Relative Something

Two days ago I was thrown back to memories of my travels in Nepal when I learned that Jim Klobuchar’s Adventures has scheduled another trip to the Himalayas for April, 2011. It is tempting to think about the possibility of returning to that place of my greatest adventure. Then, yesterday’s news alerted me to a tragedy that just occurred there, related all too closely to those same memories I was just enjoying.

One of the small planes that shuttles trekkers and mountain climbers to the high peaks, crashed, killing all 14 people on board. They had taken off from Kathmandu, headed for the crazy landing strip at Lukla, and were forced to turn back when visibility diminished. The first day that my group was scheduled to make that same flight, back in 2009, the group just ahead of us had the same experience. They were in the air, but had to turn around and come back. We never even boarded a plane that day. If they aren’t able to fly, you go back to a hotel and try again the next day.

We luckily made it out the very next day. While it was happening, I experienced brief moments of trepidation, but the glory and wonder of the Himalayan Mountains and the sheer excitement of the exotic adventure overruled any fears I was experiencing. But our flight didn’t have any problems.

Having made that very same flight, I am experiencing a deeper sense of mourning for their loss. I can visualize all too well, being able to see the pilots in action and the view out the front window revealing where we were headed. I remember the one young woman flight attendant who passed out cotton for our ears and little hard candies. Then she sat in the very back seat during the flight. They make this flight so many times, I imagine they were able to sense the trouble before the tourists from USA (4), Briton, and Japan. The impact was so intense, none of the remains were intact, making identification of the victims difficult.

In an instant, their adventure is over. Their lives ended.

It is always a risk. The whole trek is fraught with potential for calamity. But it seems like a calculated risk. For those of us on the 2009 trek, we escaped serious harm. The tragedy that just occurred to the 14 souls who lost their lives in that crash, serves to alert us to the grace we experienced, being able to return alive and again hug those who love us the most.

I am feeling more satisfied with my likelihood of not participating in the 2011 trek now. I had a good adventure to that special place once already, and am home, safe and sound.

As if I am any less likely to experience life-threatening calamity in my life here, on any given day…