0:00:02 > 0:00:07This programme contains some strong language.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16- BIKE ENGINE STARTS - I've been an ambassador for the United Nations
0:00:16 > 0:00:20children's organisation, UNICEF, for eight years.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And I've travelled the world to see the work they do protecting
0:00:23 > 0:00:26and saving the lives of vulnerable children.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28There's a vast network that spans the globe,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30taking life-saving vaccines to children
0:00:30 > 0:00:33living in some of the most remote areas on the planet.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Look where we are!
0:00:35 > 0:00:37The routes are called cold chains.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41These cold chains are run by governments and various non-profit groups.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Our mission is to take life-saving vaccines to children
0:00:44 > 0:00:47along three of the world's toughest cold chain routes.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- HORNS BEEP - The traffic's just unbelievable!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Go on, son! Go on, go on, go on!
0:00:53 > 0:00:58Along the way, they must be kept cold or they'll perish.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02I've been on some adventures, but I've never done anything quite like this before.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04They said we were going remote,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06and this is about as remote as you can imagine.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17It's the perfect kind of match of furthering my work with UNICEF
0:01:17 > 0:01:22and, at the same time, going on an adventure, which I like to do.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26The comparison between my life and where we're going will be total.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30For instance, we've got water here. If my children get ill, I've a doctor down the road.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34If they get really sick, a hospital's round the corner. And I've got food in the fridge.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I imagine when we get to the very far reaches,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38children won't have any of those things.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47From LA, I fly to London, then on to Delhi,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50and finally, the city of Patna in north-east India -
0:01:50 > 0:01:53a country on the verge of eradicating polio.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55HORNS BEEP
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Patna is the capital of India's poorest state, Bihar,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03and where we'll begin our cold chain journey.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06With a population of over two million,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10it's also one of India's fastest-growing cities.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17I need to find my guide, a health worker called Sadique.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21He's here somewhere, next to a temple.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27Do you know where there's a temple? Like a temple? Do you know a temple?
0:02:27 > 0:02:32Man-day? This way? OK, thank you.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42- Are you Sadique?- Hi, I'm Sadique. - I'm Ewan, nice to meet you! How are you?- I'm fine, thank you.
0:02:42 > 0:02:48Sadique works with international organisations alongside the Indian Government
0:02:48 > 0:02:51to help combat the spread of polio in Bihar.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We'll be delivering vaccines to three hotspots
0:02:54 > 0:02:56where children are at risk of polio -
0:02:56 > 0:03:00a community of migrant workers found along the Kosi river,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02the border between India and Nepal,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05crossed by tens of thousands of people each day,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08but first, a nomadic camp right here in Patna.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The camp is located on the banks of the Ganges river,
0:03:13 > 0:03:14beneath a huge bridge.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Oh, that's very clever!
0:03:20 > 0:03:23'The children living here are migrants from the surrounding areas
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'whose parents have come to the city in search of work.'
0:03:37 > 0:03:38Oh, I see!
0:03:42 > 0:03:43Oh, I see.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56No I haven't seen a five-legged... It's made me feel a bit weird, that!
0:03:57 > 0:03:59That is a peculiar thing!
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Right.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03Cos she's got an extra leg?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07OK.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Because the families here come and go,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15it's very hard to keep track of whether the children have been vaccinated or not.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Immunisers use informers to tell them when migrants arrive,
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and today, there are around ten new families to vaccinate.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Nice to meet you.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27This is the vaccinator.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33In order to quickly tell whether a vaccine is OK to use,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36health workers refer to a heat-sensitive label.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- This is one that's not good?- Yeah.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45So, the first sign is the square in the middle goes dark
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and then the circle becomes darker?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Right, OK. Right.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55One bottle can immunise up to 20 children.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58When they vaccinate a child here with the polio drops,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01they put a black mark on their pinkie, on their nail,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04which lasts for a month or something. So when they come back,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06there will be children they haven't seen before,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08but if the child's got a mark, they know it's been vaccinated.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12And if it's not there, they know to give the child the drops.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Let me see. Oh, there it is, look.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Look at this little face!
0:05:18 > 0:05:20GROUP CHATTER
0:05:22 > 0:05:24- SNAKE HISSES - Oh, my God, look at that!
0:05:27 > 0:05:29CHILD CRIES
0:05:29 > 0:05:32This is a slightly strange place to be immunising children,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35but this little boy is one of the snake charmer's children.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38He's got three with him. They realised he's not been immunised.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43He didn't have the mark on his fingernail. So, they've just immunised him against polio
0:05:43 > 0:05:46about a foot and a half away from two cobras.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51Anywhere, any place is a good place to get an immunisation, isn't it?
0:05:51 > 0:05:52Good boy.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56The vaccine strategy here in India
0:05:56 > 0:06:00means there hasn't been a case of polio reported here for over a year.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14It's time to leave Patna and head towards our second hotspot.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16HORNS BEEP
0:06:18 > 0:06:21We're at the station to catch a train that will take us
0:06:21 > 0:06:23deep into the rural heartland of the state.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- TRAIN HORN BLARES - See you, Patna.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31That was the craziest town I've ever been at in my life.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- I've never been in a town like that before.- No, that was bonkers.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- That was bonkers, wasn't it? - Pretty bonkers.- Absolutely nuts!
0:06:38 > 0:06:42The train follows the Ganges river west for about 300km
0:06:42 > 0:06:46up to the small town of Khagaria, where we'll spend the night.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I must find a way to keep the vaccines cold
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and the ice packs frozen.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00The hotel kitchen is our only option.
0:07:00 > 0:07:01Hello.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I'm going to look in the fridge, OK?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Eh...
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Well, I think we'll use this one, if we use one at all.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17That's quite cold, I think.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20MAN SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Off?- We have it off.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24This one's off?
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Does the power stay on all night?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Yeah? So, we'll put it in this one.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35'This could be the last fridge for a while
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'and there's no guarantee it even works.'
0:07:40 > 0:07:43AIR-CON UNIT CLUNKS
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I can't sleep cos there's something, um...
0:07:47 > 0:07:51something in that air-conditioning unit.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55A bird or a rat or something, and I can't...
0:07:55 > 0:07:57It's freaking me out. Listen to that.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01CLUNKING CONTINUES
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I woke up with squeaking and...
0:08:06 > 0:08:09..that noise, and now I can't sleep because it's...
0:08:11 > 0:08:16..there's something living in the air-conditioning machine.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is!
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I slept like crap last night.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33It's definitely the kind of hotel where you sleep in your sleeping bag on the bed.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37You don't know about bed bugs and stuff.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43I could do a cold shower, couldn't I? A good start to the day.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46It's actually quite refreshing, I suppose.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52On this Indian morning.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Today, we hope to reach 17 children in need of polio vaccines.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03Jesus!
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Yeah, I think they're cold enough!
0:09:11 > 0:09:12Just check.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Yeah, that's fine. Look.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21OK, we're good to go!
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It's quite exciting, isn't it, that we've got the 17 names,
0:09:24 > 0:09:29the kids. It's nice to know that they're waiting for us today.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31It's a big adventure.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33OK, let's go!
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Our destination today is the village of Terasi - an isolated community
0:09:37 > 0:09:40located on the flood plains of the Kosi river.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42The only way to get there is by boat.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45And the quickest way to get to the boat is by bike.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53So far, there's no traffic, which is nice. I'm sure that won't last!
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Also, we need to practise where the horn is, cos that's...
0:09:57 > 0:09:59that's essential for Indian driving.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01BIKE HORN BEEPS
0:10:01 > 0:10:06This is my first time riding in India and I'm on a Honda Hero.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09This is my favourite thing to do!
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Nearly four million of these bikes are made every year,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15making it by far the country's most popular bike.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Oh-oh! Oh!
0:10:17 > 0:10:22I can hear the ice packs bouncing around in the box.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- It's making me worried about the old vaccines. - BIKE ENGINE ROARS
0:10:35 > 0:10:37I'm so happy to be out of the city.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41You know, you get this impression that India is just a country
0:10:41 > 0:10:45of noise and city, and then you get out here and it's so beautiful.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55'I'm hitching a ride on one of the basic wooden ferries
0:10:55 > 0:10:58'that transport supplies up and down the river.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02'The cold chain relies on this network of bikes and boats.'
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Perfect. OK, let's go. Nice to meet you.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12THEY LAUGH
0:11:14 > 0:11:17These boats are usually manned by a crew of three -
0:11:17 > 0:11:22a captain, an engineer, and someone to bail out the water.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29These slow-speed diesel engines were first introduced in India in the 1920s.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35They're popular for their ability to run non-stop for very long periods of time.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Going against the current makes for slow progress,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and I can hear the engine is really labouring.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46ENGINE STUTTERS
0:11:50 > 0:11:53ENGINE CLUNKS
0:11:53 > 0:11:58Barely halfway, and we realise this journey might take longer than we thought.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01We've had a problem with our diesel tank. It's leaking or something.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Yeah, someone is in there fixing it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Um, so, yeah, that might take some time.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Cos they're sitting in the sun.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17'All we can do is wait while they try and fix the engine.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24'With no spare parts to be found here,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27'we're reliant on the skill of our mechanic, Rajeev.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:30RAJEEV SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Hello.- Hello.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35She looked totally terrified of us.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Well, they mustn't get very many visitors down this path.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41How are you?
0:12:41 > 0:12:44All right? No, no, I'm just saying hello.
0:12:44 > 0:12:45- Hello.- Hello.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Oh, there he goes, look.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02ENGINE FIRES UP
0:13:02 > 0:13:04After an hour, the boat is back up and running.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34Sand. Never my favourite road surface.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It's taken us over 12 hours to get here from Patna,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40by train, boat and bike.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08228 children live in this village.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Their families must contend with the regular floods
0:14:11 > 0:14:14which destroy their crops and homes.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Is this your house? Your house? The water came up to about here.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Like, up there. So she said this was all flooded like that.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23She had to live up on the roof for four months.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29The waterlogged land is a fertile breeding ground for polio
0:14:29 > 0:14:33and makes it difficult to reach children for vaccinations.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35She's terribly glamorous. I really like her.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Oh, I see.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41You need cleaner water place.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42It's dirty.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Oh, yeah, right.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46She did the pooing,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48the mime for pooing...here.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51She's saying that people poo here and then there's water to be...
0:14:51 > 0:14:52It's not clean.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55What happens is the water's being pumped up from underground.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58And then when it doesn't filter away properly,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00it lies in these puddles which get putrid, and then
0:15:00 > 0:15:04all that filth seeps down back into the resources for the pump.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08So the pump is basically recycling that filthy water.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11That's what happens. Cos it doesn't drain away properly.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Someone's got it on their hands here.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17Oh, you've got it on your arm.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25WOMAN SPEAKS HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Yeah? Like this?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE - Maybe that's the ink.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Or how they make the ink, you know?
0:15:31 > 0:15:32And then for this?
0:15:32 > 0:15:34SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:15:36 > 0:15:37Oh, like this?
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Cos we do it like this. We go p-p-p-p-p-p-p!
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Like this.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42P-p-p-p! No.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44< P-p-p-p!
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Oh, yeah, it's sore, yeah. Aaarghhh! Yeah.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51The mothers and children are called
0:15:51 > 0:15:53to a makeshift clinic for the vaccinations.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01You know, we had 17 kids on our list
0:16:01 > 0:16:05to bring the vaccines here for - and there's 26 here,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07so since they heard that we're doing this today,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10there's more children here, which is great.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13We've had to hand over all our supplies,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and this means we must restock the vaccines
0:16:16 > 0:16:18ahead of our next stop tomorrow.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26This little girl here's got really terrible respiration.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27You can hear it. Very bad.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32- Where we got the boat?- Yes.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- Where we landed or where we got in the boat?- Where we got the boat.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36- So it's miles away.- Yeah.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42The nurse is only able to give the vaccines -
0:16:42 > 0:16:44she can't treat the children.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48BABY CRIES
0:16:50 > 0:16:53There we are. There's the first child immunised
0:16:53 > 0:16:55from our vaccines that we brought.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57So that's really cool.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07When we arrived, I was so pleased
0:17:07 > 0:17:09to see all of those kids here to be...
0:17:11 > 0:17:13..you know, to get the vaccines
0:17:13 > 0:17:16that are going to help them to grow and survive.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20And I felt quite happy about that, you know,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23that we'd brought it and we did our part and played our part.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25That made me feel very good,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29but hearing that little girl that couldn't hardly breathe,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31just that tiny baby who could hardly breathe,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34that overtakes everything, really.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38So you s...
0:17:38 > 0:17:39So you, erm...
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Sorry. Sorry, it's difficult to be...
0:17:49 > 0:17:51It's difficult to be quite happy about the immunisations.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57But it's...it's taking things one step at a time, isn't it? >
0:17:57 > 0:17:58Yeah.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00It's just difficult to see.
0:18:01 > 0:18:02It's difficult to see.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04It's difficult for them to be in that situation.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06And there's no doctor here, you know?
0:18:06 > 0:18:11The nearest doctor's where we got on the boat, you know?
0:18:11 > 0:18:12It's miles away.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Anyway, sorry.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27- Bye-bye!- Bye-bye.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43We return by boat to Khagaria
0:18:43 > 0:18:47to catch a train north to the border.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49The boat journey back should be much quicker
0:18:49 > 0:18:50cos we're going with the current.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54It took us four hours to get up here. It's four o'clock now.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01ENGINE SPUTTERS AND STOPS
0:19:01 > 0:19:04What's happened now is that our boat,
0:19:04 > 0:19:05the engine has stopped working.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I could go up there and give it a look
0:19:07 > 0:19:10but I don't want to step on their toes, you know what I mean?
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Might be a bit unfortunate if I go up there and just fix it.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16ENGINE STARTS
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Yay!
0:19:17 > 0:19:18THEY CHEER
0:19:23 > 0:19:24ENGINE SPUTTERS
0:19:24 > 0:19:25THEY GROAN
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Oh, no, we spoke too soon.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Look at the smoke, look at the black smoke.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Hey! Ohhh!
0:19:34 > 0:19:37THEY LAUGH
0:19:42 > 0:19:44It's not getting enough fuel, is it?
0:19:44 > 0:19:46It's not getting enough fuel, that's what's happening.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51ENGINE SPEEDS UP
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Well done, boys, well done!
0:19:57 > 0:20:00By the time we get back to the road, it's already dark.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17'We head straight to the train station in the hope of catching an overnight train
0:20:17 > 0:20:21'to our third hotspot, the India-Nepal border.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26'If we don't get on this train, we're looking at a very long drive tomorrow.'
0:20:30 > 0:20:31Yeah?
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Right.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35So he says to come back after 12?
0:20:39 > 0:20:43If we come back after 12, I mean,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46it sort of means we have to wait up till 12 to find out, and then,
0:20:46 > 0:20:51if not, then we have to be in the cars at five in the morning,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54which means no-one's going to get any sleep.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56I suggest we get to bed, get a good night's sleep,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00because we have to be up at five to get on the bikes anyway, to ride up to the border.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04OK. Anyway, right now we're not going to achieve anything.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Watch your step back, there's people everywhere.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Let's go this way.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12CAR HORNS BEEP
0:21:12 > 0:21:14We're forced to spend another night at the hotel here in Khagaria,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18which puts us behind schedule.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21FIREWORKS EXPLODE NOISILY
0:21:21 > 0:21:25MUSIC ON SOUND SYSTEM BLARES
0:21:25 > 0:21:27I just put my head on the pillow and then,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30all hell broke out here, all hell broke loose.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I don't know, it's a wedding or something, I think.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- HE SHOUTS OVER THE LOUD MUSIC - That's my bedroom just up there.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Everyone's absolutely plastered.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05'Well, I'm not getting any sleep tonight, so I may as well join in.'
0:22:05 > 0:22:07LOUD MUSIC CONTINUES
0:22:13 > 0:22:16HE JOINS IN WITH THE CHEERING
0:22:18 > 0:22:21FIREWORKS EXPLODE NOISILY
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Thank you very much.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Chai...
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Having failed to get on the train last night,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47we'll have to drive the vaccines to the border.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59OVERWHELMING TRAFFIC NOISE
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Unbelievable.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04The traffic's just unbelievable!
0:23:04 > 0:23:05It's good fun, though, I have to say.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08HE LAUGHS
0:23:08 > 0:23:13It's no secret that India has the highest number of traffic fatalities in the world.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And you really need to be prepared for anything.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Along the way, I must restock my vaccines and top up my ice blocks.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32After eight hours on the road,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35we arrive at the border town of Jogbani.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Whoo! That was some ride, bloody hell!
0:23:37 > 0:23:41It's a different experience riding here, isn't it?
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's just chaos. It's wonderful.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Good fun.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47There's one thing I haven't got for our trek in Nepal, is...
0:23:47 > 0:23:51You know the things that keep your legs warm? We call them long johns.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Yeah, maybe we'll find 'em here.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01So cool. They don't use cables here.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03All the brakes are operated with these push rods.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Which is the way we used to make bicycles in the '30s and '40s.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09But they still make them like that here, it's so brilliant.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11It's not stretchy enough for my legs.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18No, no, it's too small. It's too small, isn't it?
0:24:18 > 0:24:20That's got more stretch in it.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21That might just about do it.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Big size. The biggest, yeah?
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Indian-Nepalese border is, I don't know, a mile and a half, or a mile up there.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32And I've crossed a lot of borders. And they all feel a bit like this.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35There's generally markets near them.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38There's loads of goods going back and forward.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41It's busy. They're interesting places.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Two million people pass between India and Nepal every day,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51up to 10,000 here in Jogbani alone,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54making the risk of a virus entering India very high.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57I'm Ewan, nice to meet you.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01'Health workers station themselves here with an almost constant supply of vaccines.'
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Check these...
0:25:03 > 0:25:06They pretty much pounce straight in there, don't they?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08They just go straight in. No messing about.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Within seconds, they're given the drops.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15'Working in shifts, health workers can immunise up 800 children every day.'
0:25:18 > 0:25:22These are the drops we brought from Patna. It's brilliant, isn't it?
0:25:22 > 0:25:27'We leave India behind and cross the border into Nepal
0:25:27 > 0:25:29'to begin the final leg of our cold chain journey.'
0:25:31 > 0:25:34The first stop is Kathmandu.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39With a population of close to one million,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Kathmandu is the largest, and pretty much only, city in Nepal.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Today, tourism is its biggest industry,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50though my final destination is not on any tourist trail.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57The vaccines travel west, to Nepalganj.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And then it's a hair-raising flight up to the Talcha airstrip.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03From there, we trek with them to Gamgadhi.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05And then finally on to the tiny village of Luma
0:26:05 > 0:26:09where I will come face to face with the last child to be immunised on this chain.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Just round here is the national cold room,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16where all the vaccines are kept for the whole of Nepal.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21So, this is the start of our Nepal cold chain.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24- Hello?- Hello?- Hello?
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- I'm Ewan, hello.- Hello. - How are you?- I'm fine.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31- Nice to see you. Namaste. - Namaste. Welcome to Nepal.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Thank you very much. It's a great pleasure to be here.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37After you.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Part of this big load here of vaccines is going to Nepalganj.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47So, what we thought we'd do is, we'll mark one vaccine,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49and follow that all the way through
0:26:49 > 0:26:53to see who gets that vaccine at the very end of our cold chain.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56So, let's pick one.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58These are measles vaccines.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01Pick one of these.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I've got a pen.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09And we'll mark it with a little hash, like that.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11And I'll put that back.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12And then we'll see,
0:27:12 > 0:27:18just to kind of personalise it, see who that child is that gets that vaccine.
0:27:19 > 0:27:20It does bring to mind
0:27:20 > 0:27:25one of the important factors in the cold chain, is that they have to be cold!
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Come on, gentlemen!
0:27:30 > 0:27:35'The vaccines travel west, in a special refrigerated truck.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38'So we must fly to meet them at the other end.'
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Luckily, last night, we all spent a great deal of effort downsizing,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47taking only the bare essentials.
0:27:54 > 0:27:5641, sir.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- Have a nice flight. - Thank you. You too.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Oh wow! Look, look, look!
0:28:05 > 0:28:07'My first view of the Himalayas,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11'the range of mountains that covers almost three-quarters of Nepal.'
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Oh, they're so fantastic, aren't they? Beautiful.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Oh, fucking hell! OK.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23NERVOUS LAUGHTER IN THE BACKGROUND
0:28:27 > 0:28:31'We arrive in Nepalganj, well ahead of the truck carrying our vaccines.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33'In a largely Hindu country,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36'this town is home to Nepal's biggest Muslim population.
0:28:36 > 0:28:41'And my arrival coincides with a major Muslim festival.'
0:28:41 > 0:28:45What's the nature of this festival? What's the story?
0:28:45 > 0:28:50'These boys tell me this festival is to mourn Mohammed's grandson, who was killed in battle.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54'The colourful towers represent miniature mausoleums.'
0:28:57 > 0:28:59CROWD CHANTS
0:28:59 > 0:29:01As a display of their devotion,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05participants will beat their chests, and even cut themselves.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07This festival marks the beginning of the Muslim year.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11It lasts for ten days, and this procession today is its climax.
0:29:15 > 0:29:21Nepalganj's location close to the Indian border makes it a melting pot of cultures.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25I meet an American woman named Candy, who's lived here for many years.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27I think I'm the only hotel in Nepal
0:29:27 > 0:29:30- that specialises in American comfort food.- Right.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33We do the Southern fried chicken
0:29:33 > 0:29:36and the burgers, and the mac and cheese.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38When you say "we" came to here, who's the other person you're talking about?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40I have a husband attached.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43He's not here, he's a kilometre down the road in that direction.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45But yeah, he exists.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49We have a lodge as well down there, so we're both upscale and downscale.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Oh, I see. And is he a Nepalese man or an American man?- Yes.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57I did hear that you're one of two wives.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59- Yes, I'm senior. - Senior wife?- Yes.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Tell me about that. That's quite intriguing.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Um...
0:30:05 > 0:30:07I couldn't have children,
0:30:07 > 0:30:12so I gave my husband a second wife for a fourth-wedding anniversary present.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Where did you find... How did you organise that?
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I met her, and absolutely fell in love with her.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20And she actually lived with us for four and a half years, and died.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22And this is actually number three.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Oh, my goodness, I'm sorry to hear it.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28We have two sons by this wife.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30- Her name is Alma.- Alma?
0:30:30 > 0:30:34How does that work? Does your husband split his time between the lodge and here?
0:30:34 > 0:30:36Or you're wife senior so he's always with you?
0:30:36 > 0:30:40- No, we're already old. No, he stays down there.- He does?- Yeah.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43That's interesting. That's an interesting life story there.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47I'd love to talk to you forever here, but you need to eat.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49- HE LAUGHS - You're very kind. Thank you, Candy.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56That's very good.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Very welcome, that is, thank you.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06Ah, the Brits abroad. "I'll have a burger, please, with chips. Thanks."
0:31:11 > 0:31:13We're here in Nepalganj.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17We've chartered a small plane which is going to take us up to Talcha airstrip.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20The pilot wants to take off, like now,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22but we don't have the vaccines here.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24There's no point us going there without the vaccines.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28And so we're trying to get the vaccines here to the airport as quickly as we can.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32'The roads are bad here in Nepal.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35'The truck could still be miles away or stuck somewhere en route.'
0:31:36 > 0:31:39So, if we don't make the run today,
0:31:39 > 0:31:43it means that the kids up there will be unprotected for the next two, three months.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50'The pilot must take off.'
0:31:50 > 0:31:53So they want us to fly, because the plane's here.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- Have they loaded it all up and everything?- That's right.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58They're here?
0:32:00 > 0:32:01Great.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06There it is, look.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09OK. Let's get on the plane. Just in the nick of time.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13HE GRUNTS
0:32:19 > 0:32:21We're up and off, eh?
0:32:45 > 0:32:50These communities here just cling to the side of hilltops.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53I don't know how they get... There's no roads to them, you see little tracks.
0:32:53 > 0:32:58Unbelievably remote. You wonder how people live there, how they survive there.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'There's only one place to land for our next delivery.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'And they say it's one of the world's most dangerous airstrips.'
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Look at the runway.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Bloody hell. It really is just carved into the hill.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17'Perched precariously, 3,000 metres high up.
0:33:17 > 0:33:22'Only a handful of pilots in the country are qualified to land there.'
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Less than 400 metres long,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27the airstrip comes to an abrupt end before a sheer drop-off.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34The surface, if you can call it that, is a mixture of rubble and stone.
0:33:34 > 0:33:41Only a few days earlier, a plane full of passengers blew out a tyre as it landed and crashed.
0:34:24 > 0:34:25CLAPPING
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Bravo. Whoo! Whoo-hoo!
0:34:30 > 0:34:33- That was some landing, wasn't it? - Unbelievable!
0:34:35 > 0:34:36Look where we are!
0:34:43 > 0:34:46The aim is to reach Gamgadhi before nightfall.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49There's a health post there where we can chill the vaccines, store our kit
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and, hopefully, find a bed for the night.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56With no roads, absolutely everything here is transported by mule, or on foot.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00So, from here we walk.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Many locals earn their living as porters,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06carrying supplies up to remote villages in the mountains.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10When you see the weight they put on their backs, it's unbelievably impressive, isn't it?
0:35:10 > 0:35:15'The more they carry, the more they get paid, so there's fierce competition.'
0:35:16 > 0:35:19THEY CHATTER
0:35:19 > 0:35:22They're all squabbling cos they want to get a load to carry down.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26I suppose if you don't get one, you don't get paid.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29Oh, my God.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31That girl's got four packs, 15 kilograms each.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35That's 60 kilograms she's carrying.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36That's really heavy.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41They're so cool. I think they're so cool.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44There's quite a lot of tartan down there, which appeals to me.
0:35:44 > 0:35:45Tartan and nose rings.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48It's a really winning combination.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51'Also accompanying us is health worker Tiger.'
0:35:51 > 0:35:54And how much do they get paid for each load they carry?
0:35:54 > 0:35:58- 12 rupees.- 12 rupees? That's not very much, is it? Goodness me.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01This is Kharna.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06He works for the local hospital,
0:36:06 > 0:36:08and will be carrying the vaccines.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11It's a journey that he makes regularly.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Yeah. This is Gamgadhi, we will go there.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15- That's where we're heading now? - Yeah.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19- And it will take us three hours, do you think?- Four hours.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21- We'll have to go round there.- Yes.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29'We set out, following a mule train.'
0:36:43 > 0:36:45SHE SHOUTS OUT
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Look at this girl.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52She's shouting down to her mate.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55But the town, look how far away the town is.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59They can hear, cos the sound just travels for miles.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03SHE SHOUTS OUT
0:37:03 > 0:37:06CHILDREN REPLY IN THE DISTANCE
0:37:06 > 0:37:08- She's shouting down? - The stone is coming.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10She's warning them that a stone is rolling down the hill.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13SHE SHOUTS OUT
0:37:13 > 0:37:17- Is she playing, or is a stone really...?- Yes, she's playing. - Oh, she's playing.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20SHE SHOUTS OUT
0:37:34 > 0:37:39Towering in the distance is the Sisne Himal range of mountains,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41some of which are close to 6,000 metres high.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44And, just the other side of them, is Tibet.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54WOMEN SINGING
0:38:07 > 0:38:12Fancy a blast on her pipe as well! Sorry. Probably not!
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I'd like to say something, but I don't know what to say.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23That's like the biggest load of...
0:38:50 > 0:38:53We are going to Gamgadhi.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57HE REPEATS IN HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE
0:38:57 > 0:39:00EWAN ATTEMPTS TO COPY
0:39:00 > 0:39:03THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- OK.- OK.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18Finally, we arrive in Gamgadhi where we will spend the night.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25The market here supplies the surrounding area with imported goods.
0:39:27 > 0:39:3090% of adults in Nepal are farmers
0:39:30 > 0:39:36and, like most communities, Gamgadhi is surrounded by ancient hand-cut terraced fields.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48OK, so we've got to Gamgadhi and we've put our stuff in our little hotel there.
0:39:48 > 0:39:54We're going to take the vaccines a couple of streets down the hill to where they're stored overnight,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57because we can't let them get hot overnight.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01The only trouble is that, a couple of streets away is about two miles down the hill!
0:40:01 > 0:40:05And it's now dark. But we're going down there anyway, we haven't got any option.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07We're going to put these in, get them safe for the night.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Tomorrow, we'll pick them up and make the long walk over that hill there.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13OK, let's go.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Let's find that fridge. Look at that!
0:40:19 > 0:40:23- And that powers all the refrigerators?- Yes.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26That's brilliant.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35There we go.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37They're all good.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40You can see the white boxes are all still white.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42There it is, look.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46A lot of these vaccines are going to stay here
0:40:46 > 0:40:48to replenish the stocks here.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Firstly, because the landing strip is going to be shut for almost two months.
0:40:52 > 0:40:58So, they may be able to get more up here, but that's going to keep them going in the meantime.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Yeah, that was quite an important delivery, I think.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Thank you. My buddy.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09Can you tell him thank you so much?
0:41:09 > 0:41:15Because that was a long time with that big heavy box on your back.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Thank you very, very much.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21And that's the reality of this, that's the reality.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24The only way to get to this town is by doing that very, very long walk
0:41:24 > 0:41:27with that very, very heavy weight on your back.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46That was our first night sleeping in the mountains.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48And today, we head up to Luma.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51And how was your first night sleeping in the mountains?
0:41:51 > 0:41:53It was good.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55It's good.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56GUITAR RIFF
0:41:56 > 0:41:59# I woke up this morning
0:41:59 > 0:42:03# I was sleeping in a sack
0:42:03 > 0:42:05# I had to walk to Luma
0:42:05 > 0:42:08# And then I had to walk back. #
0:42:08 > 0:42:10THEY LAUGH
0:42:15 > 0:42:17I had my assistant bring it ahead,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20because I won't sleep on anything but a bed of pink roses!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Didn't you know that about me?
0:42:22 > 0:42:26'We're making the final ascent to the village of Luma,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28'a trek that will take about a day.'
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Beautiful light in the morning.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33We're going over there. Over this hill.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35So we just go down here.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Then, there.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Up here.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Over there.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47And then it's up on the other side of that hill up there.
0:43:07 > 0:43:08Namaste.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Namaste.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Burning plastic there.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19The streets are just thick with the smell of burning plastic.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21People just make little bonfires in the street
0:43:21 > 0:43:24with their rubbish, I guess, from yesterday.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30'We return to the hospital to collect the vaccines.'
0:43:30 > 0:43:32Morning.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35- How are you?- How are you?- Good. You?
0:43:35 > 0:43:38'Kharna has lived in this area all his life.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41'He does vaccine runs every month.'
0:43:48 > 0:43:50Do we have colder ones?
0:43:55 > 0:43:57So, we've got everything.
0:43:57 > 0:44:02But we took the ice packs out of the freezer, and they were liquid.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04You know how in India we kept banging them together,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07and they've got to feel like bricks?
0:44:07 > 0:44:10Well, they're not. They're still liquid.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12I mean, they're cold, but they're not really cold.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17It's quite a long way, isn't it? Seven, eight-hour, seven-hour walk?
0:44:17 > 0:44:19The quicker we go, the better.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36'I'm told the last leg of a cold chain is the most difficult.
0:44:36 > 0:44:40'The more remote you get, the fewer resources are available
0:44:40 > 0:44:43'to help keep the vaccines cold and the tougher the terrain.'
0:44:45 > 0:44:50- It's an amazing bridge, is it quite new?- Five years.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55'Nepal is still struggling to get back on its feet after
0:44:55 > 0:44:58'the end of a decade-long civil war.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01'This region was the site of intense fighting
0:45:01 > 0:45:04'and what little infrastructure existed was destroyed.'
0:45:04 > 0:45:08Once we've crossed this bridge, it's up, up, up, up, up.
0:45:08 > 0:45:09Here we go.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17'Since the end of the war, this bridge has been repaired and improved.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19'It's a vital link to the outside world
0:45:19 > 0:45:22'and the gateway to the last leg of our journey.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34It doesn't look too far but I believe it's, you know,
0:45:34 > 0:45:37false horizon, false horizon, false horizon.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Then we go down the next valley and up the next.
0:45:39 > 0:45:44It's good. It's so beautiful. So beautiful. It's quite hardcore.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09'As we climb higher, I'm really starting to feel
0:46:09 > 0:46:11'the effects of the altitude.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13'Every step is a struggle.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33'We've been walking for nearly four hours now
0:46:33 > 0:46:37'and I know we've still got a really long way to go before we reach Luma.'
0:47:01 > 0:47:03I think we've reached the saddle now,
0:47:03 > 0:47:07so we've climbed up about... I don't know how high it is.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09A lot. And then we go back down this one
0:47:09 > 0:47:13and back up the other side.
0:47:13 > 0:47:14So we're a third of the way there.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17Is that correct? We're about a third of the way there.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25'For people living in the mountains, the average travel time
0:47:25 > 0:47:28'to reach a motor road is 22 hours.'
0:47:52 > 0:47:55Oh, there's a mill there!
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Namaste. Hello.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14Oh, my God, look at that!
0:48:15 > 0:48:18'With no electricity and limited materials,
0:48:18 > 0:48:22'people up here are still relying on ancient technology.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26'Today, there are about 25,000 of these traditional water mills
0:48:26 > 0:48:28'being used throughout rural Nepal.'
0:48:28 > 0:48:33They've hollowed out this log and the water comes shooting down from upstream,
0:48:33 > 0:48:36turning round the water wheel which, in turn, turns round that stone.
0:48:36 > 0:48:42'This mill grinds the wheat and maize into flour for the village of Luma.'
0:48:44 > 0:48:49So we've got one last push on up this hill to get to Luma.
0:48:49 > 0:48:50We're almost there.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33'Luma was settled around 600 years ago...
0:49:40 > 0:49:42'..literally carved into the mountainside.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46'Most of the children born here will stay here all of their lives.'
0:49:48 > 0:49:54We did it! Yay. We made it! Luma!
0:49:54 > 0:49:59- Luma.- Luma, woo-hoo!
0:50:02 > 0:50:06'This tiny village is a full day's walk from anywhere,
0:50:06 > 0:50:09'and I guess they don't get too many visitors here.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13'They're just as curious to meet us as we are them.'
0:50:17 > 0:50:21I've never seen anything like it, it's unbelievable!
0:50:30 > 0:50:31Here we are.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35And what about these, where do we take these?
0:50:39 > 0:50:41What do we do with these? Keep them in here?
0:50:41 > 0:50:44That was quite a walk.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48It's unbelievable, this town, isn't it?
0:50:48 > 0:50:53I've never seen anything like it before. It's so amazing.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17It took us two days to walk here.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21There's no roads or anything here, that's the only way to get here.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24I don't think I've ever been anywhere so remote in my life.
0:51:24 > 0:51:30And if something were to happen here, you know, the only...
0:51:30 > 0:51:34the only way out is that two-day walk back, and even then,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37you've got to fly somewhere. None of these people could afford to fly anywhere.
0:51:37 > 0:51:42'Around 100 families live here in traditional stone and mud houses.
0:51:42 > 0:51:47'The construction methods and building materials have not changed since medieval times.'
0:51:49 > 0:51:52Look at the filth that the guys are in.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56They were having a little tea break
0:51:56 > 0:52:00and when I was coming up they put down their stuff,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02they weren't literally drinking tea, but they were having a wee rest.
0:52:02 > 0:52:06When they saw me, they all ran to the front and dropped a beam off the end.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09A huge cloud of dirt and smoke enveloped me
0:52:09 > 0:52:11and they all had a laugh.
0:52:14 > 0:52:15Namaste.
0:52:17 > 0:52:22Look at these stones, they've been used for hundreds of years, haven't they?
0:52:22 > 0:52:27- What have they got in the different holes?- That's mustard.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- This is rice.- And why do they mash it up like that?
0:52:31 > 0:52:34- De-husking. - Oh, they're just de-husking it.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36Oh, I see, of course.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40Of course. I didn't know that, pretending like I knew that. I didn't know that.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Hello?
0:52:44 > 0:52:47We may not be able to find a way down here, I don't know.
0:52:47 > 0:52:52I'm not really that well versed in the way around this town yet, you know?
0:52:52 > 0:52:58- Namaste!- Namaste! - Do you like our 13-man tent?
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Maybe there's another one round the corner. But maybe not, eh?
0:53:03 > 0:53:08I think we might have to form a small pyramid inside of people.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Four of us along the bottom, three in the middle, and two at the top.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15'As the day comes to an end, the village is still bustling with activity.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18'But as soon as the sun goes down, so does the temperature.'
0:53:36 > 0:53:40'With quite an audience assembled, the vaccinations get under way.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03'Finally it's time to meet the child who's going to get
0:54:03 > 0:54:06'the measles vaccine I marked all the way back in Kathmandu.'
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Hello. Namaste.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17Hello, nice to meet you. Hello.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24- Namaste. What's her name?- Nirmola.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28Nirmola? Here, let me sit down here.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31'Nirmola lives here with her parents and two older sisters.'
0:54:31 > 0:54:33And how did you meet?
0:54:33 > 0:54:38THEY SPEAK FOREIGN LANGUAGE
0:54:40 > 0:54:45So he's saying he came to this village with his goats to look
0:54:45 > 0:54:49for more goats to buy. And he came to this house to see if they had goats,
0:54:49 > 0:54:50but he met his wife instead.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57And now they have three kids - six, four and eleven months.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01And the eleven-month-old is the child who's going to be getting
0:55:01 > 0:55:04our measles vaccine that we've carried all the way from Kathmandu.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07'Nirmola's sisters have both been immunised.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10'But Nirmola missed the vaccinator the past couple of times he visited,
0:55:10 > 0:55:14'as she was strapped to her mother when she was working in the fields.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17'I take the family off to meet the vaccinator.'
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Here's the immuniser.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25Oh, they're still all right, yeah.
0:55:25 > 0:55:31There it is. There's the one we marked in Kathmandu, and it's for Nirmola. There we are.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38NIRMOLA CRIES
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Oh-h-h!
0:55:45 > 0:55:48There we are. That's the job done there, look.
0:55:48 > 0:55:53We marked one phial to make it individual somehow, you know,
0:55:53 > 0:55:56for us to think about this one child.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00It was an idea, almost, but now it's become a real reality.
0:56:00 > 0:56:05That phial is symbolic of the whole cold chain, really, for me.
0:56:05 > 0:56:12How heavy was she? Eight? Eight kilograms.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15These children shouldn't be left out
0:56:15 > 0:56:19just because they live in the middle of nowhere.
0:56:19 > 0:56:20They deserve a future too.
0:56:20 > 0:56:25And I think it's absolutely worth the effort
0:56:25 > 0:56:29and there are luckily people who will make the effort to get
0:56:29 > 0:56:33to these kids, and that makes me feel really good.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Yes, I will.
0:56:42 > 0:56:46Thank you for being such a loyal companion,
0:56:46 > 0:56:49and good English, too, at the end there! Cheers.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53I hope so.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I don't know how easy that will be up here.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58I hope so.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02Bye-bye. Take care. Thank you.
0:57:05 > 0:57:07I really like them, what a lovely family!
0:57:07 > 0:57:10She's very fun, smiley and funny.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16It's very clear now what the cold chain means, you know.
0:57:16 > 0:57:23It is a very organised but difficult-to-maintain chain.
0:57:24 > 0:57:29It's like one chink in that chain
0:57:29 > 0:57:34breaks it, and it's fragile and it's absolutely essential
0:57:34 > 0:57:36and life-saving for these people.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40'Next week, I follow a cold chain through the Republic of Congo...'
0:57:42 > 0:57:44Bonjour, je m'appelle Ewan.
0:57:44 > 0:57:48What we'd like to do is take vaccines to children living out in the jungle.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52'..where I see just what it means to be remote.'
0:57:52 > 0:57:53Is that an owl?
0:57:53 > 0:57:55'Both physically...'
0:57:55 > 0:57:57OK. Swimming.
0:57:57 > 0:57:59'And socially...'
0:57:59 > 0:58:04Once we leave this town, we'll be as far away from civilisation as you can imagine being, really.
0:58:04 > 0:58:10'In a country where, for some, slavery is still a reality.'