This is my last night in Africa for now. Tomorrow, I am flying back to Nepal. My last group just left, and even though it was the same trip, it was very different. Smaller group but different stories... The first part of the trip, Mt Meru, was just as beautiful as always. I really enjoy climbing that mountain and every time, I find it easier. Now the part that scared me the first time seems like fun, and sleeping in the little huts is like being in my own bed, well...almost! This trip was great because there was hardly anybody else on the mountain. Very quiet, which made it a lot easier for the clients to sleep. But a few suffered quite a bit from altitude sickness, especially during the summit day. I started worrying a ... read more

There is something quite amazing to start a trek and be walking next to a group of giraffes... I still have to make sure I am not dreaming all this. The trek up to Mt Meru started in the rain forest. It was very foggy, misty even, but the forest was really like an enchanted forest, with big trees, full of moss and lichen, and the sound of monkeys. I was hiking with the guide that will be working with me for the next 6 weeks, a really nice tall friendly Tanzanian and a ranger with his .306 to chase the potential buffalos and elephants off the trail... An American guy also joined our party, he was traveling solo and needed a ranger also, so we went together and it was very pleasant to share the ... read more

It is very late in the evening, more like early morning, and I just officially finished my first trek as a guide. It was a really good experience, and now I am almost on my way to Africa, for a very different experience. But the last few days have been good, I visited the "classics", the Fort in Delhi, the one in Agra, the TAj and Fathepur Sikri. Quite a different experience after a trek in the isolated mountains of LAdakh, but also wonderful. I always wanted to see the TAj and it is, indeed, lovely. Amazing what a person can do because of woman! IMpressive monument. But it was very hot and sticky and all of us were somewhat struggling with the heat. It doesn't rain much, actually the only rain we had was in ... read more

Back from the first trek... 10 days ago or so, a Ladakhi picked me up at my guest house with some kind of a Jeep, with what I would call an interesting suspension and squeaky brakes, and my guide Puntsok and I were on our way to Rumtse, where our trek was to start. On the way we stopped in a village for tea, then I visited the Chemrey Monastery, always interesting, especially when you ask questions to the monks or the locals... Then you realize that the buddhist iconography is very complicated... No wonder I am lost. Then we took another break, and meanwhile I was watching an Indian guy cleaning the ears of another guy... This is a normal job here, "ear cleaner". Didn't look like fun. When he was done, he realized I ... read more

In a way it is hard to believe... I am already back in India. But it is not a big surprise at the same time, as I loved it so much. For those who don't know, I have been offered a job to guide in Ladakh, Nepal and Tanzania. So I am now in Ladakh, exploring the area for 3 weeks before the group shows up... So after a long day flying from Montreal to Amsterdam and then Delhi, I arrived late at night in the International airport. The local guide I will be working with was waiting for me, and took me to the other airport to fly to Leh. Delhi was 32 degrees and humid, thank God it was late at night! Then I sort of slept on top of my luggage at the ... read more