Hi everyone, this is Nikki Shea with a dispatch for the October Service Trek.

We’ve reached Shivalaya, the final stop of our trek. We started late today at 7:00 a.m. after our favourite breakfast of flatbread and eggs. We saw our first Westerners today and noticed that the villages were getting closer together. It was the first signs we’ve seen all week that we’re getting closer to the city. Emotions started to turn as we realized we were coming to an end to our Service Trek.

We are settling down in our tents by the river for the night and catching an early morning bus to Kathmandu tomorrow where we will sadly bid farewell to our new sherpa friends and porters. Thanks for following along our Service Trek. Bye. back to top

The Patale Health Center (Erin Coughlin). The team's camp in Patale, near Jangbu Sherpa's house (Deha Shrestha).

Hello, this Minna Navvab, one of the nurses on the Service Trek.

Today we left from Bhusinga at around 6:00 a.m. and began our trek to the town of Bhandar. As we were walking to our destination we stopped to have lunch in a house that had a television, which we were all intrigued by because we were in the middle of a remote village.

Although we are no longer in the health clinic, we’ve still been able to help local people along the way. There was a woman who had been bitten by her own dog and we were able to help her by giving her bandages and medication.

As we made our way up to Bhandar, it was very scenic. I am still amazed by how beautiful Nepal is.

After trekking about 3 hours uphill we made it to our destination where we were greeted with biscuits and tea. Dorje, our great chef, made us buffalo jerky and amazing vegetable momos, which are similar to dumplings. I have loved all the food so far.

I can’t believe that this is the last day left of the trek. I’ve been truly touched by all of the wonderful people that have been with us so far and that we’ve met this entire trip. Thanks for following along our trek. back to top

Small goats outside of Bhusinga (Deha Shrestha). The trail along the trek out of Patale (Nikki Shea).

After breakfast we started to walk from Patale and were greeted and sent off by the entire village. Thank you very much everyone for having us! We stopped on the way for a tea break at Ang Shera Sherpa's house, who was with us for this Service Trek. Once we finished there we started to walk to Zyamling Sherpa's house, who is one of the health workers at Patale Health Center, for lunch. We spent some time there and we started to walk to Bhusing gal, which is our next camp. We reached there at 5 p.m. Thanks for following along our trek. - Deha Shrestha back to top

The team's camp in Shivalaya (Deha Shrestha). The view from above of the village of Shivalaya (Diane Asher).

Hello all Service Trek followers. This is Erin Coughlin from the nurses from U of M calling in a dispatch for 9 October, 2009.

We spent the whole day at the health clinic in Patale seeing and treating about 40 patients. This included a 10 month old baby suffering from Hydrocephalus, which requires advanced critical attention, as well as a 75 year old man with an abdominal hernia and possible bowel dysfunction. By donating to the Mount Everest Foundation, patients like these can receive the treatment they need in Kathmandu.

I would say the most beautiful moment of the trip so far was being showered by the local school children with necklaces and prayer scarves. Thank you to everyone who donated school supplies and tooth brushes because with your help we were able to give the gifts to all the children.

The day ended with local villagers serenading us with traditional Nepali songs and dance. We were given a chance to jump in and anticipated the event greatly.

We have another early start tomorrow. Thanks for following along. Until next time, bye, bye. back to top

Scenes of the nurses working in the Patale health clinic (Deha Shrestha).

Hello all. My name is Marissa Dedes and I’m one of the nurses on the Service Trek.

Today we trekked to the village of Patale and the health clinic we will be visiting, where we were greeted with tea and welcome garments (a silk scarf called a ‘kata’). We had breakfast and again hit the trail where we walked to a Gompa and joined villagers in worship.

After walking back to the clinic we began our day’s work, where we saw and treated about 50 patients. For me personally, this was challenging and exciting. One patient who stands out in my mind was a young girl with a severe foot wound. We cleaned and dressed her wound and gave her antibiotics. We then educated the clinic workers on some of the medications and are now preparing for dinner.

Tomorrow we start again at the clinic. Wish us luck. Lastly, we love you Katrina. back to top

Giving out school supplies at the school in Patale. Visiting with patients at the health clinic (Deha Shrestha).

Hello friends and Service Trek news readers. This is a dispatch for the 7^th of October.

Today we woke up early at 5:00 a.m. and started hiking by 6:30. The day greeted us with rain, but broke into mild hiking weather by mid-morning. The terrain varied from rolling hills with wild flowers, to farmlands, to cloud forests of Eden. The children we met at the teahouses along the trail continued to flock to us. They loved to have us take their pictures and then laughed when we showed it to them. Tomorrow is another early start, as we head to the village of Patale to start our medical clinic work. Thanks for following along our Service Trek. Bye, bye. back to top

The village of Japhre (Erin Coughlin). Hiking to the village of Jaklhu (Diane Asher). Patale (Deha Shrestha). In Shivalaya (Diane Asher).