefore my role now becomes a sideline one, receiving updates and advising as to any decisions that will be made. But it is my hope that after some time the village will begin to self-police, self-regulate and progress by themselves. This would be the ultimate ideal outcome of the entire project and has been since its inception.

There used to be three airlines operating daily flights to Lukla, but all except Tara Airlines were forced to discontinue their Lukla flight schedules as of this year. Fortunately Tara Airlines (an affiliate of Yeti Airlines, the largest in Nepal) has always been the most reliable airline flying to Lukla, and we can expect continued good service from them. Unfortunately, however, their new monopoly on this route has given them the freedom to impose some restrictive changes on the flights schedules and passenger rules and regulations.

There are now 35% fewer planes and flights (on average) scheduled into Lukla so this presents more difficulty securing flight reservations, especially for the more reliable early morning flights. Anyone planning to join an Everest trek during the main trekking seasons should confirm their booking as early as possible to insure that space on the Lukla flight will be available. The airline is also now requiring copies of passports to confirm reservations so these need to be sent as soon as you confirm your trek booking.

The other major change has been with the baggage weight limits. Previously, passengers were allowed up to 15 kg (33lbs) of checked luggage. This has now been reduced to a 10 kg/22 lb limit. The carry-on weight limit (5kg/12lb) has not been changed as yet.

There is also the possibility to pay a fee for excess baggage weight, but Tara Air has not confirmed the new guidelines for this. One thing to keep in mind is that Tara is applying these new restrictions to insure that total flight weight limits are not exceeded so that the flights are as safe as possible. This also applies to most flight delays in and out of Lukla, which are almost always because of greater caution and safety guidelines being applied by the airline.

ITrekNepal is addressing these changes as best we possibly can with some specific actions. We have always been very resourceful getting Lukla flight reservations, even under the most demanding conditions. The ITrekNepal operations staff have very close connections with Tara Air and will do whatever is required to secure the best flights for our trekking guests. However, please keep these limitations in mind when you make your trek plans since it may be very difficult to change flight dates at the last minute as we were able to do more easily in the past.

To deal with the luggage weight restrictions we are planning to store more trekking gear (sleeping bags, down jackets, etc.) at Lukla. We will also purchase the extra trek food in Lukla rather than Kathmandu to avoid having to check this as luggage. This will cost us a bit extra but is worth the cost to us so that our guests don’t have to restrict the amount of gear they bring any more than necessary.

We will keep our trekking guests updated about any new developments in this area, and welcome any questions or concerns you might have.

     The early symptoms of AMS are headache, extreme fatigue, and loss of appetite/nausea. Some people also experience shortness of breath while resting. AMS is a result of the excessive accumulation of fluid in certain parts of the body, specifically the brain and lungs. When mild symptoms occur you must stop immediately at the current altitude until the symptoms have gone away. If symptoms persist after you have rested for a day or two, you must descend to a lower altitude (300 – 500m/1000-1700 ft lower)

     Worsening symptoms of AMS including increasing tiredness, severe headache, vomiting, and loss of coordination.  These are the symptoms of the more severe case of AMS call High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). HACE can lead to unconsciousness and death within 12 hours if the symptoms are ignored. Increasing shortness of breath, coughing, and tiredness are signs of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), which can also be rapidly fatal if ignored.

     A person suffering from AMS may not be thinking clearly and may have to be forced to descend.  A person with AMS should not be allowed to descend alone. They should descend to an altitude where they feel their symptoms improve (usually after 300 – 500 meters of descent). Always follow your trek guide’s advice about how to deal with AMS symptoms.

     If you experience any AMS symptoms but are unsure whether it is AMS, always err on the side of caution and stop ascending and consider descending to lower altitude.

     Medications are not a good substitute for proper acclimatization in reducing the risk of AMS. Acclimatization requires a planned, slow ascent of not more than 300 – 500m (1000-1700 ft) per day. If you are acclimatizing properly you can also consider taking Diamox to prevent or alleviate AMS symptoms.

     You should not plan to trek to high altitude (over 3000 meters) if you have heart disease, difficulty breathing at sea level, or are pregnant. Children may be more susceptible to AMS, and because they may not be able to describe their symptoms should be watched very closely.

      Good physical conditioning does not prevent AMS, and persons who have not experienced AMS at high altitudes in the past may still develop symptoms on subsequent treks.

     Sleeping pills, sedatives and alcohol should not be used at high altitudes as they tend to decrease breathing and can lead to AMS. Drinking 3-4 liters of water or other fluids per day to avoid dehydration will help in the acclimatization process. It is also possible to use a Gamow bag to treat the effects of AMS. A Gamow bag, available at the Himalayan Rescue Association’s outposts in Periche (Everest) and Manang (Annapurna), simulates the air pressure of low altitude.

     While it is possible to employ helicopter rescue in case of serious AMS symptoms you should not rely on this, or wait for a helicopter if you experience AMS. Your first recourse should be to descend to lower altitude. However, because it may become necessary to call in a helicopter for evacuation, you should have an insurance policy in effect that covers this (very expensive) service. The helicopter service company requires a financial guarantee to implement a rescue so having this is essential if you are planning to trek at high altitudes, especially at or above 5000m/16,000 ft.

Key facts about AMS:

• Anyone is susceptible to AMS, regardless of physical fitness or previous high altitude experience.
• AMS can be deadly so act immediately at the first sign of any symptoms.
• AMS can start to occur at altitudes as low as 2500 meters (8000 ft)

You can also read more about AMS at this professional site dedicated to the subject:

http://www.altitude.org/altitude_sickness.php

The reason I was nervous about this is that there seems to be no pattern as to whom it affects. It does not depend upon the fitness of the trekker or on how many times that person has been to altitudes in the past. This seemingly random process worried me that it would prevent me from fulfilling my ambition of reaching Gokyo Ri and Everest Base Camp.

The best way to avoid the illness, or to reduce your chances of suffering from it, is to ascend gradually building in rest days to the schedule. One group I met was forced to descend after they ascended too quickly and had to abort their attempt for EBC. I was certainly glad that we had taken our ascent slowly and had an acclimitisation day in Namche.

The most common symptom of altitude sickness is a headache. In fact around 4000m it is almost universal to have one. Mine was a very dull and mild headache, not causing any concern for me as I knew to expect one. I would just pop some paracetamol and it cleared overnight. The headache is caused by the body pumping more blood to the head in order to give the brain the oxygen it is used to having at lower altitudes. Therefore deep breathing can help to alleviate it and this perhaps explains why my headache cleared overnight (compounded by the fact that my body became used to the altitude over time).

I also drank plenty of water. As you are exercising in sometimes cold conditions it can slip the mind not do drink. But not only will it help with any headache but it will defend you against the serious problem of dehydration. I aimed to drink at least 3-4 litres a day.

The only other mild symptom you may experience is a loss of appetite. Luckily I was not affected by this and found myself being called upon the finish the others meals – a role I delighted in.

You are rightly advised, if the symptoms progress into a more serious headache, dizziness and nausea, not to ascend any further; if the conditions becomes even more serious you should descend immediately and never alone. It can be a serious threat and so groups should always err on the side of caution. But for the most part it shouldn’t put your trek in jeopardy in any way.