Saturday 29th of June 2024

Deep breaths, here we go…

I set off from home at 10:40am to catch the train to Bournemouth in time for the National Express bus to London Heathrow Terminal 4. Although a rushed morning, the excitement and anticipation kept me going. I’d forgotten to pack my shorts and I couldn’t find my good camera, but I would be fine taking photos with my phone. It wasn’t a disaster yet.

I’d flown on my own a lot back and forth to Shetland so I was comfortable enough with airports, though this would be my first time leaving Europe alone. I was feeling a little anxious but no less confident in my ability to get myself to Nepal.

I checked in okay, my bag weighing only 12.3kgs, then trekked for what felt like 20 minutes to reach the gate at the far end of the terminal.
I sat down for a snack and a quick call with my Dad before the gate opened.

We boarded and I had a nice couple on my window side while I sat in the aisle seat, all very happy to cozy down and enjoy the in-flight meals and entertainment. I tried to write some more on a medicines management essay, though having not had enough sleep for a fortnight, I couldn’t think straight and quickly gave up. I read some more of my book and rested my eyes, not quite dropping off.

Our flight had left 50 minutes late and with only a 75-minute layover, I was starting to get a little worried about making my connection.

I tend to remain optimistic and unbothered when travelling, grateful for smooth transfers and taking delays or inconveniences on the chin, smiling and shrugging, ‘These things happen!’
Nothing out of my control will get me down.

This particular delay, however, coupled with my sleep deprivation and recovery from Covid a week prior meant that my usual easygoing nature was rather challenged.

While waiting to disembark in Doha, I was sitting behind a family migrating to Australia whose connection was leaving at the same time as mine. We chatted on the transfer bus and psyched one another up for the impending chaos. Shouting a cheery “Good luck with everything!”, we got off the bus and dispersed into the crowds, finding that Doha was prepared for lots of delayed connections and had staff waiting with destination signs to direct us to our gates quickly.

Thankfully, I found the group heading on to Kathmandu quickly and was joined by an Englishman heading there for a work trip. He’d been before and reassured me that these delays were normal and our bags would make it with us. After a travellator-assisted 15-minute sprint to the other end of the terminal, we reached our gate and the crew were there to greet us and welcome us aboard.

I had wanted to explore Doha, knowing it had a garden and many art installations to see, however, this would have to wait until my return trip.

Safely aboard the connecting flight with the knowledge that my luggage had made it, I settled in and relaxed, trying to get some rest as it was now 03:05am.
I was now officially on my way to Kathmandu.

The gentleman beside me had a broken chair stuck in the recline position, so the crew moved him and I had space beside me to curl up. I didn’t get much sleep, my head nodding and waking me with a jolt, but the approach to landing was spectacular and the excitement of getting closer kept me awake.

Peeking out above the clouds were the Himalayas, basking in the early morning sunlight. They were breathtakingly beautiful and for the rest of the flight, I was wide awake and glued to the window.

Seeing Annapurna’s imposing silhouette flanked by dark moody clouds has a way of making one feel very small…

Upon arrival, it was easy to get through customs to present my visa and enter the baggage hall where I stood sweating, tired and hungry and waiting for my bag to arrive. Eventually, I was reunited with my luggage, and I wandered out of the terminal, looking for the Work the World rep who was picking me up.

I met the rep and a medical student who’d been in the same second flight as me. We were greeted with traditional blue silk scarves called Khata – a means of extending blessings and good fortune.

We hopped in the car to the house and I could barely take anything in as I was exhausted, hungry and hot. I noticed the tangle of electrical wires overhead, the river we crossed and the chaos of the road. I’d expected the roads to be a bit wild but this gave another meaning to the phrase free-for-all.

We arrived at the house and were greeted inside the gates by the security guard and two students, one who’d already arrived that morning and one who had just got back from their village week, about to head home. Wondering about everyone else, we were told they had gone as a large group for one of the weekend trips and would be back in a few days.

We were introduced and then had a quick tour of the house before we got our heads down for a well-overdue nap. We settled into our rooms, unpacking a little and chatting over dinner, getting to know one another and some of the other housemates who hadn’t gone on the weekend before finally heading to bed, ending our first day in Nepal.

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Check out my other posts about my time in Nepal below!

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