The scariest experience of my life

Hello friends and readers! Hello from devastated Nepal! I believe everybody out there have heard about the dreadful earthquake that hit the country on Saturday. Not that it came as a surprise to anybody living in Nepal. This earthquake had been expected for several years. According to statistics such major earthquakes happen in the region every 70-75 years. The last occurred in Nepal in 1934, 81 years ago. So, actually it was even slightly over due. Interesting, that in spite of this, as I read in a local newspaper a couple of months ago, 80% of the respondents of a sociological survey believed that the Big One would not happen during their life time. Naivety? Sooner, our human nature: we refuse to believe that something like this can really happen to us. Even me...not that I didn't believe in reality of this earthquake but somehow I hoped that I will not be in Nepal when it happens.

First minutes after the earthquake. Trying to contact relatives

Anyway, it happened. And I was in Nepal. We had breakfast and I was about to leave for grocery shopping. Then it stroke. I had experienced several minor earthquakes here in Nepal before. But this time from the first seconds I knew that this was The One as the shaking was so severe and violent. Stricken with fear and with the thought "this is it" in my mind I rushed to the door. I had always had an emergency bag just near the exit but my only wish at the moment was to get out of the house as soon as possible. So, the bag was left where it was. My husband rushed after me, also ignoring the carefully prepared for this occasion bag.

Waiting for the aftershock. There is an emergency bag near me, containing documents, some food, water and first aid kit.

We reached the open space of our yard and squated. I noticed one of my cats, all her hair stood on end, rushing in the opposite direction. Everything around us was shaking violently. It lasted for more than one minute. It was the scariest minute of my life. As it became known later, thousands of people were being killed during that minute.

Our neighbourhood. The turquoise house used to be a five-storey building, two storeys just got flattened

When it stopped, I went inside the house to take that bag, my phone and sandals (I rushed out barefoot) and a blanket. The day before it was sunny and 27-29C outside, but the day of the earthquake the temperature dropped to 17-19C, it was gloomy and windy.
Surprisingly, the internet and phone still worked and we managed to contact the close ones saying we were safe. Then strong aftershock came, then another one and the phone, internet and electricity was gone. We got electricity back after two days, phone connection after three and finally internet after almost five days.

5 am on Sunday, after yet another aftershock and sleepless night in the open

As aftershocks continued during the whole Saturday day we decided to sleep outside. We didn't have any tent though, just brought an old matress from the garage and made ourselves comfortable on it staring at the stars. It was fine untill it started to rain in the middle of the night. Needless to say that I hardly had any sleep that night. Continuing tremors, my own fears and thought kept me awake.
On Sunday there was another strong shake and so, again we stayed outside and spent another night in the open. And only on Monday we could move back inside the house.

A collapsed telephone tower in our neighbourhood

Our school 

Luckily, our neighbouring didn't suffer much: one small temple collapsed, a telephone tower was broken, two houses were rather heavily damaged and a few got cracks. No casualties. But among those who were killed in Kathmandu, there is at least one man who I knew personally. With some there is still no connection.

Kathmandu streets after the earthquake

I love this city. It hurts so much to see all the damage that the earthquake caused: beautiful historical buildings destroyed, medieval temples collapsed, numerous houses damaged and roads cracked. My heart and prayers are with those families who lost their beloved ones in this disaster.

Thank you to all who expressed their concern, love and support by writing me personally or by leaving a message here on the blog.

I have a confession to make: it feels tremendously awesome to be alive!
To help Nepal you can donate trough one of these organisations
or
transfer money to the fund set up by the Nepalese English language newspaper The Himalayan Times

Every little counts!