139
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139
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NEPAL
In April 1966, Verna and I were making plans to take a trip to Turkey. We had been living in Amman, Jordan for six years, and anticipated that our tour might soon end. We wanted to get back to Izmir and see some of our Turkish friends before leaving the Middle East.
The Agri. Division of USAID received a request from Nepal to make a study of their irrigation projects. I was the only Irrigation Specialist on the team and was asked to make the study. I felt honored to be selected, but I knew from previous experience, that this type of assignment is a lot of hard work. The country asking for the help, arranges the schedule to make the best use of the specialist's time. The days are usually long and hard, filled with field trips and conferences.
Verna and I were disappointed that we had to cancel our vacation, but I really wanted to take the assignment, and I wanted Verna to go with me. She had gone with me on previous assignments, but it could be a lonesome trip if she had to spend days alone, while I was in the field. She wasn't so certain that she wanted to make the trip, but we had friends working in Nepal that we had known in Jordan, and I convinced her that she would have enough company to keep her busy.
On April 14, 1966, we left Amman by air. The first stop was Beirut, but we had to stay there for 2 days, because the British Air Line flight to New Delhi was delayed in London by a blizzard. When we did get to New Delhi, it was too late for our flight to Katmandu, so we were delayed another day. When we did arrive, it was as I had expected, the schedules were well made, and I was taken to the field the next morning. The mode of transportation to each project was very different from that I normally used.
"That is Mt. Everest, so we are in the right place, I have lost radio contact with Katmandu, but every thing looks good, we will set down here." These words from the pilot were not much comfort to me, I couldn't see anything that looked like an airport, but he lowered the landing gear, and circled a grass air strip several times, while a half dozen small boys ran the cows and goats from the grassy strip. The pilot set the plane down, facing into the wind, reversed the propeller and gunned his motor. Our safety belts bit into our shoulders, and we come to a quick stop within a few hundred yards from where the landing gear first touched down.
We are flying in a Swedish plane, with a 300 horse power motor. It carries the pilot and three passengers,
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Metzger Memories
