Phewa Tal (Lake Fewa) can take on a dream like quality. Earlier this morning I wanted to paddle out onto the calm water, get some respite. A few hours ago more landslides hit, more deaths, villages destroyed. One of them, Lumle, is a place I pass through often on my way to Asa territory. I wonder about the young leopard, phone calls confirm his area was not hit but access was and now has increased to many hours of trekking over and through unstable ground.
I don't like that. Of course I cannot send anyone else. I think of so many displaced people since the first earthquake fourteen weeks ago. So much help still needed especially in the high country. The thought of getting to these places now promotes an uneasiness. Even a trip to Kathmandu tomorrow for a meeting is not straightforward as landslides have slowed down travel on the only road. A part of me wishes I was back in Chitwan which despite the heat and humidity is a bubble away from the troubles faced in the mountains.
So it's time to plan carefully, weigh up the odds. Nepal is confused, tell the tourists to come back or not? Just what is safe? There is no doubt the lowlands and a couple of selected mountain areas can be suggested as ok. Working here however means going to places that are unstable in many ways. Trying to help displaced people, displaced wildlife in these places means a feeling of uncertainty. Many years have given me methods to deal with this... but not completely...
