Blogs from Himalayas, Nepal, Asia
Everest Base Camp - General Sherman, Small victories and Herd Mentality
Published: March 28th 2012Asia » Nepal » Himalayas
March 28th 2012
Well its been a good month since my last post, and about 3 countries, so lets just skip India all together and get to Nepal. There is a famous Simpsons episode where Homer and Marge go to a marriage councelling camp and Homer goes fishing at Catfish lake searching for "General Sherman" which is obviously based on Hemmingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". My anology might be a little off, but Everest has always been General Sherman to me. A mythical beast dominating peoples imaginations and the entire region alike. Everybody believes in it but few ever get a chance for conquest. Catching (Climbing) the General may well be beyond my ability, or at least my means, but if nothing else Ill be able to get nice and close to him for a while. So, ... read more
December 16th 2011
Fresh from success on Island Peak I was fit and ready for my next obstacle - Lobuche East. Unfortunately, fate had decided otherwise and I succumbed to a nasty case of man flu. Leaving the tent at 3am on summit morning I knew it was going to be a struggle but I decided to have a crack at it anyway. After struggling up the mountain for a couple of hours, and with the difficult bit about to start, I decided that being lightheaded and dizzy on ice slopes of up to 75 degrees was probably not wise. I therefore headed back towards my tent. It was the first time I have failed to get to the top of a mountain (more testament to the fact that I have never tried anything difficult than anything else) and ... read more
December 12th 2011
After the previous couple of weeks, Island Peak was pretty straightforward. True, summit day itself was a bit of an epic (we started at around 1:30 in the morning and didn't finish until about 4 in the afternoon) but I have no tales of frost bite, -40 degree windchill or nasty toilet experiences to recount. Indeed, I actually got a few hours sleep the evening before the summit bid - thanks mainly to the fact that our camp site (5,100 metres ish) was about 700 metres lower than the camp on Mera Peak and therefore considerably warmer. The climb itself was unremarkable at first: About 3 hours of trudging up a rocky path followed by some easy angled snow. Then, however, it started to get more interesting with a 600 metre climb up to the summit ... read more
Living in a freezer - crossing the Amphu Labste
Published: November 30th 2011Asia » Nepal » Himalayas
December 1st 2011
As I mentioned in my previous blog, Mera Peak is a pretty popular mountain. Many hundreds of people have a crack at it every year. Whilst it is a physical challenge and the views are fairly spectacular it is not a wilderness experience. Luckily, most people who climb Mera head back from the summit exactly the same way they come in. The main alternative is to walk East into the Hinku Valley from where you can then go North over the Amphu Labste. Because the Amphu is fairly difficult, and because you need to be well equipped with tents, food, stoves, climbing equipment etc etc etc very few people go this way. I had done the Amphu before (during my first ever trip to Nepal in 1999) and remembered it as the most amazing place had ... read more
November 29th 2011
One thing that the Nepalis are very good at is persuading tourists to spend money. And it's a good thing too since about 90% of their economy depends on tourists (with most of the rest being international aid). One way in which this makes itself evident is the "Trekking peaks." These are a group of around 30 mountains which the Government has renamed - the thinking being that if you can "trek" these peaks they must be easy. Thus satisfied that they are within most peoples' grasp, many hundreds / thousands of people every year purchase a permit to "trek" to one of the summits and hire the necessary porters and guides etc etc etc Only later do people normally realise that they are actually a bit more involved than just trekking. Mera Peak is perhaps ... read more
Ain't no mountain high enough, Ain't no valley low enough Ain't no river wide enough, baby**
Published: October 19th 2011Asia » Nepal » Himalayas
October 12th 2011
**Lyrics from song sung by Malvin Gaye Our trek in Nepal to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes has been the BEST adventure so far in terms of culture and scenery to die for, so unspoilt and beautiful…read on our adventure by each Locations / Attitude (m) Kathmandu, Nepal (1360m) We arrived in Kathmandu and were quickly reminded of similar destinations like Siam Reap in Cambodia and Bali with the masses of people, traffic and the associated seemingly harmonious chaos. I personally love this as there is so much to take in as a side walk observer. We met our Peregrine Group Leader, Kabin and our other 12 fellow trekkers from Australia and New Zealand (14 in total with Dave & I). Right up front the leader explained that this trip was going to be ... read more
September 25th 2011
Jetzt war es endlich soweit. Ab ging es auf den Teil von Nepal auf den ich mich am meisten gefreut hatte - der Everest Base Camp Trek. Der Flug mit der kleinen Twin Otter Maschine war schon ein Erlebnis fuer sich und die Landung auf der Mini-Landepiste auf ueber 2800 hoehenmeter sowieso beeindruckend. Nachdem wir unser Gepaeck geholt hatten wurden wir direkt von einer Meute von Guides und Portern belagert die Ihre Dienste anbieten wollten. Alleine gehen und es alleine zu bestreiten is aber cooler also sind wir einfach weiter und haben uns nich lange belabern lassen. Die erste Etappe war zum eingewoehnen genau richtig, nur ca. 3 Stunden lang und mehr Bergab als Bergauf. Lukla selbst ist nur ein kleiner Touriort in dem man nichts machen kann. Nachdem wir noch in einem Guest House unser ... read more
getting higher than iv ever been in my life.. Everest trek
Published: July 17th 2011Asia » Nepal » Himalayas
May 1st 2011
i now find myself looking at my un-updated travel blog with a certain disappointment at myself, however, i still find it difficult to make the time to sit down and write it.. its often the case that i find myself unwilling to get my camera to take photos of an occasion or sit and write a journal.. its strange, its seems that subconsciously i am too busy enjoying the moment that i perhaps do not want to alter it by doing things that are intended to preserve it.. most of the text below was written nearly 4 months ago with the intention of being blogged straight away.. this didnt happen.. there are 47 photos added with this blog, be sure to click the photos button if they arent all displayed.. the everest region trek was one ... read more
February 27th 2011
Bond casually entered Moneypenny’s office that drab, early spring morning and, as was his custom, tossed his hat (without looking) at the stand in the corner. ‘Damn! Mished again!’ ‘Morning James’, purred Moneypenny. ‘Yesh. It isz’ he quipped. ‘Any news of them yet?’ ‘None’, he syruped ’The lashed we heard of them was in Goa. They were heading for Nepal. They may have fallen into the hands of the evil geniush Blowfelt, head of SQUAT, or they may be having a jolly good time, old girl!!’ ‘That’s why we haven’t heard from them recently?’ she mused. ‘It’s a posshibilty! But I’ll need to check it out’ he smoozed gently removing his Rolexed hand from her throbbing bossom. ‘Tell M I’m going in….’ ‘Oh James…..!’ she sighed. Nepal! After 3 different planes in India and 5 different ... read more
