Through the Institute of Technology in the Tropics (ITT), an institute of the University of Applied Sciences Cologne (Fachhochschule Köln), our Institute of Conservation Science came in contact with Dr. Susanne von der Heide, an anthropologist who has spent many years in Nepal, first with studies of the Thakali, an ethnic group in the Himalaya, then with representing UNESCO in the world heritage of the Kathmandu Valley. Her main interest is the protection of endangered ethnic groups in remote areas; for this end she has created the foundation of HimalAsia, together with its present chairman Zongsar Ngari Chödje Tulku T. T. Thingo Rinpoche (we bemoan his death in 2009). This foundation is active in particular in the region of the highest mountains of the world. It is here that Dr. von der Heide took us in the frame of a project for securing the monastery of Ku-tsab-ter-nga in Lower Mustang/Nepal in 2001 and the following year.

Unfortunately, our short reports of 2001 and 2002 are written in German.- Those who have visited Nepal know about the desire for further visits to this land of friendly people and fascinating landscape.

In spring 2003 we managed to get back to Nepal and to "our" monastery, this time together with our colleague Prof. Friedrich Wilhelm Grimme of ITT, in order to see the results of our previous efforts in the monastery and to visit further areas with damage from water and from termites.

Finally a pensioneer, I did the great tour around the Annapurna Range in autumn 2003 together with two friends. The visit to "our" monastery was one of the highlights of this three weeks trekking.

In 2005 we visited the north Indian Himalaya and did a ten days tour in Sikkim! After seeing the above mentionded Rinpoche we started our walk to the foot of Kanchendzonga (almost 8600 m) with guides, cooks, horses and the crossbreeds of yak and cow.-

A small group of friends, we started in October 2007 for a visit to Upper Mustang in Nepal. Meeting the young monks of Ku-tsab-ter-nga has again been a special pleasure.

In October/November 2012 I will once again do trekking in the Kali Gandaki valley with friends.