We hope many of you will join us in Nepal in November and help us celebrate our 25th anniversary! The weather should be perfect; festivals will be occurring: cities and homes will be decorated, and everyone will be excited and celebrating Tihar/Diwali (Nov 8-11) when light overcomes darkness.
Yes, it is a long flight to Nepal, but we will spend at least 5 days in Kathmandu to give you time to adjust to the time change before setting off. This is meant to be a trouble-free, personally rewarding, cultural immersion tour in comfort, not luxury (3* not 5*). We will all be staying in the same hotels (pretty much), so we can share our experiences with each other.
We have a wonderful travel agent in San Francisco who can assist you with flights (cheapest, fastest, safest) and coordinate our international flights, so we all converge on Nepal together. Once you all arrive, ANSWER will arrange for your pick-up at the airport, hotels, transportation, and whatever trips or treks you’d like to do. No worries about illnesses or tropical diseases—I am proof that one can do this safely, and I’ll be there to show you how along with some of our board members!
We will visit schools in various parts of the country. These visits will include reading sponsor letters with students and helping them write back to their sponsors, watching and discussing a movie with them, visiting their homes, etc… In other words, getting a look at the life of a Nepali child. If your sponsored student is remotely located, not to worry as we can arrange the visit independently, case by case. You will all get to meet your student(s)!
Allow at least two weeks for your trip because jet lag can last the better part of a week. Most of the first week will be in and around Kathmandu visiting temples, monasteries, and schools as our biological clocks adjust. Then, as we tour, we will visit schools and students and see many of the tourist sites along the way, like Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. We can also arrange personal treks, such as a “Mountain Flight” along the spine of the Himalayas up to Mt. Everest and back, or a Jungle Safari (3 day-2 night) with elephants, rhinos, gators, and birds…just be sure to let us know what you would like to do and allow time. If you want to also do a trek or other activity, think about adding a few additional days. More details will be provided in the next newsletter (early summer). Always feel free to consult with me if you have questions. Call me anytime at 616-516-0955 or email me at jecan314@gmail.com.
—Earle Canfield
