Wendy Manning of Pitt Town believes she is lucky to have escaped one of the worst natural disasters to hit Nepal in 81 years.
The 56-year-old was trekking with friends when she fell ill and was unable to continue to base camp.
She cites the decision as a life-saver as it preceded the magnitude 7.8 earthquake which struck on April 25, triggering avalanches and landslides across the region and killing more than 8000 people.
Mrs Manning says she escaped the ‘‘cruel’’ ordeal due to a lung infection and altitude sickness.
The first-time traveller to Nepal was in the lodge when the earthquake struck and recalls the sudden violent shaking of the ground and the loud roar of the avalanche.
‘‘It was surreal,’’ Mrs Manning said. ‘‘I have never come across anything like it in my life. My whole room was shaking and my bed was going from side to side.
‘‘No one knew what was coming. It just hit and left behind a massive trail of destruction and sadness. It was total chaos.
‘‘Before the earthquake hit, the air was crisp and fresh. After it hit, there was just dust and dirt everywhere.’’
The mother of four said she counted herself as one of the lucky who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
‘‘The more time that passes, the more I realise how close I was to all the devastation and how lucky I am,’’ she said.
‘‘The lodges were full of trauma-tised people who had out-run the avalanche, but others unfortunately didn’t have that chance.’’
She was flown back to Kathmandu by helicopter and saw the extent of the destruction on the city first-hand.
‘‘The devastation was overwhelming. There were a lot of tears and emotion but the strong helped the weak rebuild. It was so upsetting to see how the locals had to deal with the loss of loved ones and rebuild their lives in an already poor country.’’
Mrs Manning said the streets were lined with people under tarps because their houses had completely collapsed under the rubble.
She arrived back in Sydney on May 2 and has been in hospital ever since, recovering from her sickness.
She said leaving Nepal was ‘‘heartbreaking’’.
‘‘I am grateful to be back home but sad to know that their villages have been destroyed and lives changed for the worse.’’
When asked how she felt to be back home, she replied ‘‘grateful, happy, but empty and sad knowing the devastation left behind’’. ‘‘My heart, my prayers and my thoughts are with the Nepalese people.’’
