NepalAbility Team 12 trip to Nepal

Anita and I arrived in Kathmandu on the eve of Nepali New Year 2070 (April 14, 2013 to the rest of us).  We stayed with my friend Ali, and had the day to explore the historic Patan area before the rest of the team flew in.  More pics here.

Once the rest of the team arrived, we flew on to Pokhara, where we had 5 days at Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre.  Our first two days were workshops entitled Coping with Illness and Disability: Addressing Challenging Behaviours and Emotions. The staff were very engaged, and seemed to find the workshop very helpful.

The remainder of the time at Green Pastures was spent treating patients alongside the local clinicians. And sharing meals with them - Nepali hospitality and food are fantastic.  I've included more details and descriptions of our work (and fun) in Pokhara here.

We then travelled to Tansen Mission Hospital where we provided more workshops to staff (bladder care and positioning after stroke shown here), and worked alongside clinicians with patients.  This included supporting the pastoral care workers who have set up a home for patients with psychiatric challenges who have nowhere to live.

We also went on a home visit for a patient with spinal cord injury.  She was walking with two sticks, but still found her home area difficult to navigate.  We were able to provide some suggestions about how to make the home more accessible, and how she could be involved more with activities at home.

Pictures and more descriptions of all of our activities in Tansen can be found here.

On our way back from Tansen, we had an exciting drive through the hills, past a roadside temple with cute monkeys, then down to the plains of Nepal, on the border with India, where we visited Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.  There were many beautiful monasteries and temples, as well as the Bodhi tree his mother rested under, and sacred pool she bathed in, before she gave birth.  It was an amazing day, and one of Nepal's World Heritage Sites that I had not yet had a chance to visit.  The rest of the pictures are here.

I had a few more days in Kathmandu, where I got to see more friends, help celebrate my friend Ali's birthday in a lovely resort in the hills outside of Kathmandu, and then hike back down to the city.   I have more pictures here from that time.

On the way home, I stopped in the UK again, and got to meet my 4-day-old nephew Wendell. The timing could not have worked out any more perfectly, and I had a fun 3 days with my family. Lots of cute pictures were taken too.  A lovely way to end another great trip to Nepal.  Here is a link to an article I wrote for my church newsletter about this trip.  Thanks so much to everyone for their interest and support!