“I really want to go home!” Nepal earthquake: A Taiwanese backpacker recalls a night of terror

▲The April 25 earthquake in Nepal left the capital, Kathmandu, in ruins. (Photo / Digital Image / AP)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on the 25th, not only toppling the century-old Bhimsen Tower but also triggering an avalanche on Mount Everest. Taiwanese backpacker “Old Silhouette,” who was in the area, managed to reassure his family over an unstable internet connection, yet he remained deeply shaken by the terrifying scenes of the earth-shaking quake that kept replaying in his mind: “I’ll have nightmares about this for a long time!”

On the day of the April 25 earthquake, “Old Silhouette” happened to be traveling in Kathmandu, Nepal. After the quake, he spent the night at a military training ground with local residents, as hotel phones were all down. He could only rely on an extremely unstable internet connection to try to find a flight back to Taiwan.

“If leaving is an adventure, then staying isn’t any less so. It was almost 3 a.m. local time, nearly 6 a.m. in Taiwan. I asked the hotel manager, along with some Chinese travelers, to have his friend drive us to the airport in two cars. I’m safe now, finally a bit farther from danger. Thank you all.” Old Silhouette said that he had originally planned to return to Taiwan on the 27th, but when he learned early on the 26th that flights were gradually taking off, he immediately rushed to the airport and waited for tickets to go on sale.I really want to go home as soon as possible.”.

▲The centuries-old royal palace turned into rubble after the strong quake (Photo / Screenshot from Weibo)

Recalling the moment the April 25 earthquake struck, Old Silhouette, who had also experienced the 921 Earthquake in Beigang, still trembled as he described how the ground began shaking violently just as he stepped into Patan Durbar Square to start his visit. Having lived through the 921 Earthquake, he instinctively ran toward the street rather than deeper into the palace, knowing that the centuries-old (or even older) structures could collapse at any moment.

But Old Silhouette was also deeply impressed by the fact that, in the aftermath of the disaster, Nepalis did not take advantage of the chaos — instead maintaining good public order. Not only did they help each other rescue people from the rubble, but many shops that collapsed in the quake were left unguarded, and yet no victims looted them. It was a moving display of the kindness and humanity he witnessed among the Nepali people after the earthquake. He also prayed that Nepal would quickly return to peace. “God bless Nepal!”