Rotary Club of Shrewsbury GUEST SPEAKER – Rtn David Pritchard
Rotarian David Pritchard with Rotary Club of Shrewsbury President John Siviter At the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury luncheon on 18 November 2015 our speaker was Rtn David Pritchard who told us about his experiences trekking through parts of Nepal. To say that the country was colourful is an understatement as David’s illustrations portrayed a rich tapestry of scenes, demonstrating the vibrancy of this Himalayan republic. It was a shame that the talk could only be illustrated by images as David explained that settlements were often marked by the scent of burning juniper, set alight to help purify the air. Having started off arriving at the country’s only international airport, which serves the capital city Kathmandu, our guide headed east to Lukla, which is widely considered to be amongst the most dangerous airports in the world, with a runway that drops off steeply at the southern end. Named after Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the airport is a reminder that the world’s highest peak, Everest, is to be found in Nepal — a fact demonstrated in the views of the mountain shown during David’s talk. More than 60 years after the two conquered Everest, the memory of Sir Edmund is kept alive though support given to one of the local schools. Trekking through Nepal is not for the fainthearted, as the tortuous and narrow paths plus the vertigo-inducing bridges demonstrated. As if these were not bad enough, trekkers had to face the possibility — indeed probability — of having to pass loaded yaks and trains of mules as supplies were moved to and from the isolated communities. In the event of meeting oncoming ‘traffic’ a strict ‘keep left’ rule was applicable in the mountains Life for the Nepalese in these rural communities was harsh and all, irrespective of age and sex, were involved in the constant struggle to move supplies. But life had its compensations, with all able to experience the superb scenery that the country offered. David’s talk gave the club a fascinating insight into the rich life of a country that few members have been to. Summary report by Rtn Peter Waller
Lukla airport