Many thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

The experience of The Leprosy Mission Trek for Treatment was just amazing!

It met all my expectations and more. What an interesting, challenging and humbling time we had!

On arrival in Nepal we spent 3 days at TLM Anandaban Hospital near Kathmandu. This gave us a great opportunity to witness the fantastic work the staff do there, to meet many of the patients and to have a chance to see how the limited facilities are being utilised. This really brought home how much they depend on our money to make this work possible and how any extra funds can make such a difference.

It was especially interesting to see the farm unit at the hospital and the recently completed self care houses, where recovering patients can learn to look after themselves and prepare for returning home. The hospital CEO explained the vision for more of these being built in the community and how buffalo and pigs can be used not only to provide milk and food for a family, but a business opportunity, and through the installation of a simple biogas system, utilise the manure for fuelling the kitchen. How good it is to be part of such an exciting project.

After a good nights sleep and a hearty breakfast, Nepalese style, we travelled 140 miles across country by coach to Pokhara. What an experience that was! Then from Pokhara we set out on our guided trek into the Annapurna mountains. What a beautiful country and what great people! The views were breathtaking and it was so interesting to visit so many mountain villages and meet the people that live there. It was also a privilege to be able to give gifts of crayons to some of the children we met and to visit some of the schools. Check out the pictures to see a typical classroom and the delight of children receiving the crayons.

Sleeping under canvas on a remote hillside proved to be a very enjoyable experience. There was just one really cold night, but a bobble hat, socks and an extra layer of clothes helped an already tired body to go to sleep! We were also looked after so well by our wonderful team of sherpas and porters - 28 in all, and living in a small community gave us a great chance to meet and chat to the other members of our trekking group.

Our return journey to Kathmandu via Yeti Airlines was somewhat quicker than our outward journey and much more comfortable, as was the return to the luxuries of a shower, a sprung mattress and a western style loo!

Our last full day in Nepal began before day break as we headed out to the airport for an early morning flight along the Himalayan range. With single seats down each side of the plane and a couple of opportunities to visit the cockpit, we had fantastic views of some of the highest mountains in the world. In fact Nepal boasts 10 out of the 14 highest! It was just amazing to look Everest 'in the eye' as we flew past at 28,500 feet!

On our return, we had a guided tour of Kathmandu. The capital of Nepal, is full of history and atmosphere, and the sights, sounds and smells were almost beyond description. The choking dust and fumes from an endless stream of traffic with horns blaring, a stark reminder that the city is suffering from a massive population overload as the rich and poor continue to arrive in search of a higher standard of living. Our walks among the narrow back streets and through the bustling squares with their vast array of market stalls, a complete contrast to the quiet scenic mountain paths of only a few days earlier.

Patan was very interesting place, a city within a city, with a vast array of ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines. Mainly built in and around Durbar Square, the majority were built between the 16th and 18th centuries with many of the variations in styles and architecture reflecting the era in which they were built and the god in whose honour they were dedicated. Apparently there is no greater concentration of temples anywhere in Nepal.

Nepal's most important Hindu temple stands on the banks of the Bagmati River at Pashupatinath. It was there that we witnessed several cremation ceremonies. 'Ceremony' however, is probably an overstatement, as it just seemed to be a remarkably natural and simple act for those involved. To see and smell the clouds of smoke as they rose above the buildings and to join with the crowds of onlookers as families said their last farewells was an unforgettable experience.

And the following day, we said our sad farewells to Nepal as we boarded our Jet Airways flight for the UK.

Nepal is for sure a land of many contrasts, and for a short time we witnessed the unique beauty of the Himalayan mountains, the many symbols of it's culture, history and religion and met some of it's wonderful people.

But most of all we have seen first hand how the work of The Leprosy Mission at the Anandaban Hospital needs all the support we can give and how they are going to use the money we have raised.

Please remember, 100% of the sponsorship from the Trek for Treatment will go to the Anandaban Hospital and will be used to change lives for the better

There is still time to add your donation to the many that have already been so gratefully received and...

Donating through JustGiving is so simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to The Leprosy Mission and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. This has got to be one of the most efficient ways to donate.

Thank you again for your interest and support

Mike