Updates

Well we made it to Kathmandu just fine but then the itinerary got foiled by the monsoon weather. We sat in KTM airport for 2 days waiting for a flight to Lukla but no flights went, they'd been cancelled for the past 5 days before we got there due to the weather as well. So after waiting for 2 days with little hope of the monsoons lifting we decided we would drive to a place called Jiri and hike to Lukla then trek to EBC as well so that we could still provide dental supplies to this area. This actually worked out well in some ways because the villages from Jiri to Lukla see even less outsiders since most people fly to Lukla then hike in the surrounding Solukhumbu region from there. So we were able to provide dental supplies and dental healthcare education to alot more people who have even less access to such things. Secondly, most people in this area speak very little english since they have so little contact with foreigners, however somehow almost every child we passed knew the word "sweets" or "chocolate". So clearly you can tell what handouts they generally get from the few foreigners they see. Despite feeling a bit like the neighborhood dentist who hands out toothbrushes on halloween, I think our handouts will be more beneficial for the people in the long run and all the children seemed just as happy and excited to get toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Unfortunately a couple of us (one being me) had to turn back from the trek early. With a history of knee issues, my idealistic goal of hiking a 7 day trek in 4-5 days and ascending around 9000meters (higher than even mt everest, it just includes going down several times as well) didn't exactly work out. Take that body...So while the rest of the group continues our mission in the Solukhumbu region those of us back in Kathmandu a little early are going to some schools in the area to hand out dental supplies, talk about dental healthcare/education, and do screenings. Thanks to our wonderful Nepali friends who are able to rework and reschedule anything at the last minute so there can be some benefit to our extra time in Kathmandu.

TTFN :)

See you in Nepal

Well the day is finally here! I can't believe it, less than a year ago this project was just one of the many distant idealistic plans I tend to make from day to day (they all tend to be related to the awesome things I'm going to do once dental school is no longer the dictator of my life). However, this one is really happening now, great success! Take that dental school!

So we've finally gotten our itinerary as cemented as it's going to get, after many changes and fine tunings I'm really excited and happy with it. We'll be staying within Nepal, but I think this is best since travel there can be so time consuming and unreliable, especially during monsoon season (which is in fact not like what I was led to believe by the movie Jumanji). Here is how it stands now:

Nepal Project 2010

Itinerary

July 18^th – Leave RDU

July 20^th – Arrive Kathmandu (KTM)

July 21^st – Leave for Lukla (domestic flight), dental camp at Lukla primary school day 1

July 22^nd – Dental camp day 2

July 23^rd – General dental camp Pasang Lhamu Hospital Lukla

July 24^th – Start trek to EBC

Aug 5^th – Arrive back to KTM

Aug 7^th – Dr. Ritter arrives KTM

Aug 8-9^th – Leave for Pokhara, dental camp at school in Dhikurpokhari

Aug 10^th – Dental camp day 2

Aug 11^th – Dental camp for general public

Aug 12^th – Travel to Meghauli

Aug 13^th – 14^th – Dental camp

Aug 15^th – return to KTM

Aug 17^th – Leave KTM

Aug 18^th - Arrive RDU

Ok that's it for now, time to get the last minute things together and go get on planes for the next 2 days! Talk to you from Nepal!

Disclaimer: Upon further review I'm just about the least articulate person, if you know me you are quite aware of this, so take this blog for what it is, which is basically thoughts as they come into my head. Ok that's all I'm saying about that...enjoy!