I first heard about the earthquake in Nepal in the early afternoon on 25 April. I was sitting in the airport in Muscat, having only flown out of Kathmandu a few hours earlier when I received a message from my friend asking where I was and letting me know about the tragedy that had just struck. It is with mixed emotions when I think and talk about Nepal – it is heartbreaking to think about the devastation that has torn through this truly magnificent country and affected its people so profoundly.

As recent visitors to the country Nepal resonated strongly for both of us. From the hectic mish mash and clutterball nature of Kathmandu to the endless vistas of the Khumbu region. We were fortunate to experience both ends of the spectrum. We met a lot of people on our journey, both travellers and locals alike – and can only hope that everyone is safe. We have been in touch with the company that we organised our guide through and were relieved to hear that all their staff are safe and accounted for, though sadly a lot of their homes and villages had been destroyed.

We hope and know that Nepal will recover from this. The Nepalese people are not only kind and gentle in their nature, but they have a resilience and strength that is second to none. International support and personal donations to reputable NGOs are urgently required and will be a major contributing factor in helping Nepal get back on its feet. So please donate where you can. On our part melandmichelle.com will donate any additional money raised over 500£ to a Nepalese charity of our choosing.

I know I will return to Nepal someday and hope that others will follow suit. It really is like nothing else on earth.