nepal 's capital , kathmandu , stand on the distinctive steeply terraced hillsides .
the mission , a joint effort between indian air crew and a nepalese army medical team , is only the third operation of its kind to see that the people of melamchi , central nepal , are happy to see us .
the aircraft is stuffed to capacity with tents , medicines and packages of tinned tuna , instant noodles and rice , all bundled haphazardly aboard the mi-17 by soldiers at the air base in kathmandu barely 15 minutes earlier .