by Charley Radcliffe
It is hard to imagine that less than a month ago, I was up in the foothills of the Annapurna Region, trekking that world famous Circuit in preparation for a single push of the 220km trek. On April 25th, a devastating earthquake tore through the country leaving over 7,000 reported dead, countless more still missing, and an incomprehensible level of destruction to buildings and infrastructure.
I’d set out on my adventure in an attempt on the fastest known time of 72 hours and planned on trekking the route over several weeks to acclimatise, recce the route, and enjoy the trek properly. A brief 24 hours in Kathmandu, and I set off on my way to Behi Shahar, the classic start of the Annapurna Circuit. The quiet, rolling green hills of the lower foothills invited me into their magical kingdom and, as I took the first few steps on this well trodden track, a sense of peace and tranquility came over me.
As I made my way along the trail, the noise of city life became a distant memory. It was replaced instead by the sound of the wind in the trees, water running along babbling brooks, and something that caught me quite by surprise – laughter. From the moment I started the trek, whenever I passed villages and farms, there was always the sound of someone laughing.
I have travelled all over the world, but this was the first time I had been to a country so poor, where the people had so little and every day was such a struggle for survival. Yet here were people laughing, smiling, and truly happy with the life they were leading.
My feeble attempts to speak Nepali were greeted by radiant smiles. My gratitude and tips when I ate at a guesthouse or checked out in the morning were returned with blessings and yet more smiles. And the children, they were the happiest of all. Seeing this foreigner in bright yellow trousers walking up the trails caught their attention and, once they had painted my face red for Holi, one of their religious festivals, the giggles and laughter I elicited were infectious. The Nepalese are truly a beautiful people from those unwavering smiles to the depths of their souls.
My attempt to run the Annapurna Circuit was over almost as soon as I arrived. A freak storm had laid down over 2.5m of fresh snow at the high pass, and stories of people being snowed-in up there for six days made it clear I wasn’t going to be running anywhere. Just three days in I resigned myself to turning back, licking my wounds, and dreaming up an alternative plan.
In the midst of my disappointment, in terrible weather, with the electricity cut off, and clean water in limited supply, I was buoyed by that laughter again. Even in what, to me, were challenging and difficult conditions, there was that ever present joy.
Today, I can’t help but remember the strength, positivity, and determination that, no matter how bad things are, Nepalis could still find happiness in the moment and something to laugh about.
As the extent of the damage only begins to become apparent, we are already hearing stories of villages being rebuilt, of communities coming together to protect those most in need, and the strength of these people once again shines through.
The Nepali people have a pride, a strength, and a determination that can overcome any obstacle, even one this great, and they will come out of it with that same spirit of happiness and laughter. Right now, they need medical supplies, they need shelter, and they need clean water and we can help.
So many of us have been able to enjoy this incredible and inspiring country and now it is our turn to return the kind hospitality and beautiful country by supporting them however we can. There are a number of incredible organisations that are on the ground out there and they are in urgent need of our help. Please, give whatever you can to help rebuild this magical kingdom.
