Nepal Trek 2019 Rupert wrote this article for the last issue of the Diary, that was due to be published in Spring 2020 but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We hope you enjoy reading his reflection. During the 2019 Autumn halfterm, 24 other students and I journeyed halfway around the world along with five teachers to the extremely mountainous country of Nepal. Lead by Major, (now Lt Col) Blackford, who has a huge amount of experience of Nepal after working with the Gurkhas for many years, the trip allowed us to take in two very different parts of Nepal: the mad bustle of the cities and the peaceful life in the hills. To start our time there we had a tour of Kathmandu, led by Major Ram, an old friend of Lt Col Blackford. He demonstrated to us how the two main religions of Nepal live very closely and in relative harmony, as we were shown both Buddhist and
Hindu sacred places. We were also able to do some shopping which involved haggling for items with a fair bit of success, followed by a much-needed rest at the Kathmandu Guest House, where we stayed for our first two nights. Here, we met our guides who travelled with us for the rest of the trip.
by Rupert Pomroy (T21)
Following this, we ventured by bus into the hills to one of the two villages we raised money for called Gilung (the other was Pasgaun). The people greeted us with dozens of flower garlands, and we met the school’s Headmaster. The next day, we saw our first glimpses of the stunning landscape on a tour of the village and were Our journey then continued humbled to see the poverty the with a 7-hour bus ride, people lived in. What amazed featuring a stop to fix the me the most was how, despite drive shaft box back onto the their poverty, they gave us all bus, to the smaller city of they could and even opened Pokhara where we spent one their homes to us, allowing us night and visited the Gurkha to experience the Nepalese Welfare Trust. We met Old way of life in the hills. In the Amplefordian John White evening we experienced a very (O75) who talked to us about energetic dance show, with what the Trust does and how it outstanding performances aids the ex-Gurkhas and their from Lt Col Blackford and Mr families. The work they have Torrens-Burton; we even had a done since the 2015 earthquake few dance offs; however, I do in Nepal is astonishing and if not think the Nepalese people you would like to read more were that impressed! The or donate you can do so by next day we visited the school visiting their website: outside the village, where they www.gwt.org.uk put on a show for us, to thank
4 | SUMMER 2021 | AMPLEFORTH DIARY
