Trekking grandmother gains passage across the India-Nepal border with her pensioner's bus pass

A pensioner on a dream trek in the Himalayas was stopped at a border after she forgot her passport but guards let her through with her bus pass.

Adventurous grandmother Helen Carter, 72, set out with her group for an arduous trek close to the India-Nepal border but left her passport at the hostel.

The group were stopped by irritable guards at the isolated crossing and told Mrs Carter could not pass, until she brandished her pensioners' bus pass and they let her through.



Surprised Mrs Carter said the trek continued close to the border during the day - and the trick worked three more times.

She said: "When I showed the bus pass the border guard smiled and waved me through.

"We had to cross the border three more times during the trek and the bus pass worked every time, although I had to fill in a form. I suppose it must look official."