Nepal thrills for teenagers

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 336, 15 May 1990, Page 4

Nepal thrills for teenagers

Ruapehu College pupils recently returned from 'Operation Clean Up1 in Nepal, are already dreaming up ways to return.

Students Liz Hood, Ray-Charles Mareikura, Caleb Dempsey, Anna Brian and Karina Meyer joined a group of 18 teenagers from the central North Island, and 118 from around the country, for five weeks, cleaning up the rubbish left by trampers. The group was disgusted at the state of the mountains - glass,.

eans, cardboard packets, and even human excrement defaces the mountainous regions of Nepal. In some foothill areas lies sizable rubbish dumps left behind by multi-national climbing groups. The tips are a familiar sight to the Nepali. Liz Hood 17, said part of the problem is

sheer laziness on the part of climbers. "We picked up rubbish dropped on the ground only a couple of feet away from a rubbish tip," she said. "People are just really lazy." Rioting The group flew from Auckland to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. During their nine day stay they were caught up in the city's recent rioting. "It was pretty freaky," said Liz. "Some parts of the city were worse than others. We were right in the city, confined to our guest house. "The worst time was at night when you could hear the demonstrators joutside in the street." The group watched most of the proceedings Ifrom the safety of their hotel's roof. Only once were they close up to the rioting, when they went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. "Rocks were thrown through the windows," she said. "Everyone got under the tables. It was pretty scary." Ray-Charles 18, recalled: "The police force and the army carried weapons. The police had on what looked like 1920's riot gear - jackets with bits of wicker and broom handles strapped to them." The sights and smells of Kathmandu made a strong impression on the teenagers. "There was a street we christened 'Sewer Alley'," said Ray-Charles. "It was a rubbish dump that people lived in. They'd sleep there, then get up and start hunting through it for something to eat." Liz recalled the children. "It was horrible seeing all the small children begging in the street and really hard not to give them all something." They left behind "civilization" and flew to Lukla, the first of their high country stops, then began their two week trek into the hills, sleeping in tents and sherpa lodges along

the way. The group headed for Base Camp, some 18,000 feet above Lukla. Sherpas A team of nine sherpas were assigned to the group, who became very attached to their guides. "The hardest part was saying good bye to them all at the end of the trip," said Liz. "They went out of their way to make us feel at home and did everything for us." Their chief complaint was, in fact, being fed too well during their trek! Yak steaks, garlic soup, chilli, and a Nepali dish featuring rice and lentils were just some of the taste sensations that featured on the menu. Any excess kilos were worked off however, through constant walking - anywhere between 50-80km, over steep terrain 15,000 feet above sea level. Ray-Charles and another member of the group were treated for altitude sickness - a condition that causes fluid to collect on the lungs and brain, characterised by a number of symptoms including headaches and heavy limbs. A common complaint amongst the trekkers was sore feet, with an occasional twisted ankle from walking over uneven grourid. Stomach upsets brought on by the change of diet were minimal. Frequent rest days were scheduled throughout the trek to combat the fatigue of working in the high altitude. The language barriers were overcome by the group learning some basic words in Nepali, and in Tibetan, the language spoken by their sherpa companions. Evenings in the hill country were spent singing songs, both in English and Nepali, with the New Zealanders performing the Haka on several occasions, much to the delight of the sherpas .

Yeti A highlight of the trek was the group's presentation of a Maori carving, made in Kaitaia, to monks at a Tibetan monestary. There they were shown a scalp and hand, believed by the monks to belong to a Himalayan Yeti. The teenagers were disappointed by the limited time they were able. to spend at Base Camp, due to earlier delays in Kathmandu. For the most part group members spent only an hour at Base, compared to the original five

days scheduled. On the way home they were caught up in more disputes - this time airline strikes at Lukla that took six days to negotiate. The group was split up due to reduced flights in and out of the town. Liz recalled how some passengers were forced to pay double the fare for a flight out. They all agreed however, that flying Royal Nepal Airlines was an experience! One of the most difficult time during the trip was making the transition back into mainstream New

Zealand life, according to Ray-Charles. "Things that seem important here have no meaning over there. The only TV there is in Kathmandu and only the rich have it, but we didn't miss it. No one knew what day of the week it was, or the time. "It's a great place to mellow out. Brilliant. It's a totally different way of life." One of the first stops the students made was at McDonalds restaurant at Auckland International Airport.