Himalayas, adventure, books, maps, ideas and related ravings

Nanda Devi, view from Camp 4, 1937

2010-11-02T12:25:00.001+11:00

Nanda Devi, view from Camp 4, 1937

Yamunotri, Garhwal Himalaya 1883

2010-11-02T12:22:00.001+11:00

Yamunotri, Garhwal Himalaya 1883

Shivling in a lithograph from 1883

2010-11-02T12:20:00.001+11:00

Shivling, Garhwal Himalaya 1883

Willi Unsoeld's: The Spiritual Values of Wilderness

2010-09-28T14:35:00.013+10:00

I found this jewel the other day and though some of you would also appreciate it: Himalayan mountaineering legend Willi Unsoeld discusses The Spiritual Values of Wilderness. With references to Rudolf Otto's Idea of the Holy, James Frazer's The Golden Bough, Theodore Roszak's Where the Wasteland Ends and author and environmentalist Sigurd Olson.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Woodman's Trail In Darkest London - Times 5/3/63

2010-03-12T11:57:00.007+11:00

Here is a great article I found within the pages of a copy of Jim Corbett's Jungle Lore that I picked up in a dusty old book shop.

The correspondent from The Times recounts his meeting with Jim Corbett in the hill station of Naini Tal in the Kumaon Himalaya during the British Raj. He was lucky enough to have the privilege of walking through the jungle around Kaladhungi with the legendary hunter.

Later in the piece he describes how Corbett got utterly lost in London after he went for a walk and forgot to note either the name of the hotel or the street it was on. Corbett used his tracking skills to retrace his steps:

"Finally I found the way; my eye picked out a poster that had one corner torn away. Soon I came to another place with four or five roads leading off it, and where I was almost stumped. But somewhere about there had been a narrow gully between two tall buildings, where the wind had blown on my right cheek as I passed. Sure enough I found the gully, and the wind was now on my left cheek, so I went on."

Only someone who had spent all his life in the wilds would describe a city in these terms. Great stuff.

Click on Full to view the article

Along with this cutting was another which was an article on Sir William Ibbotson, Deputy Commissioner of Garhwal and Kuman and close friend of the legengary hunter Jim Corbett.

Click on Full to view the article

Nordwand

2010-03-09T12:38:00.004+11:00

Just watched Nordwand the classic mountaineering tale about the failed attempt to climb the North Face of the Eiger by Andi Hinterstoisser and Toni Kurz.

Directed by Philipp Stölzl the film is a brillant recreation of the tragic events that Toni Kurz (Benno Fürmann) and Andreas (Andi) Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas) faced on the route. As a climber it was great to see a film that is factully correct (not sure about the love story bit) and one that does justice to this legend in the annals of mountaineering history.

Tribeca Film discussed the film with Stölzl.

Definately a movie to watch.

Awesome Gigapixel panoramas of the Himalaya and Karakoram

2010-03-01T14:18:00.003+11:00

Explore the mountains around Everest and K2 through these amazing gigapixel panoramas by David Breashears and Christian Bloch.

Here is further information on the Glacial Research Imaging Project

Trekking and mountaineering in Afghanistan

2010-02-26T10:14:00.003+11:00

Mountain Unity International is a non-profit organisation doing some great work in Afghanistan to promote mountain tourism in the country. It doesn’t bill its self as a tour company but facilitates to encourage companies and individuals to take up the challenge.

Mountain Unity is encouraging travel in the mountains of the Wakhan Corridor, a slim piece of land between Tajikistan, Pakistan and China. It was created by the British to ensure that Russia would not share a border with British India. The northern boundary with Tajikistan is demarked by the river Oxus or Amu Darya, the southern boundary by the Durrand Line.

Are you up for a real adventure?

The Great Himalayan Trail

2010-02-26T09:43:00.004+11:00

The Great Himalayan Trail is a 1600km trek across Nepal. As you would expect this trek crosses through some pretty tough and remote country and many high passes. This trail is being created as an idea to encourage trekkers to take on a major challenge and in the process bring much needed income for the locals of the mountain regions.

This is a fantastic idea and one which I have been thinking about for a while. in 2007 I attempted to cross the entire length of the western Himalaya with a group of friends in the 2007 Trans Himalaya Trek. While we were able to complete large sections of the trek we were ultimately beaten by the red tape and bureaucracy of the Indian government.

I attended a talk by Robin Boustead on this trail at the World Expeditions offices in Melbourne. World Expeditions is running the first commercial trip along the Nepal section of this trek.

As the Himalaya form part of a long sensitive border with India and China and Pakistan trekkers and climbers require all kinds of passes and permits. This can be very complicated and time consuming as when you cross a high Himalayan pass and enter into a new district you might require a new permit and the district headquarters might be a three day walk away, in the wrong direction. To add to that there is no guarantee that the government official will be in his office or that it isn’t some public holiday or the other. It might even be that some sections require permits from the Central Government in Delhi.

A major traverse of the Indian Himalaya can only be done with the help of the Indian military or with a route that crosses into the lower mountains to avoid the restricted areas. This is a great shame as it put a fantastic expedition out of reach for adventurers from around the world.

I am glad to see that this is possible in Nepal.

Headhunter of Nagaland

2010-02-25T12:36:00.003+11:00

A great documentary on the sad plight of the former headhunters of Nagaland, a rarely visited region in the north easts of India

Kettlebells - Thoughts after using them for six months

2010-02-23T21:20:00.002+11:00

I have been using kettlebells for the last six months and thought it might be useful to share my experiences with those interested.

Bit of background to explain what my goals were: I am an active city-bound outdoors enthusiast who uses the gym to keep in shape. I have been doing weights for the last 15 years. In the middle of last year I discovered kettlebells through my contact with Crossfit.

My aim was to find an exercise form that best complimented the full body fitness demands of outdoor sports like climbing, mtb, kayaking etc. I have always found weights too specific; eg I would get fit in the gym but then couldn’t apply my bench press specific strength to rock climbing.

Enter kettlebells. I was immediately attracted to the full body demands of a kettlebell routine. You end up training all the big muscles: legs, trunk, back and get a great cardio workout built in. I hate spending time on cardio machines.

After using them for a bit in Crossfit sessions I took an hour long training session to get the techniques right. From that foundation I used Youtube to learn new exercises. I stopped doing all bar and bumbell-based exercises in June last year. Steve Cotter, M Body Strength and Pavel Tsatsouline were good sources of inspiration.

Here are exercises I used:

Double/single hand swings
Single/double kettlebell squats
Renegade rows
Shoulder press
Clean and press
Cleans
Thrusters
Halos
Turkish Get Ups
Windmills

I started off with 16kg and have moved up to 24kg bells and now feel the need to move on to heavier ones for some exercises.

I keep my workouts random to make it interesting and learn new exercises as I go along; currently I am working on getting my Turkish Get Ups right. I train 3 days a week in short intense workouts, 45 minutes max including warm up, which would leave me in a weezing sweaty heap. I also found that, unlike weights, I can train on consecutive days without feeling any pain or over straining. I am careful not to over do it and get lots of rest.

Somedays I would work the full body: swings, squats, cleans and on others I would focus on upper shoulder press, cleans, halos, windmills and then the next day lower body squats, swings and lunges

The strength/cardio combo is awesome. I leave the gym dripping. Try using kettlebells with the Tabata Protocol for total destruction

After six months I have found that my overall strength and cardio has improved. My legs, abs and back are very strong and this is where the bulk of my muscle development has happened. I have a six pack and good oblique development without doing any sit ups (but I have done lots of sit ups in the past). I seem to have developed very good practical strength (if that makes sense) and my muscle coordination is great; ie I don’t feel imbalanced from over training any one muscle group.

I will continue to use kettlebells from now on but will include deadlifts and squats into my routines.

I feel that kettlebells are a great sports specific, as opposed to body building, training tool which can be used to build over all muscle coordination and balance, strength and cardio. If this is what you are looking for then give them a shot.

Panorama of the Garhwal Himalaya

2010-02-16T11:46:00.007+11:00

Here is great panoramo of the Garhwal Himalaya taken by Alok Prasad

The best beanie ever

2010-02-12T12:05:00.004+11:00

Frightfully chilly out there old chap

I'd love to get one of these crazy beanies made by the guys at Beardhead.com

End of the Trail - Shepherds of the Himalayas

2010-02-11T21:46:00.002+11:00

The programme is about Himalayan shepherds who follow the cycle of transhumance. The family of this particular shepherd, (like others) has followed the same trail for many generations upto 14,000 ft. every summer. These ecologically-aware pastoralists now face grazing problems in winter due to increased cultivation and new forest- protection policies. Young shepherds are faced with difficult choices between traditional practices and the viability of survival.

The Land of Dolpo

2010-02-11T21:41:00.001+11:00

Filmed by Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf. Broadcast by the BBC in the 1960's and based on fieldwork carried out in central Nepal in the 1950's and 1960's.

The Men Who Hunted Heads

2010-02-11T21:35:00.002+11:00

Documentary on the headhunters of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Filmed by Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf in 1970. Broadcast by the BBC in the 1970's.

Documentary on restoring monasteries in Lo Manthang, Mustang, Nepal Himalayas

2010-02-09T23:15:00.002+11:00

Lost Treasures of Tibet

Located in present-day Nepal, Mustang contains some of the last remaining relics of an almost vanished world of ancient Buddhist culture. Across the border in Tibet, Chinese occupiers have destroyed thousands of monasteries since taking control of the country in 1950. Therefore, the survival of Mustang’s monasteries or gompas is more important than ever. But preservation is extremely difficult because of the centuries of neglect, weather, and earthquakes that have brought many buildings to the brink of collapse. Inside, their exquisite murals are in a near-ruined state.

In the course of their restoration work, conservators from the West come face-to-face with a thorny problem of culture clash: local people want missing sections of the murals completed. Westerners are aghast at the idea, but their hosts are equally shocked at the thought of worshiping unfinished deities.

Forgotten on the Roof of the World

2010-02-02T16:31:00.002+11:00

Forgotten on the roof of the World - Afghanistan's Pamir mountains - all images ©Matthieu Paley from mareile Paley on Vimeo.

"Forgotten on the Roof of the World" is the story of a little-known tribe of Kyrgyz nomads, their history, life and survival in one of earth’s most remote regions — Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. Matthieu Paley's documentation covers the tribe’s unique barter trade with a small community in Pakistan as well as their routines and traditions ‘at home’ in Afghanistan. Matthieu’s images tell stories of opium addiction and survival at -25ºC during the harsh winter months - a place unvisited by foreigner in winter since 1972.

For the full documentary, contact: info(at)paleyphoto.com or visit paleyphoto.com or pamirknot.com - all images © Matthieu Paley.

Visit his website and blog.

Wings on the Himalayas

2010-01-24T22:26:00.001+11:00

In 1955 the RAF mountaineering association underwent an ambitious expedition to climb several unnamed peaks north of Manali in India.

Wings on the Himalayas from Will Aspinall on Vimeo.

2009 Nanda Devi East & Changuch Expedition

2010-01-24T22:04:00.000+11:00

The 2009 British / Indian Nanda Devi East & Changuch Expedition from Rob Jarvis on Vimeo.

French climber Liv Sansoz bouldering at Hampi

2010-01-24T21:59:00.000+11:00

More Outdoor >>

Inspiration for adventure

2010-01-21T16:36:00.001+11:00

Adventurer Bertrand Piccard offers us a challenge: Find motivation in what seems impossible.

Sherwood College, Naini Tal by John Edward Sache

2009-12-18T16:47:00.003+11:00

Sherwood College, Nainital
John Edward Sache, late 1800's
Download a large version

This one of the first photographs of Sherwood College taken by Sache. Sherwood is on its original location of what is known as Sherwood House which is now a part of Government house.

Photographs from a trek in the Pindari region

2009-12-16T09:39:00.003+11:00

Khati Village
Photo credit: Punit Metha

Here are some fantastic photographs taken by my friend Punit Metha during a trek in the Pindari Glacier region of the Kumaon Himalayas in India.

"A 10 day hike to link the two valleys of Pindar to RamGanga East - in turn we did link Pindar but instead with Saryu valley. The start from traditional trailhead at Saung in Saryu valley to Khati via Dhakuri Khal, Khati and onwards to Dwali." Punit Metha

Volcano Venture - the Volcanoes of Kamchatka

2009-11-30T16:19:00.005+11:00

My article and photographs from the trek to the volcanoes of Kamchatka has been published in the latest edition of Australian Geographic. The seven page article is titled; Volcano Venture

Have a look at the rest of the photographs from the trip on my Flickr pages.

Dean Potter - Eiger FreeBase Solo

2009-11-30T15:24:00.001+11:00

Part I

Part II

Tso Moriri Panorama

2009-11-24T09:40:00.001+11:00

Panorama of Tso Morir (4200m) that I took a couple of years ago

Himalayan Art Resources website (HAR)

2009-11-19T11:07:00.001+11:00

The mission of the Himalayan Art Resources website (HAR) and Blog is to create a comprehensive education and research database and virtual museum of Himalayan art:

First, the website exhibits images of art from museum, university and private collections throughout the world.

Second, the website documents all Himalayan art objects that are known through past or present collections or publications.

Third, the database identifies and catalogues all images (comprised of painting, sculpture, ritual objects, murals, etc.). When an object image is not available for lack of permission from the copyright holder, the database uses a place card image. Book cover images are used for publications and generic place cards for collections.

Lost Cave Temples of the Himalayas and Secrets of Shangri-La

2009-11-18T16:38:00.004+11:00

For more:

Photographs of Naini Tal from the 1880's

2009-11-10T11:58:00.004+11:00

Here are two more beautiful 8x10 photographs of Naini Tal in the 1880's which I picked up the other day. I am not sure if these are pre or post the landslide.

Naini Tal, Flats, 1880's

Naini Tal, looking from Talital towards Cheena Peak 1880's

Veteran Mountaineer Magan Bissa on life support & needs financial help to survive

2009-11-09T10:28:00.002+11:00

MAGAN BISSA, a leading mountaineer of the country and a veteran of 4 Everest Expeditions and summiter of mountains such as Nanda Devi , Saser Kangri and many more mountains, was looking forward to making his fourth attempt at summitting Mount Everest His first was in 1984 with the Sucessful IMF expedition which put the first Indian women Bachendri Pal on top of Everest.

He was a member of the team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, India. Unfortunately on 07 May 2009, at camp 3 he fell ill and his serious condition needed immediate, invasive medical attention. He was promptly evacuated from the base camp to Kathmandu. An immediate surgery followed that led to the removal of 80% of his intestine! Sheer grit and determination helped him recover and return home.

However, post operative complications drove him to seek further medical help and is now admitted in the Institute of Liver and Binary Sciences, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, for the past 30 days. He has been in Intensive care unit and the treatment is being carried out under the guidance of the best doctors in the country. The treatment at the hospital may take anytime from 2 weeks to 3 months depending upon the healing process. His situation is VERY CRITICAL.

Apart from the slow healing, the mounting cost of hospitalisation and medication – nearly Rs.25,000 per day- has taken its toll on his family. The IMF has lent its support by granting him Rs. 1.5 lacs. It is very evident that with no support from other similar organisations it would be extremely difficult to carry on with this medical treatment. Mrs. Bissa and her family have been braving these hurdles with pride and dignity.

Here is our chance to reach out in the true spirit of mountaineering, seeking limits of the unknown and with a deep sense of respect for what nature has in store, to help a fellow man be healthy and live to tell tales of camaraderie that allows one to achieve the impossible.

We request all whom we know from within the climbing community and elsewhere, to kindly make a contribution towards his medical expenses and help our friend with an indomitable spirit to get back on his feet.

Access this website to find out how to contribute and help

Blank on the Map by Eric Shipton 1938

2009-10-15T15:26:00.007+11:00

The other day I followed an interesting auction on Ebay of an extremely rare book, a signed first edition of Blank on the Map (Hodder & Stoughton, London 1938).

Photo credit

First editions of this book are rare enough but I have never come across a signed one before.

Shiptons signature (Photo credit )

(Photo credit )

The book itself wasn't in the best condition but the fact that it was signed made up for this.

(Photo credit )

Thhis edition ended up selling for £732 (USD $1171). First edition of this book sell any where from USD$500 to USD$900.

Here be cows

2009-09-22T13:55:00.009+10:00

I was squinting over the detail of Thomas Jefferys’ map of India titled The East Indies, with the roads from 1768 and spotted a great little cartographic quirk.

The source of the Ganges or Ganga is marked as “A cow cut in the rock”. The source of the Ganga is called Gomukh or the Cow’s mouth. Something was obviously lost in translation and this is what ended up on the map.

So in India its not "Here be dragons" rather it's "Here be cows"!

Naini Tal, 1890's

2009-09-15T16:40:00.006+10:00

These photographs of Naini Tal were taken in the 1890's by Algernon Hawkins Thogond Keith-Falconer, 9th Earl of Kintore PC, GCMG, (12 August 1852 – 3 March 1930) was a British politician and colonial governor.

Tali Tal at sunrise, 1890's
Tali Tal, 1890's
Smuggler's Rock, Naini Tal

Bheem Tal Dam

Kumaonis or Hill People

Time-lapse proof of extreme ice loss

2009-09-10T14:23:00.004+10:00

Photographer James Balog shares new image sequences from the Extreme Ice Survey, a network of time-lapse cameras recording glaciers receding at an alarming rate, some of the most vivid evidence yet of climate change.

Nynee Tal from Smugglers' Rock

2009-09-06T20:02:00.005+10:00

Nynee Tal from Smugglers' Rock by Samuel Bourne, 1874

Naini Thal (lake) contains a few mahaseer, and, "as evening shadows fall," a boat may often be observed under the "Smugglers' Rock," containing a British angler endeavouring, with the indomitable perseverance of the true Piscator, to lure the finny prey. As night falls, a few lamps, flitting about the fashionable end of the lake, near the club house, may be also noted, producing a fairy scene as they disperse and row homewards across the lake in many directions.

The calcareous spar which tops the clay slate rocks and greenstone trap, together with certain hot sulphur springs on its broken margin, would lead one to the conclusion that Naini Th&l lake is of volcanic origin.

The mahaseer lie under the Smugglers' Rock, near the centre of the lake, where a shallow spot — a submerged apex — approaches the surface; this may be observed from the surrounding heights shining in the depths with emerald hues.
The Highlands of India by Major-General D. J. F. Newall (1882)

Photos: Kamchatka Trek - Central Region

2009-09-02T12:40:00.006+10:00

In July (2009) I headed over to Kamchatka peninsula with for a three week trek. I spent two weeks trekking in the central region around the Klyuchevskaya Group of volcanoes and another week in the south around Mutnovsky and Gorely.

I trekked over 250km, climbed six live volcanoes, saw wild bears and drank lots of vodka. It was an amazing experience.

More about the trip later but here are photographs of my trek in Central Kamchatka. The photos from the souther region will follow soon.

I'd like to thank The North Face and Outdoor Australia for their support on this expedition.

View from Plosky Tolbachik or Flat Peak at 3085m

2009-08-26T10:56:00.004+10:00

Click on the image for a bigger picture

Here is the first of my photographs from my trek in Kamchatka. It was taken from the summit of Plosky Tolbachik or Flat Peakat 3085 looking over the caldera and the main summit, Ostry Tolbachik or Sharp Peak at 3682 m on a rare clear day.

Stay posted for more........

Mt Feathertop, Australia

2009-08-17T13:39:00.001+10:00

Winter camping on Mt Feathertop, Australia

Incredible free dive

2009-06-23T10:56:00.002+10:00

William Trubridge makes the first no fins, no suit freedive through the Arch, a 30m long tunnel connecting Dahab's Blue Hole to the Red Sea at a depth of 55m.

Amazing!

Awesome documentary on Reinhold Messner

2009-06-19T21:42:00.004+10:00

Photo credit

It was my way to order the world for myself. It was my way to express myself.....and we are in the world more or less to express ourselves and order our own world. And more we cannot do in this world. In the end it is not what we have in this world, it is what we have done. Not what you have.

I am willing to spend everything for a project; all my money, all my time, all my energy, all my entheauasm,to do. And after this I can say - it was not necessary but it was great! - Reinhold Messner

Just watched a great documentary on Reinhold Messner and thought I'd share it.

MovNat - The Workout The World Forgot

2009-06-03T16:29:00.004+10:00

Ibn Battutah - The Man Who Walked Across the World

2009-04-22T22:04:00.002+10:00

Series of documentary travelogues following in the footsteps of 14th Century Moroccan scholar Ibn Battutah, who covered 75,000 miles, 40 countries and three continents in a 30-year odyssey.

PartI

Part II

One Crazy Ride - biking in Arunachal Pradesh

2009-03-10T00:05:00.001+11:00

A motorcycle expedition on uncharted roads across the Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, situated in North-east India. Shot with no back-up vehicle or film crew, in parts of India hardly seen, filmed or explored, the documentary captures the interactions and experiences of the riders who are trying to chart a route, which according to everyone does not exist.

Film & DVD website - http://dirttrackproductions.com
Contact - info@dirttrackproductions.com

Om Shanti Paragliding Expedition

2009-03-09T23:34:00.004+11:00

Rishikesh - Part 1

Om Shanti expédition- Partie 1-North of india
by jeffthurel

Western Ghats - Part 2

OM SHANTI expedition- South of india -part 2-
by jeffthurel

The Birdman of the Karakoram

2009-03-06T16:22:00.002+11:00

The incredible pioneering aerial adventures of John Silvester paragliding in Pakistan

Riddles Of The Dead: Skeleton Lake

2009-03-06T15:57:00.004+11:00

Skulls at Roopkund (source)

Roopkund is a frozen lake 16,000 feet up in the Himalayas where, in 1942, hundreds of skeletons were discovered. Controversy, intrigue and, ultimately, myth ensued, but now a team of scientists is trying to unravel the mystery.

Watch the documentary on Roopkund which was produced by National Geographic

An interesting article on Roopkund

Sir David Attenborough says Yeti might exist

2009-03-06T15:37:00.001+11:00

Land Of The Tiger - Mountains Of The Gods

2009-03-06T15:29:00.002+11:00

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Mission Kamchatka - The Plan

2009-01-21T11:04:00.000+11:00

"I'm here a week now … waiting for a mission … getting softer; every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter." - Captain Willard, Apocalypse Now

The low down
The aim of the exercise is fly to the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia and do a multi day trek and climb some of the amazing volcanos in the region. The one that seems to be the best objective is one called Kamen (4585 m). It is the second highest volcano of Kamchatka; the highest is Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4750m) Kamen's sister peak. The guide said he doesn't take groups on to Klyuchevskaya because it is highly active and very unstable. These volcanoes are in the Klyuchevskaya Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I have been in touch with an agency called Explore Kamchatka and they have tentatively booked in a guide by the name of Fedor Farberov. Fedor grew up in Kamchatka and is an experienced guide who had made many first ascents in Kamchatka, Polar Urals, Caucasus, Pamiro-Alai, Tian-Shan and Alaska.

The Rough Plan

Fly to Seoul/ Vladivostok and then on to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Day 1 Arrival in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and begin preparation.
Day 2 More preparation if arrival is late the evening prior.
Day 3 Bus 10 hours roughly to Kozyrevsk. Possible to take the public bus, which makes several rest stops, overnight at Maria's guest house.
Day 4 Transport to the area called Kopito. Here the road stops and you must start hiking a minimum of 3 days to where you establish base camp.
Day 6 or 7 Kamen Base camp where you'll begin the ascent.
Days 8-9 Acclimitization hikes, as altitude is high at summit.
Day 10 If conditions are excellent and all are feeling strong, it is possible to make the ascent in 1 day. If not, 2 days.
Day 11-13 Hike back to Kopito, truck to Kozirevsk, overnight.
Day 14 Bus to Yelizovo
Day 15 Regroup and get supplies for Yuzhno-Kamchatsky Park hikes at Mutnovsky and Goryeliy Volcanoes.
Day 16-19 Drive 2-3 hours to park area, start radial hike, ascending both volcanoes. Truck pick up on day 19, return to Yelizovo.
Day 20 City tour as you wish.
Day 21 Depart Kamchatka.

When
Currently the best dates for this trip is 7-31 July 2009

What does it cost
By the looks of it for a team of about 4 people it will cost around $3000 in Kamchatka and an additional $3000 for air fares, so I'd say roughly around $7000 all up.

The budget covers for all food and accommodation once you leave the capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, military permits and visas for Russia. Insurance, sat phones etc are extra

The budgets could head a bit north if we include helicopter access to the base of Kamen.

Gear
You will need full mountain kit along with the usual stuff: helmets, crampons, ice axes, ropes, tents, sleeping bags, gaiters etc etc etc

"Everyone gets everything he wants. I wanted a mission, and for my sins, they gave me one. Brought it up to me like room service. It was a real choice mission, and when it was over, I'd never want another." Captain Willard, Apocalypse Now

Dramatic melting of Everest's glaciers

2009-01-20T11:43:00.003+11:00

Mountaineer David Breashears compares the panoramic photos he took in 2008 of Mount Everest and its surrounding glaciers with ones taken in 1921, and explains the enormous scale and rapid speed of the ice loss at the world's "tallest water tower."

The evidence shows that the levels have dropped 300 to 400 vertical feet!

The Search for Shangri-La

2009-01-11T12:56:00.006+11:00

A documentary that follows writer Mark Shand and Tibet expert Charles Allen on their quest for the ruins of the lost paradise, Shangri-La. In their pursuit with a Nepalese crew, Shand and Allen encounter time constraints, heavy rains, rough terrain, leeches, acute mountain sickness, heavy winds, yak shortages, missing transport trucks, and Chinese politics.

For more on this fascinating subject read Charles Allen's book The Search for Shangri-la: A Journey into Tibetan History

Francois Bon Speed Flying the Eiger and Aconcagua

2009-01-08T15:34:00.004+11:00

Francois Bon the grandfather of Speed Flying is at it again, this time on Aconcagua. After summiting he took off down the mountain and descended 9,000 feet in four minutes and 50 seconds and reached speeds in excess of 100 miles an hour. (Bonus points for the Manu Chao sound track). Amazing

For those who haven't seen his jaw dropping flight down the north face of the Eiger, here it is (I get goose bumps everytime I watch it):

People who carry the World’s Heaviest Loads

2009-01-07T12:15:00.001+11:00

So you think you can carry a heavy pack, then have a look at these guys.

An amazing video of the porters of Shimla in the Indian himalaya. What a hard life they lead.

People who carry the World’s Heaviest Loads on Current.tv

Mission Kamchatka

2008-12-23T11:01:00.001+11:00

Mission Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
July 7-31, 2009

Kamchatka: One of the world’s last pristine wilderness areas

Expedition Aim
To trek and climb in remote regions on the Kamchatka Peninsula which has been described by the United Nations Environment Programme as “one of the last pristine wilderness areas and most active volcanic regions in the world”.

The Team

Amar Dev Singh, 35, Project Manager - Expedition Leader
Scott Welsh, 38, Cartographer
Natania Glavitsch, 34, Engineer
Ross Cayley, 42, Geologist

Objectives
Kamchatka, the name is synonyms with remoteness, wilderness, active volcanoes, bad roads, wild rivers, secret millitary bases, bears, 6x6 trucks, cheap vodka, dodgy Russian aeroplanes and a whole lot of exploring to be done………….a perfect combination for the next big adventure.

During this expedition we will aim to visit the World Heritage listed Klyuchevskoy Nature Park, to trek in the region and climb a number of volcanoes in the Klyuchevskoy and Mutnovsky group of volcanoes. These include Klyuchevskoy (4750m), the highest volcano in Eurasia, and Kronotsky (3528m), reputed to be the world's most beautiful volcano.

The 700,000ha Klyuchevskoy Nature Park, which is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites, has a fantastic variety of adventures to be had from trekking and climbing to rafting and mountain biking. Our primary aim is to do some exploratory trekking and climb a few of the volcanoes.

Klyuchevskoy volcano, at 4750m is the highest volcano in Eurasia, is the primary aim of the expedition. Klyuchevskoy, also happens to be a very active volcano and is still growing, in 1988 its height was 4,750m and in 2002 it measured 4835m. It has erupted 25 times in the last 50 years.

Kronotsky (3528m), whose perfect cone is said by vulcanologists to be the world's most beautiful volcano, is a secondary objective.

Our team consists of four friends who have known each other for over a decade and have been on numerous adventures all around the world, both together and individually. We are all avid outdoor enthusiasts who are into everything from mountaineering and enduro-mountain bike racing to paragliding and exploratory trekking.

We aim to spend an estimated two weeks exploring and climbing volcanos in the Klyuchevskoy group and then a week in the southern Mutnovsky group of volcanos.

The team is using the help of Martha Madsen, an environmentalist and local travel company operator, to obtain all the necessary visa’s and military permits which are required to access many of the areas we intend visiting.

Budget
A rough estimate of the basic expenses for this expedition per person looks like this:

Airfares: $3000 - Melbourne - Seoul – Vladivostok - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Visa, registration, military permits: $600
Local expenses (food, transport, accommodation etc) $3000
Insurance: $200

About Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands, and Karaginsky Island constitute the Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation. The majority of the 402,500 inhabitants are Russians, but there are also about 13,000 Koryaks. More than half of the population lives in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (198,028 people) and Yelizovo (41,533).

The 1200km-long peninsula runs north-south between the north Pacific and the sea of Okhotsk. Its southern half is formed mainly by two parallel mountain ranges: Sredinniy range in the west centre and the eastern Vostochniy range which runs parallel to the sea. The wide Kamchatka river valley runs between these ranges and to the Klyuchevskaya range is in the north.

There are 160 volcanoes on the peninsula and 29 of them are still active.

The Kamchatka peninsula is teaming with wild life which includes brown bears, Siberian lynx, Arctic squirrel, sable, wolverine, sea otters, reindeer and wild sheep.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is a designated military zone and special passes are required to visit many of the regions including the Klyuchevskoy Nature Park.

Serious paragliding

2008-12-12T11:10:00.000+11:00

Here's an awesome video of some guys in Austria paragliding and strutting their stuff. Enjoy!

Streamlined 08 from Team Silver on Vimeo.

Wingsuit videos

2008-12-10T15:15:00.004+11:00

There are a number of great wingsuit videos of base jumpers having a great time. There are a couple of the best ones I have come across:

Wingsuit base jumping from theartist on Vimeo.

Here's another one from the Adrenaline Hunters:

In this video they actuly fly out of a valley which I think is pretty wild:

Here are the Soul Flyers in action:

Kayaking PNG - first descent

2008-12-08T15:54:00.003+11:00

Here is a great viedo from National Geographic on kayaker Trip Jennings and his crew doing the first source-to-sea descent of the Pandi River, New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Pandi River - first descent video

Photos: Weissmies (4020m), Western Alps

2008-09-28T08:43:00.006+10:00

I climbed Weissmies (4020m) in the Western Alps in Switzerland from the south west ridge; ascending from the Almageller Hut at 2860m and descended to Hohsaas cableway down the west ridge.

Gear Review: Cannon 400D

2008-09-26T10:15:00.001+10:00

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

During the Trans Himalaya 2007 expedition I had to make sure I had the most versatile rugged piece of camera equipment I could carry. Conditions were going to be testing enough for me and I wanted to make sure that the equipment I carried was as robust as possible.

During the first trek, the Chadar Trek or Ice Trek in the Zanskar valley, I ditched the idea of carrying a digital camera as I wasn’t sure how the batteries would hold out in conditions where temperatures dropped to -25 and below.

Here are some photos taken with my Nikon FM

I fell back on my trusty fully mechanical 35mm Nikon FM SLR with a 24mm lenes. I have been using this camera for the last 5 years after my old Olympus X300 fell apart after 15 years of punishment. I have used my Nikon FM in very tough conditions and it just keeps on going. On the downside, it is a heavy beast.

I had heard of film breaking in very cold conditions but that was a risk I was ready to bear. I think having a camera’s batteries die on you because of the cold would be too much to cope with.

During the Chadar Trek my camera worked exceedingly well. Light conditions were very testing with very high contrast. We were trekking in a gorge, as were often in the shade, while the mountains above us were bathed in strong winter sunlight.

One of my trekking companions was carrying her Nikon digital SLR and her camera worked perfectly during the entire trip. The batteries coped just fine with the cold. From that point on I decided to switch from film to digital.

The first trek I used my digital SLR, Cannon 400D, was the Lassar Yangti Expedition. I took fully charged two batteries and lots of memory cards. On the camera settings I turned off the preview mode and turned the screen down so it used the least amount of battery power. In addition to this, I didn’t use the camera to view any photos during the entire trek and took very few photographs using the flash (I hate using a flash anyway).

The Lassar Yangti Expedition took us 21 days and during this time I shot over 600 photos. At the end of the trek I had used only ¾ of one battery. I was extremely impressed by this performance and from then on I was hooked on digital. It seems that digital cameras can now be taken on expeditions for extended periods and as long as they are not subjected to extreme force or wet will work very well.

Here are some photos taken with my Cannon 400D

During the rest of the Trans Himalayan expedition the 400D camera worked flawlessly, in rain, hail and shine (and we did get all).

One of the contributing factors to the survival of my delicate piece of electronic equipment was a great camera bag. After much research I decided to go for the bags produced by a British company called CCS. More about them here.

What would I improve?

I don’t mind carrying the extra weight and bulk of a good camera on treks and expeditions because I like to take the best photographs that the situation will allow me.

One of the limitations of carrying a sensitive and expensive piece of electronic equipment in the rugged outdoors is taking photos when its wet – raining, snowing, streams, waterfalls, slipping, falling etc etc

When you have a good camera, say a digital SLR, you tend to use it only when conditions are good but when you get back home you always want to talk about when the conditions were really bad. Sadly, at these times our cameras are generally safely packed away in our rucksacks.

Olympus Tough 1030 SW

If I were to go on another expedition, in addition to my SLR, would take along another small digital camera designed to be used in rough conditions. Camera such as the Olympus Tough 1030 SW; shockproof, waterproof, bombproof etc etc.

A camera such as this one can be stashed somewhere convenient, say hung off your rucksack straps, and whipped out whenever you need it whether its raining, snowing or you are rapping off a waterfall.

Update: after writing this blog entry I went out and bought an Olympus 1030 so looks like I convinced myself. The camera has very good reviews. Here's one from the ever reliable DP Review.

Will have to get out there and take some shots to see how the new gadget works.

Gear Review: CCS Groundhog Camera Bag

2008-09-26T10:00:00.002+10:00

The CCS Groundhog

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

While I was deciding to spend my hard earned money on an expensive digital SLR, a Cannon 400D, I also wanted to make sure it survived the rough conditions I was going to subject it to.

After much research I paired the list down to two options Ortlibe or Camera Care Systems (CCS). They both the specs on these bags looked pretty good; padded, waterproof (to some degree) and well made.

I decided to go for the Ortlibe but when it arrived in the mail I sent it right back as it was way too big for what I wanted.

On an expedition or trek I keep my equipment to the minimum. All I required was a camera bag which could accommodate an SLR with a 24mm lenes, nothing more.

I then opted for the second choice the CCS Groundhog camera bag. This bag was my second choice mainly because it wasn’t as water resistant as the Ortlibe. The model I went for was the CCS Classic Groundhog.

When I received this bag it was perfect for my needs. It fit my Cannon 400D perfectly with just enough space for a spare battery and memory card or two. It was a perfect merger of form and function. I carried this bag around for over six months through some very tough conditions and it came out completely unscathed.

The excellent padding protected the camera through all the blows on the trek and the tough codura outer has almost no abrasions to show.

The bag was reasonably water resistant. When it rained heavily I either covered it with a plastic bag or took it off and put it in my rucksack.

In my opinion, the CCS camera bag is easily the best camera bag I have ever used and can definitely recommend it to anyone who is thinking about investing in one.

Its rugged, well padded, compact, reasonably waterproof and very well made. What’s more if you punish it and it falls apart it comes with a lifetime guarantee against defects – so you can send it right back to the good people at CCS.

Books and articles on Nanda Devi

2008-09-23T15:45:00.000+10:00

Nanda Devi
Eric Shipton
Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1936

The Ascent of Nanda Devi.
H. W Tilman
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1937

To Kiss High Heaven. Nanda Devi
J J Languepin
William Kimber, London, 1956

Nanda Devi. 1951. 3° expédition française à l’Himalaya.
J J Languepin
Envoi de l’auteur à Pierre Ichac.
Arthaud 1952 Paris

Nanda Devi. The Tragic Expedition
John Roskelley
Oxford Illustrated Press, 1987

Plant Wealth of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
P.K. Hajra AND B. Balodi
Botanical Survey of India,, Calcutta:, 1955

Nanda Devi. A Journey to the Last Sanctuary
Hugh Thomson
Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2004

Nanda Devi Restoring Glory
Sanam Deepak
New Age International (P) Ltd., 1995

Fauna of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
Director, Zoological Survey of India
ZSI, 1997

Spies in the Himalayas: Secret Missions & Perilous Climbs
M. S. Kholi and Kenneth Conboy
University Press of Kansas, 2002

Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend
R Roper
St. Martin's Press, New York, 2002

Himalaya: Alpine Style
Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables
Seattle, 1996

An Eye at the Top of the World: The Terrifying Legacy of the Cold War's Most Daring CIA Operation
Pete Takeda
Thunder's Mouth Press, New York, 2006

Himalaya passion cruelle. Expédition française à la Nanda Devi 1951.
J J Languepin
Paris, Flammarion

The Nanda Devi Group and the Sources of the Nandakgini / Notes on a Visit to Western Tibet (in The Geograohical Journal Vol.LXXI No.5, May .1928)
T.G. Longstaff / Hugh Routtledge
The Royal Geographical Society, 1928

Status Survey of Fauna of Nanda Devi National Park
B S Lamba
ZSI, 1987

The Nanda Devi Affair
Bill Aitken
Penguin Books ,1994

More Explorations Round Nanda Devi
Eric Shipton
Royal Geographical Society, London, 1937

Nanda Devi and the Ganges Watershed
Eric Shipton
Royal Geographical Society., London, 1935

A Flight in the Region of Nanda Devi, 1939.
Squadron Leader T.G.Waymouth.
Royal Geographical Society Journal, Vol.104, Dec. 1944

Nanda Devi l'ascension impossible
Paul VINCENT
Paris, Robert Laffont, 1976

Breathless by Wilfred Noyce

2008-09-08T09:22:00.002+10:00

(written at 21,000 ft. on 23 May 1953)

Heart aches,
lungs pant
dry air
sorry, scant.
Legs lift-
why at all?
Loose drift,
heavy fall.
Prod the snow
easiest way;
a flat step
is holiday.
Look up,
far stone
many miles
far, alone.
Grind breath
once more then on;
don't look up
till journey's done.
Must look up,
Glasses dim.
Wrench of hand,
faltering limb.
Pause one step,
breath swings back;
swallow once,
throat gone slack.
Go on
To far stone;
Don't look up,
Count steps done.
One step,
one heart-beat,
stone no nearer
dragging feet.
Heart aches,
lungs pant
dry air
sorry, scant.

Himalayan map resource

2008-09-05T11:23:00.004+10:00

1:250,000 topographic maps made by the US Army Map Service

Anyone who has tried to get hold of up to date and accurate maps of the Himalayas will know that these are extremely difficult if not impossible to get hold of.

There are plenty of detailed maps of the popular regions of the Nepalese Himalaya but when it comes to the Indian Himalaya – it is virtually impossible to get anything reliable.

When I was planning the Trans Himalaya expedition I used a combination of Google Earth and combination of maps from the 1:250,000 topographic maps made by the US Army Map Service in the 1950's and the 1:150,000 produced by the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research.

Here is a fantastic resource for the entire collection of 1:250,000 topographic maps made by the US Army Map Service.

I found this an extremely useful resource. Hope it helps you.

Naini Tal

2008-09-04T19:51:00.004+10:00

Naini Tal, Bourne and Shepherd
1860's

This week's biblio finds

2008-09-04T19:10:00.006+10:00

I’ve had an incredibly lucky week and found two very rare mountaineering books being sold for a song; both were priced under $20 and are worth several hundred.

In This Short Span: A Mountaineering Memoir by Michael Ward
Victor Gollancz Ltd., London, 1972

I have been looking for Michael Ward’s book for a while because it has a really good section en exploration of the Sikkim and Bhutan Himalaya.

George Mallory by David Robertson
Faber And Faber, 1969 First Edition

Neate R51: This book is defined as the definitive biography written by Mallory's son-in-law

The hunt continues while the shelves groan under the weight..................

Gear Review - Garmin 60 CSX GPS

2008-09-02T11:00:00.005+10:00

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

I originally owned a Garmin Etrex Vista GPS but found that it had some severe limitations: weak signal in clouded conditions, under trees or in valleys, limited memory and it soon got shaken to death while using it on my mountain bike.

While researching the market I came across a couple of contenders which looked up to the job of helping us accurately and reliably pin point our location in the Himalaya. The one I came closest to getting was the Magellan Explorist series I think it was either the 500, 600 or 700.

The two biggest features that worked against the Magellan Explorist series GPS for me was the lack of an external antenna and their use of a proprietary battery design. I think the battey was the main reason I didn’t got for the Megellan.

When you are travelling in remote locations the last thing you want it to be limited by batteries. On the other hand AA batteries, of dubious quality, can be obtained in some fairly out of the way village shops. Also, we were using solar panels to charge our batteries for various electronic devices – torches, cameras, gps – and we had to make sure every device ran on standard batteries.

I then came across the Garmin CSX60 GPS and it seemed to fit the bill perfectly: extendable memory, standard AA batteries, good battery life, external antenna and waterproof.

During the Trans Himalaya 2007 expedition we went through some very rugged country and had very bad maps so we had to make sure we had the best back up systems that we could. The Garmin CSX60 GPS stood up very well to the test.

Once the system was set to Battery Saver Mode, a new set of Duracell AA batteries would last for two days of constant use. All our equipment, and our bodies, got bashed around a lot. The GPS unit survived the mud, rain, scrapes and punishment and still works today.

I carried my unit in a crush proof hard case which was suspended on one of my rucksack straps. The case wasn’t waterproof and I did have to use the GPS in the pouring rain. I stuck a protective layer over the screen to prevent scratches.

The external antenna worked very well in all conditions and I never had a problem getting a signal in heavy cloud or jungle. There were times when the sat phone we used couldn't get reception due to obstructions or cloud but the gps would get reception. Infact the 60 CSX even gets reception indoors so there you have it - great reception. There was only a couple of sections where were in deep gorges where the signal got very confused but then again in a deep gorge you generally only have two ways to go.

Overall the unit proved to be very useful, versatile, accurate and rugged. I would definitely use it again on my next adventure.

Tiger ! Tiger! but burning bright?

2008-08-22T19:24:00.006+10:00

I took these heart wrenching images of a beautiful young tigress which had been hit by a truck on the Tanda highway between Rudarpur and Naini Tal in the Terai region of northern India.

These images really exemplify what is happening in India with the remnants of the old world clashing with the new.

In the chase for development and growth all that is sacred and delicate is being sacrificed.

This is a literal illustration of a head-on collision between the India that was and where the country is going. It also shows you what is going to be lost......forever.

Friends later identified this tigress as one that they had seen regularly in the nearby Corbett National Park. They recognised her by the gap in her stripes on her shoulder.

"According to the latest tiger census, released by the government there has been a sharp decline in the numbers.

The census says the number of tigers stands at 1411, a dramatic fall from 3600 tigers in the 2002 census.

The state wise statistics stand as follows:

Uttarakhand- 178
Karnataka- 290
Assam- 70
Rajasthan- 32
Madhya Pradesh- 300

Most promising tiger growth is in the Terrai region of the Himalayas, which includes Corbett, Rajaji National Park, Dudhwa and the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar."

Here is the irony: "Most promising tiger growth is in the Terrai region of the Himalayas". I took this photo in the Terai region of the Himalayas so the tigress is one out of 178.

What a waste!

Photos: Kedarnath to Khatling Trek

2008-08-22T18:57:00.009+10:00

This 11 day trek in the Garhwal Himalaya involved crossing a 5000m pass and negotiating some interesting trackless country with the aid of a 90 year old map and a GPS.

This trek should have been called the trek of secret lakes; on the way you pass: the beautiful lakes of Masar Tal, Painya Tal, Vasuki Tal.

We did this trek in the early monsoon in high snow conditions without a guide. It was a fantastic trek, quite tough and navigation was a real issue.

Here is a map of the region

Photos: The Kuari Pass trek

2008-08-21T21:48:00.009+10:00

I did this delightful trek in the Kumaon Himalaya in the early monsoon of 2007. My advice would be to wait till October or early March when you get the best mountain views as we had a lot of cloud.

We did get to see all the alpine flowers in bloom and the forest in its lushest lushness.

Photos: Lassar Yangti Expedition

2008-08-21T19:59:00.008+10:00

A few photographs of a trek I did in March of 2007 to explore the remote upper reaches of the Lassar Yangti valley in the Kumaon Himalaya, India.

The Lassar Yangti valley is located in the Kumaon Himalaya, India. It is accessed from the Darma valley and the roadhead is at Dar. Dharchula is the nearest big town.

Gear Review - Boots Karrimor KSB Gore Tex

2008-08-21T19:54:00.002+10:00

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

I have used my Karrimor KSB Gore Tex boots in the Alps and in the Himalaya and they have proved to be a fantastic pair of boots. They have stood up to all kinds of punishment and been ready for more.

I have used them on alpine rock routes, long high altitude treks and in deep snow above 5000 metres. The toes are positive enough on small footholds.

The soles are stiff enough to comfortably hold the Grivel G12 crampons and the ankles supple enough to be comfortable while trekking long distances on very rough terrain.

They are very water proof and stand up to the cold very well. I have used them on the Chadar Trek in Zanskar where the temperatures drop to -20C and below.

In short a great, solid, dependable pair of boots.

Photos: Chadar Trek, Zanskar

2008-08-21T14:53:00.018+10:00

Here is a selection of photos from the freezing Chadar Trek in Zanskar, Ladakh. During this trek you walk on the frozen surface of the Zanskar River; sometimes you even have to get into the water.
The trek very fittingly starts at a village called Chilling and ends at Lingshed.
Temperatures vary between -15 and -25C.

Smiles and Sweat in New Caledonia

2008-08-14T16:06:00.008+10:00

Cycle touring in New Caledonia (June 2002)

Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour!

A chorus of cheerful voices greet us as we cycle into the idyllic village of Diahoue on the Pacific island of New Caledonia. All the locals drop what they are doing to clap and wave as we cycle through their village. Their beaming smiles are rivalled only by the red blaze of the hibiscus blooms that punctuate the deep green of the tropical vegetation along the road.

The road is lined by lush gardens full of an assortment of bright tropical flowers. The traditional round thatched huts, or Case, are surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns which are dotted with fallen coconuts from the lanky palms which lazily sway high overhead in the afternoon breeze. Many precariously overhang the road and I always make it a point to pedal faster as I pass below the dangerously pregnant bunches of green coconuts. Banana plantations, neat rows of taro, yams and sweet potato cover the fields. The local bus stops are covered with murals that depict Kanaka nationalist leaders, Che Guvera and Bob Marley.

Every now and again we pass tiny, rudely constructed roadside stalls laden with all kinds of local craft and farm produce. Bright yellow hands of tiny sweet bananas, passionfruit, green coconuts, orange papayas, bunches of exotic orchids, delicate fronds of coral, patterned shells, colourful potted plants, traditional wooden carvings and intricate soap stone sculptures. No two stalls had the same produce and the local craft varied in style, quality and price. If you didn't want to miss out on any treasures you had to stop at as many as possible. Despite their extra weight, I couldn't resist a few of the stone sculptures.

These stalls perfectly reflect the laid back islander lifestyle of the people of New Caledonia. The stalls are never manned; prices are simply scratched on the skin of a banana or scribbled on the base of a sculpture. Take what you want and drop the money in the tin provided. The moneybox didn't even have a lid!

The locals are amazingly friendly. Everyone smiles, waves and greets you. We said more "Bonjours" on any given day in New Caledonia than we ever had in our entire lives. The other day when I cycled into a seaside campground after a hard day in the saddle, a large group of people enthusiastically called and gestured for me to join them. Since I can't speak any French I couldn't understand anything they were saying. It looked like some sort of beachside restaurant shack, so I went over and sat down with them. Immediately a huge plate of barbecued meat and fresh salad was put in front of me and an icy can of Number One beer was thrust into my hand. "Great service," I thought to myself and got down to stuffing my face. After lunch I located someone who could speak English and realised that I wasn't at a restaurant but in the middle of a bunch of local cowboys and their families on holiday.

We spent the next couple of days laughing, listening to American country music, drinking, eating and playing Boules in a coconut grove. The locals taught me how to play and I have got to say, they take their Boules very seriously. The only time the laughter stopped and voices were dropped to respectful whispers was when a game was in progress. Our "hosts" constantly checked on us to make sure we were being looked after. This was just one of the amazing act of spontaneous generosity and friendliness that we experienced during our tour. The people of New Caledonia left memories as warm as sunshine.

On the outskirts of Diahoue, we pulled up at the local magasin or general store. In the northern part of the Grande Terrain, the main island, the stores are quite literally few and far between. In a day's riding we would come across at least three and tended to stop at each one to stock up on food and drink. This enabled us to carry less weight in our pannier bags, making the cycling a little less strenuous. The stores stocked everything you could expect from a general store; biscuits, bread, tinned fish, fresh vegetables, pasta, milk, the works. The only thing I found hard to get was some lubricant for my bicycle chain. We did eventually find some, so I can't even mark that against the local shops.

During our trip we relied almost entirely on the magasins and rarely carried more than one day's worth of supplies with us. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the islanders are devout Christians and no one works on Sundays. Stock up on Saturdays as all restaurants, stores and shops stay shut. This applies right across the country, from the cosmopolitan capital Noumea to the lazy outer islands. We learnt this the hard way and had to go an entire day without food!

These stops gave us a good opportunity to check our bicycles and equipment: chains, tires, breaks and pannier bags. Luckily we didn't have any mechanical problems, in fact we did not even get a single puncture in nearly 600 kilometres of cycling!

We picked up some supplies and cycled a little way out of the village to find a good spot for lunch and afternoon siesta. About a kilometre down the road we found the perfect combination: cool shade and soft grass. At this stage in the day, food and rest are the only things I could think of. My backside was saddle sore, my legs hurt and my stomach was growling.

Crusty baguettes with soft French Brie and tuna are washed down with icy mouthfuls of Oro apple juice. The odd vehicle toots its horn and a disembodied arm waves out to us as it drives off down the road. We wave back. Everybody waves in New Caledonia. We had to wave so many times that after a while I wish I had brought a fake arm along so that I could be permanently waving without any effort.

After lunch we lazily unfold our map and flatten it on the grass. We've cycled 50 odd kilometres since the morning and are looking at another 30 kilometres to make it to the next camping ground. Luckily there are no more mountain passes to cross as the last one damned near killed us. A sympathetic local in a Hi-lux stopped when he saw us pushing our bikes up the amazingly steep slopes of the pass. Bathed in sweat and baking in the tropical sun, I wasn't going to refuse the helping hand. The gruelling climbs through the central spine of mountains called Massif Du Panie had left quite an impression on us. Even their name was somewhat ominous, to me it looked like "Massive Pain".

Since we had now crossed the range from the west coast to the eastern side the road had flattened out considerably. So far, apart from a few gentle gradients we had not encountered anything serious - and we were hoping things were going to stay like that. We didn't have a good topographical map so were we actually relying on hope! God only knows what surprise our free tourist shop map held for us.

After a blissful hour's sleep we packed up and reluctantly straddled our cycles once again. Tired legs creaked, saddle sore bums hurt and a sleep-numbed brain tried not to think of the kilometres ahead. Getting going after a break is the hardest thing to do. Once you have got through the pain barrier things get better and you can begin to enjoy the ride once again.

The roads in New Caledonia are a cyclist's dream: great surfaces, fantastic scenery and hardly any traffic. Since the nation is a French colony, the infrastructure is of near European standard. The population of New Caledonia is about 200,000. Over half of the population live in and around the capital Noumea, located in the south of the Grande Terraine. The rest are scattered around the length of the 400-kilometer long main island and on dozens of outer islands. The little traffic that does pass always gave us a wide birth, a cheerful toot and a friendly wave. What more could you ask for? Except for the central mountainous section, the roads didn't have any significant gradients. The outer islands are almost entirely flat and cycling there was a breeze.

The road for the rest of the day hugged the coast along the base of the Massif Du Panie, the highest of which was Mount Paine (1628 meters). The steep mountain slopes rose up like huge green tidal waves to our right and the rugged palm lined Pacific coast stretched along our left. Coconut palms and dense tropical vegetation cover every bit of available space. The region we were passing through is a designated national park and there are a few walking trails. One of the trails climbs the steep slopes to the summit of Mount Paine. I've heard the view, across the ocean to one side and rugged mountainous interior on the other, is spectacular. We decided against climbing the peak as we had enough physical activity on our plate already.

The dense green riot of tropical vegetation was only broken occasionally by a gushing mountain stream or the white scar of a roaring waterfall. Cascade De Tao is the largest waterfall and can be seen clearly from the road.

We pass only a couple of clusters of cases and see only a few people for the rest of the day. Dense tropical jungle, the scent of the ocean and a nice flat road surface made this section an absolute pleasure to cycle.

At about 4 o'clock we cycled into Ouenghip, a tiny village consisting of a couple of huts and a lush green campsite set in a coconut grove by the beach. We pay the 800 South Pacific Franc fee and get down to locating the perfect campsite; one that's out of range of the coconut palms and that has a view of the ocean.

Swaying coconut palms might sound beautiful and idyllic, but they can also be deadly. A coconut weighing four or five kilograms falling from 10 meters or so can easily gather enough momentum to put the Terminator away for good, so its best to be careful. The locals tell you not to worry about falling coconuts, as the three black dots on the nuts are their eyes. The nuts can see where they are falling and never hit anyone. Tradition is all well and good but there are times when the laws of physics seem just a little bit smarter. We side with physics and stay well out of the trajectory of the nearest tree.

With the tent pitched and sun beginning to set, we get down to cooking a hearty pasta meal. Got to load up on the old carbohydrates for the next day's riding. All conversation ceases as we gratefully swallow the mound of noodles and vegetable sauce. After dinner we head down to the beach with steaming cups of sweet tea. As the sun begins to sink into the warm tropical brine we once again unfold our map on the beach and in the fading light of the day plan the next leg of our Pacific adventure.

Ascent of Mt Wilhelm (4507m), Papua New Guinea

2008-08-08T16:33:00.005+10:00

Mi Laik Kisim Win Liklik (I would like to catch my breath a little)
Ascent of Mt Wilhelm (4507m), Papau New Guinea

"In India your Mary (wife) pays you with pigs?"
"Yes, they call it a dowry."
"What about a PMV (Public Motor Vehicle or taxi)?"
"Some Marys even pay for a PMV."
"Really?"

Now he was getting really excited, even leaving the steering wheel to wave his arms about expressively. I began to take nervous glances down the precipitous drop along the narrow dirt road. David, the driver of the Land Cruiser PMV, was obviously very interested in the intricate differences between the Indian dowry system and New Guinea's tradition of 'bride price'. In Papua New Guinea, the men have to pay a "bride price" in pigs in order to marry a Mary.

I can almost see David, who has three wives, counting the pigs he would have owned rather than given away had he been in India.

I was heading from the highland town of Mt Hagen towards Mt Wilhelm which at 4507 metres is the highest peak in Papua New Guinea. The unpaved road up to the road head at Kegsugal clings precariously to the steep slopes of the verdant mountains of the Chimbu Province. The drive was hairy enough on its own, let alone when the excited driver is trying to have an animated conversation.

The amazingly green slopes are speckled with brown dots of remote highland villages. We stop every now and again to load and unload goods and passengers. Green bunches of bananas, lengths of sugarcane, Marys burdened with bulging bilums (bags) of kowkow (sweet potato), excited pikininis (children) and men with unsheathed machetes. Every man in the Highlands of PNG is armed with a machete. I am not sure what they intend doing with them and refrain from asking.

Friends, who I was staying with, had warned me not to take much money and had also sent along a couple of burly looking locals armed with machetes to act as my bodyguards because there was a high risk of being waylaid by "Raskols" or highway robbers. Seeing all these unsheathed blades around didn't fill me with too much confidence. I really didn't want to be around if things heated up. Having an adventure is one thing, but getting into a machete fight....

After a bone-jarring ride through the spectacular mountains, we finally lurched to a halt at the tiny town of Kegsugal. I had barely hopped off the PMV at the disused ples balus (airstrip) and shouldered my pack when a bearded local emerged from the bushes and offered his services as a guide. After a bit of haggling we settled at the "numba to prais" of 45 kina for the trip.

The ascent from Kegsugal begins at an altitude of 2470 meters with a well-defined track that climbs through the town and disappears into the leafy bowels of tropical forest. We cross the gushing Komanemambuno Creek and climb steeply through the ocean of green. New Guinea is a land of a billion shades of green.

While I keep an eye out in the hope of spotting a bird of paradise, my companions chat loudly in Pidgin. We stop every so often and share hand-rolled "brus" cigarettes. The guide has long strips of dried tobacco leaf and squares of newspaper that he rolls between his palms to make eight-inch long cigarettes.

I offer him a cigarillo but he dismissed it and says, "Too many chemicals." Maybe someone should tell him about the ingredients of newspaper ink.

After a couple of hours of climbing a steep muddy staircase, the track emerges at the lower reaches of the grassy Pindaunde Valley at about 3200 metres. Tall fern trees and tussocks of grass shrouded in a heavy mist give the valley a very Jurassic Park look. You could easily picture a brontosaurus thumping across the grassland. Unfortunately I see no sign of any wildlife, present or prehistoric.

My boots squelch in the black boggy ground as we make our way up the valley. In a veil of mist and cold rain we climb past the cascading Nigledembuglokuglo waterfalls, up a couple of rock steps and reach a small tin roofed A-frame hut at shores of Lake Piunde.

The emerald waters of the lake are set like a gem in a deep glaciated cwm. Heavy forest line the shores and a waterfall tumbles into the northern end of the lake. This waterfall is fed by the run off from Lake Aunde, which is located a little further up the valley.

After a quick meal of two-minute noodles and canned luncheon meat we light a fire and my companions smoke more "brus" cigarettes. I settle down for the night while the other three curl up by the fire and continue talking till late into the night.

At two in the morning I am woken by a rough shake and am blinded by torchlight.

"Morning. We go up," the guide says.

I fumble around in the dark and pull on every bit of clothing I am carrying. Outside a brilliant full moon renders the world in black and white. The crisp air cuts like a blade. I switch on my head-torch and stumble down the track after the guide.

We skirt the left bank of the lake and climb a steep slope to the shores of the considerably larger Lake Aunde. My eyes have adjusted well to the moonlight and I can now see both lakes perfectly. What I can also see ahead of me is a very steep climb.

The altitude makes me gasp like a goldfish out of water. The guide strides ahead and has to stop every so often to wait for me. There is no way I can keep up with him. I begin to realise that I should have spent an extra day at Lake Piunde to acclimatise.

After a relentless climb the track eases off considerably as we gain the shaley south ridge of the mountain. Here my torch flickers and dies. Luckily, by now we are out of the jungle. The full moon shines like a silver sun. I can see very well.

At the top of the ridge, nearly 4000 metres above sea level, we pass the wreckage of a B-24 bomber from the Second World War. Unrecognisable bits of metal litter the mountainside. Apparently, aviation maps of that era wrongly indicated the PNG's peaks were all well below the 4000 metre mark.

As we get higher and climb out of the deeply glaciated valley, the rugged high country begins to emerge from the darkness as dawn begins to break. Bare rocky ridges rise up from the darkness to meet at distant mountain tops and remote valleys conceal their secrets under a heavy shroud of low lying clouds. The guide points out the distant summit of Mt Elimbari.

The track now settles into a gentle climb and traverses along the base of a number of subsidiary peaks. Huge sweeps of grey granite tower over us. Tussocks of coarse brown grass and low shrubs cover the stony mountainside.

Soon even the grass stops growing and splotches of leathery lichen are the only signs of life. A freezing wind cuts straight through the layers of my clothing and numbs me to the core. My boots crunch through the icy skin of puddles on the narrow path and my gloveless hands begin to feel like clumsy stumps.

The track flattens out considerably as we gain the barren summit ridge and traverse along the top. Finally, we round a corner on the ridge and I can clearly see the summit. A white survey marker atop a granite tumble of rocks indicates the highest point.

I struggle up an easy scramble over the large boulders that guard the summit. After unceremoniously dragging myself over the top I shake the guide's rough hand and sit in the warm light of the rising sun. The altitude makes my head feel like it's going to explode.

The freezing morning air is amazingly clear and the rising sun paints the eastern horizon gold. I can see islands far out in the Bismark Sea and the shadowy profile of the Finisterre and Saruwaged Ranges. The impressive gorge of the Ramu River slashes the landscape like a machete cut. The summits of Mt Giluwe, Mt Hagen and Mt Herbert stick out like islands through a blanket of heavy white cloud which smothers much of the low lying country. Directly below me, brown treeless slopes drop away into nameless valleys.

It is still very early in the day but the cloud, stirred by morning thermals, has already begun to rise. It moves like thick cappuccino froth, filling valleys and pouring over ridge tops. In another hour or so there will be nothing left of the view, and in another two it will be raining again.

Now that summit fever has worn off all I want to do is get out of the biting wind. We reverse the final scramble and eagerly begin the descent.

Lower down, once we are well out of the wind, we take a break on a sun-warmed rock. As I savour the sweetness of an orange flake, the first delicate wisps of cloud sweep up the grassy slopes towards us. Soon we are descending in near white out conditions and it is only 10 o'clock in the morning.

Every now and again a window in the cloud opens to reveal either the blueness of the August sky above or green depths of the jungle below. I hurry to keep up with the guide. It will be raining soon and neither of us wants to be caught out.

Boot Camp at 20,000 ft

2008-08-08T16:07:00.008+10:00

Here ia an article I wrote a few year's ago on my experience attending one of the mountaineering courses at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering,Uttarkashi, India
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Boot Camp at 20,000 ft

5:30 am Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, India

"I hope all you gentlemen are ready for a bit of light exercise this morning!" the instructor from the Indian Army's High Altitude Warfare School booms.

There's silence in the ranks of the new recruits - sorry, trainees - gathered under the tall pine trees in the grounds of the institute. No one is sure just what the hell was going on. I am not sure how many of us were expecting this when we signed up to do a mountaineering course.

"Are you ready!"

"Yes!" we reply in unison.

"Okay then. See that white temple on the other hill? That is where we are going to run to."

The temple was a small white speck on the opposite mountain, located at a slightly higher altitude than the institute. We were separated from the other mountain by a wide river valley through which the swirling waters of the mighty Bhagirati River flowed.

"You have to keep up with the instructors. Ready? Go!"

At the order our sleep-numbed bodies exploded into action. The orderly lines of trainees broke up and we poured down the road. Since I had already spent a month here the previous year doing a basic mountaineering course I knew better than to compete this early in the run. The altitude and the inclines have their own special way of dealing with excess enthusiasm.

Down the hill, across the bridge and then up the other side towards the temple we ran. Soon the field spread out and I passed many of the over-enthusiastic guys who were either doubled over or leaning against trees by the side of the road. Panting and wheezing like asthmatics, we somehow made it up the hill to the temple and fell flat on the grass.

"Get up! No resting! Keep moving! Get down for push ups! Down! Up! Down! Up! Down! Stay down...lower! Up! Down.....Okay, get up! Star jumps! Up! Up! Up! Up! Running on the spot! Go! Faster! Faster! Faster! Down again for push ups! Down, up, down, stay there, up.....Prepare for sit ups! Up, down, up...."

This was the first day of a month-long advanced mountaineering course I had signed up for. Since the government-run institute is managed by the Indian Army, what you end up getting alongside technical instruction is a whole lot of fitness training and discipline. The institute's web site clearly states "The Institute reserves the right to expel any candidate from the course for misconduct or lack of discipline."

Think of it as Full Metal Jacket in the Himalaya. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but don't say I didn't warn you.

The first week of the course was spent rock climbing and camping out at the crag outside the town of Uttarkashi. We learnt essential skills like multi pitch and aid climbing, bolting, first aid, rescue procedures and plenty of rope work. Of course, during this time we were also subjected to long marches with loaded rucksacks, cross country runs and a whole lot of push ups. None of us ever had any trouble getting to sleep at night during the entire course.

Along with the technical instruction the instructors, all of whom have an impressive list of Himalayan summits to their credit, went out of their way to instil in us a respect for the mountains and their fragile eco-system. A single wayward wrapper spotted along the trail could result in the cancellation of the next day's supply of sweets and chocolate.

Before long we found ourselves among the real mountains, humping huge rucksacks through verdant Himalayan valleys. As advanced course trainees we were assigned a 19,000 foot mountain, supplied with all the necessary supplies and equipment and expected to plan our own expedition.

Planning the expedition was no mean feat considering our group was made up of a Captain from the infantry, a businessman from Bombay, a Hindi language school teacher, a fighter pilot who flew Russian-made Migs and a college student. Everyone was convinced they knew the best way to skin a cat.

Thankfully once the climb began all differences fell by the wayside and we all pulled together to climb our mountain. We sweated, shivered and climbed together for three weeks.

After three day's trekking through pristine pine and rhododendron forests we climbed past the tree line and into the high country. We established Advanced Base Camp on the lateral moraine of a glacier at about 13,000 feet above sea level. Here the instructors conducted classes on technical ice climbing, glacier crossing, crevasse rescue and building snow caves. Unfortunately, the early morning exercising didn't stop here. Doing bare-handed push ups in the snow at 13,000 feet is quite an experience.

Once the actual climbing began the instructors took a step back and let us apply our newly acquired skills. They simply tagged along to watch over us and only intervened if the situation got dangerous.

During the climb we learnt to dread the term "load ferry". This involved loading our rucksacks with supplies and technical equipment and hauling the load to a cache high up on the mountain. The loads were excruciatingly heavy, the tracks rough and the slopes steep. What was worse, once we had dumped our loads at the assigned location we then had to return to camp the same day, often in the rain. These load ferries reduced grown men to tears, and this time I am not exaggerating.

The reward, though, made all the pain, sweat and shivering seem worthwhile. Standing on the summit of Draupadi Ka Danda on that bright spring morning in a frozen sea of mountains will remain one of my most memorable moments; having my first hot bath in nearly a month would have to rank a close second!

Gear Review - MSR XGK Expedition

2008-08-04T20:56:00.004+10:00

The MSR XGK in action on the Trans Himalaya Expedition

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

The MSR XGK has a reputation of being the best all fuel expedition stove on the market. During the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition really put it to the test and have to say that this stove does live up to its reputation.

The XGK was used by a large number of people (cooks, porters, my team mates and me), in a variety of circumstances, often with dirty adulterated fuel and it worked on every occasion.

Fuel

During the Trans Himalayan Expedition we used the XGK stove on locally available kerosene oil which was often adulterated and had lots of suspended particles floating about in it.

While we had to be careful to strain the fuel through a cloth before we put it into the fuel bottles, the stove didn’t seem to mind the adulterated fuel one bit. It burnt blue and hot at over 5000 metres. With regular cleaning the stove gave us no trouble and proved to be very efficient.

We despite our calculations we ended up over estimating fuel resources and ended up trading the kerosene for cups of tea or leaving it behind as gifts in the mountain villages we visited.

XGK in the kitchen tent in more friendly conditions

Ease of use

Initially, during the expedition we used heavy Indian stoves that we bought in the market of one of the hill towns in the Himalayas. These stoves constantly broke down, used too much fuel, leaked, rusted, ran out of spare parts and weighed too much. These stoves were so useless you almost had to carry a spare stove to replace the parts which kept breaking down!

Soon we switched to the XGKs which I though the camp cook might find a bit difficult to use. He mastered it in no time and was amazed by the power and efficiency. When we use the XGK fuel use was immediately cut in half and we saved a considerable amount of weight by giving away the extra fuel and heavy Indian stoves.

Maintenance

I carried a full maintenance kit with spare washers, spare pump, jets etc but didn’t have to use it at all except to help with the regular cleaning sessions.

Sometimes there is nothing better than the smell of wood smoke in your food

Robust

The XGK was carried on the backs of trucks, mules, porters and by myself. It got the usual bashing around that all equipment gets on expeditions and came out on to on every occasion. The XGK is one tough piece of kit.

Downsides

The plastic pump handle was the only downside to the stove. While it never happened, I was afraid someone was going to snap it while pumping too enthusiastically.

If this could be replaced with a more solid metal pump it would be a lot better.

I used one of the older model stoves with the stiff fuel lines and while it stood up fine to being bashed around its great to see that MSR have replaced this with a flexible fuel line in the new model.

MSR got back to me on the issue of the handles and I stand corrected. The handles are made of a very durable fibeglass filled nylon not plastic as I thought. See comments below for details.

To sum it up

The XGK is a great stove. It is simple to use, burns all kinds of fuel, is robust and very reliable.

The plastic pump handle seems like one weak point which could be improved on.

When I have to buy a new stove I will definitely stick with the new avatar of the XGK as I think when it comes to expedition stoves, this is as good as it gets!

Gear review - Salewa Borealis II

2008-07-23T20:50:00.009+10:00

Salewa Borealis II in the Lasser Yangti valley, Indian Himalaya

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

I got the Salewa Borealis II in 2000 as a wedding present and have to say its the best expedition tent I have owned. Eight years and many trips later it is still as solid and reliable as ever. I have used the Borealis II on mountaineering/trekking expeditions to the the Himalayas, cycling touring in the South pacific and on rock climbing trips around Australia and this tent has proved itself on every occasion.

Our camp below Trishul 7120m, Indian Himalayas

It has been thrown in the back of trucks, squashed on the backs of mules, carried in my rucksack and in the panniers of my bicycle and has survived.

I have used it on rocks, snow, grass etc etc etc and the ground sheet it still waterproof. I have never had a problem with condensation or ventilation as I did with my Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2.

Borealis II stands up very well in high wind conditions, heavy rain and snow. The numerous extra guy lines makes it the tent very easy to secure when the conditions deteriorate.

Plenty of space to gather friends together on rest or bad weather days

The interior is spacious enough for two people and their packs. I have used it with three people and while you can all fit , I wouldn't advise it for a long trip.

There is more than enough space to invite two or three other friends in for a game of cards or chat during a rest day or when the weather closes in.

The bright yellow colour is also great for keeping your mood buoyant when the weather is dismal outside.

The only down side is the weight, its slightly on the heavy side but what it costs in weight it makes up in bucket loads in reliability.

In all if you are looking for a solid expedition or all purpose tent for two people I would highly recommend the Borealis II.

Gear Review: Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2

2008-07-20T18:51:00.017+10:00

The Dragonfly 2 (green) in the Khatling valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India

Gear reviews of equipment I used on the 1500 km Trans Himalayan Expedition 2007.

During the Trans Himalayan 2007 Expedition I wanted to make sure I took the best light weight four season tent and after much research I settled on the Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2.

It weighs in at 2.3 kilos and the company bills it as "the lightest possible tent that still offers genuine all-season functionality". The Dragonfly 2 also had very good reviews on various websites.

During the seven months that I used the tent I found it to be an excellent tent for one person, possibly two; it would be quite a squeeze for two. Alone, I could fit in very comfortably with my pack and still have lots of room.

The tent is extremely easy to pitch and take down. Since it is quite narrow it is really easy to find enough place to pitch it even in rough and steep terrain. Also, I found it great to be able to pitch the inner and fly together as we were trekking in the monsoon.

Idyllic campsite at Masar Tal (4000m), Garhwal Himalaya, India

I didn't mind the weight even when it was wet. The Dragonfly didn't flap much in high wind and the zips never gave me any trouble.

The Dragonfly isn't perfect though. The tent has one entry and three vents. As the tent inner near the feet has no mesh near the vent it lacks proper cross ventilation and when we entered the lower altitudes where the humidity is high things started to go downhill.

Despite leaving the front flap and three vents totally open every morning I'd wake up to a saturated interior. Condensation would build up and the inside of the tent soon got saturated. Big droplets would hang from the roof of the tent and drop onto my sleeping bag and run down the walls.

Over a few days my sleeping bag became soaked and I had a horrible time getting into a cold wet bag every night. On this trip I left my bivi bag at home to save on weight (for the first time ever) and really regretted that decision.

Here is a photo of a typical morning.

Fat drops of condensation on the roof of the tent

If this was the condensation generated by one person with the door completely open, I'd hate to image the kind of humidity two people would generate.

All that Mountain Equipment has to do make a great tent fantastic is to add an extra vent at the foot of the tent. This would increase the air flow and am sure would fix the condensation problem.

I might have to cut a window in myself or take it to a professional company to do. In the meantime I'll get in touch with Mountain Equipment and see what they have to say.

Hopefully they are as responsive as MSR who were fantastic.

In short
The Dragonfly is a great light weight tent. It stood up very well to the rough terrain and weather. Very easy to pitch and holds up very well in high wind.

But if you are heading somewhere humid then this isn't the tent for you. Look for a tent with better ventilation.

Makalu by Jean Franco

2008-07-20T18:28:00.006+10:00

Had a great piece of luck last week. I made another regular sweep of the internet in search of some of the mountaineering classics that I am missing from my collection.

I found three classics at bargain prices right away and snapped them up.

Makalu by Jean Franco
Jonathan Cape London, 1957. 1st English edition
Water People by Joe Simpson
Paperback
To Kiss High Heaven by J J Languepin
William Kimber, London, 1956. First Edition

All of them I scored for amazingly low prices and am pretty happy about them. They are all sitting snugly on my shelves surrounded by other classics by Tilman, Shipton, Tasker and the like.......in good company.

I hope Lady Luck continues to be by my side!

Google logo and the first ascent of Everest

2008-05-29T11:47:00.003+10:00

Check out the new Google logo commemorating the anniversary of the first ascent of Everest

Sherwood College, Naini Tal c1870s

2008-05-19T21:17:00.008+10:00

Sherwood College, Naini Tal c1870's John Edward Sache

This is a great photograph of my old school, Sherwood College when it was located where Sherwood House now sits in the grounds of the Government House, Naini Tal.

Sherwood was only founded in 1869 so this must be one of the first photographs of the school. Closer inspection of the building in the photograph also shows that the building looks very new.

Zoomed in

Today you can hardly see Sherwood House as it is surrounded by huge Deodar trees. And that is another interesting point; there are no deodars in the photograph, only oaks, seems all of them were introduced.

A hand written note on the bottom edge of the photograph identifies the building as Sherwood College

Nanda Devi East from Traill's Pass

2008-05-03T21:12:00.003+10:00

Nanda Devi East from Traill's Pass by H Rutledge

Naini Tal 1870's

2008-05-03T21:02:00.005+10:00

Naini Tal in winter from Tali Tal, John Edward Sache

Here is another great photograph of Naini Tal taken in around the 1870's. It has been taken from the church on the right bank of the lake. The peaks in the background are Deopatta or Camel's Back and Cheena Peak.

John Edward Sache (1870's)

2008-04-28T16:04:00.018+10:00

Nynee Tal from Smuggler's Rock, by John Edward Sache c1874

Bridge at Khairna - John Edward Sache (1870's)

This is a photograph taken by Sache in the 1870's of one of my favourite fishing spots at Khairna on the Kosi River.

This bridge, which has only recently (in the last 10 years) been demolished and upgraded to a motorable road, is on the road between Naini Tal and Almora. The bridge in the distance is the one which crosses the Kosi and leads up to Raniketh.

Here is the exact spot where this photograph was taken

The best spots for mahseer were at the confluence just downstream of the bridge in the foreground and the other good pool was just upstream from the bridge in the distance.

View of men at lake side, Nynee Tal c1880's photographer unknown

Here is another photograph by an unknown photographer of Naini Tal. The house in the background still exists. I will look up my maps and find out what the name of the house was.

Nynee Tal by John Murray, 1857

2008-04-28T15:53:00.004+10:00

Nynee Tal by John Murray, 1857

I came across this great photograph by John Murray of Naini Tal or Nynee Tal taken in 1857. The photograph was taken from Tali Tal looking across the lake towards Cheena Peak - it looks a bit different these days.

I have a few more photographs taken by John Edward Sache which I will scan and upload as I have time.

Vintage Himalayan photographs

2008-04-11T15:03:00.010+10:00

I recently came across this interesting collection of vintage photographs of the Himalayas.

These photographs were taken in the 1890's by the German scholar Kurt Boeck (Bœck) mainly of the Kumaon region around Pindari glacier.

Pindari Glacier,1890 par K. Bœck
(Traill's Pass is in the background)

Dr Kurt Boeck visited the famous Hindu shrine at Badrinath, Kanchendzonga in Sikkim and Kathmandu in Nepal. Here is an article which was published in the New York Times in 1898 on his travels called The Ways of the Hindus.

Dr. Kurt Boeck

My other CV: Outdoor Experience

2008-02-28T17:23:00.005+11:00

May all your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you. - Edward Abbey

Rock
I have been rock climbing since the age of 12 and started climbing by doing the basic and advanced courses run by the Naini Tal Mountaineering Club in Uttranchal.

Since then I have been rock climbing in many styles (traditional, sport, bouldering, alpine) and location around the world; these include Hampi (India), Mt Arapiles (Australia), Anse Source D'Argent (Seychelles), Sardinia (Italy), Kalymnos (Greece), Valais (Switzerland) and Snowdnia (Wales).

Mountain
Since I grew up in Naini Tal in the Indian Himalayas I had ample opportunity to trek and travel in the mountains. When I was 15 I led my first Himalayan trek to Milam Glacier.

Since then I have been on various treks around the world. These include Mt Wilhelm (Papua New Guinea), the remote Flinders and Gammon Ranges (Australia), the famous Annapurna Trek (Nepal), the Dolomites (Italy), Swiss and Austrian Alps, Mt Olympus (Greece), Wales and Scotland.

Most recently I was the expedition leader of the Trans Himalaya 2007 expedition, a 1000 kilometer trek across the Western Himalayas, from Kumaon to Leh/Kargil in the Indian Himalayas. Read more about this trip at www.transhimalaya2007.com

I gained my basic and advanced mountaineering certification from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering before I left school. During the advanced course I climbed my first real mountain, Draupadi-Ka-Danda (5716m).

During my travels I have climbed mountains of varying difficulty and remoteness; among them are: Weismies (4023m) Switzerland, Mt Wilhelm (4509 m) Papua New Guinea, Mt Olympus (2919 m) Greece and Mt Fujiyama (3776 m) Japan.

River
While growing up I had many near death experiences trying to run white water on inflated truck tubes, wearing home-made life jackets and using shovels as oars.

The Ganga, Saryu, Sarda, King (Australia) and Goldburn (Australia) are among some of the rivers that I have rafted. I have had a few kayaking lessons but am still far from competent.

I have also been a keen angler, fishing mainly for Mahseer in Himalayan rivers. My biggest catch yet has been a 36 pounder caught at Pancheshwar.

Cave
Caving is sport I picked up in my university outdoor club. I have been caving in numerous locations in Australia and have most recently been caving in the third longest cave in the world, the Holloch Cave (Hole of the devil) in Switzerland.

I have also been caving with the Cave Clan and done some urban caving in storm water drains (not sewage) and various access tunnels.

Single Track
I started mountain biking in the Victorian Alps and the Grampian Mountains in Australia and have done lots of single track riding, down hill and extended touring on my mountain bike.

The Swiss and Austrian Alps, Wales, Scotland, England, New Caledonia, Naini Tal and Australia are all places I have visited on my bike. I have been on extended tours, in excess of 500 kilometers, in Australia and on the islands of New Caledonia.

Air
Paragliding is a sport I have only had a short introduction to. In 1999, I did a seven day introductory course at Solang in Himachal Pradesh.

Island
Tropical islands are my second love after mountains, their associations with adventurers of old never fail to ignite my senses.

I have found plenty of adventure on the islands of the South Pacific (New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea), Mediterranean (Sardinia, Greece) Southern (Tasmania) and Indian Oceans (Mauritius, Seychelles).

I have been exploring, sea kayaking, climbing, cycle touring, hiking and snorkeling on these islands.

Road
Over the years I have traveled extensively. While the nature of these trips have varied, the have all been in search for adventure. Here are a couple of examples:

In 1995 and 1996 I hitchhiked first 3000 and then 16000 kilometres across Australia, working on farms to earn my keep.
In 2001 I cycle toured for 800 kilometres across the islands of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
In 2005, I traveled across Europe from Sweden to Greece, among other things on this trip I trekked and climbed in the Alps, Sardinia, Dolomites, Mt Olympus and on the islands in the Agean Sea.

During my travels I have visited India, Nepal, Japan, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Seychelles, Mauritius, USA, UK, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. This list is dwarfed by the one detailing the things I still want to do.

Some of my books

2008-02-28T14:41:00.003+11:00

I have finally got down to cataloguing some of my books. They are mainly on the travel, exploration and the Himalaya. This is about a third of my collection. Am working on getting the rest in order.

Alder, G Beyond Bokhara
Allen, C Plain Tales from the Raj
Allen, C Duel in the Snow
Anderson, JRL High Mountains & Cold Seas
Ardito, S Great Mountaineering Adventures
Axworthy, M The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah
Bailey, F M China Tibet Assam
Baker, I The Heart of the World
Band, G Road to Rakaposhi
Barber, P The Map Book
Bates, R Mystrey, Beauty and Danger
Bechtold, F Nanga Parbat Adventure
Bell, D To the Source of the Yangtze
Boardman, P The Shining Mountain
Bonington, C Everest Expeditions
Bonington, C Everest: The Hard Way
Bonington, C Everest: The Unclimbed Ridge
Bonington, C Tibet's Secret Mountain
Bonington, C Quest for Adventure
Booth, M Carpet Sahib
Booth, P Edmund Hillary
Booth, P Edmund Hillary: The life of a legend
Bourseiller, P & Durieux, J Volcanoes
Bowman, A Among the Tartar Tents
Bremer-Kamp, C Living on the Edge
Brodie, F M The Devil Drives
Brown, J The Hard Years
Brown, L A The Story of Maps
Byron, R The Road to Oxiana
Cameron, I Mountains of the Gods
Champion, F W With a Camera in Tiger-Land
Collier, R The Sound of Fury
Collins, L & Lapierre, D Freedom at Midnight
Connor, J The Philosophy of Risk
Conran, W L & Craik, H D The Punjab Chiefs
Conway, C W W S Sunlit Waters
Conway, M Mountain Memories
Conway, M The Alps from end to end
Corbett, J Jungle Lore
Corbett, J Man-Eaters of Kumaon
Corbett, J My India
Corbett, J The Man Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag
Corbett, J The Temple Tiger
Corbett, J Tree Tops
Cox, K Frank Fingdom Wrad's Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges
Dalrymple, W City of Djinns
Dalrymple, W White Moughals
Dalrymple, W The Last Mughal
Diamond, J Collapse
Dickinson, L Ballooning over Everest
Dickinson, M Everest
Diener The Centeral Himalaya
Dingle & Hillary, Peter First Across the Roof of the World
Douglas, E Tenzing
Durand, A The Making of a Frontier
Eiselin, M The Ascent of Dhaulagiri
Fantin, M Mani Rimdu Nepal
Farwell, B Burton
Fellowes P.F.M First over Everest
Finn, F Indian Sporting Birds
Fleminf, I You Only Live Twice
Fleming, P Bayonets to Lhasa
Fleming, P News From Tartary
Fowles, J The Magus
Fowles, J Mantissa
French, J C Himalayan Art
Gallenkamp, C Dragon Hunter
Geddie, J Beyond the Himalayas
Gillett, N Everest Grand Circle
Godden, J and R Two Under the Indian Sun
Godrej, P & Rohatgi, P Senic Splendours
Gohm, D C Maps & Prints
Graham, G The Quiet American
Graham, G Doctor Fischer of Geneva
Graham, G The Honorary Consul
Graham, G A Burnt out Case
Graham, G The Honorary Consul
Greig, A Summit Fever
Gurney, A Compass
Harrer, H Seven Years In Tibet
Harvey, A A Journey in Ladakh
Hedin, S Trans-Himalaya
Heim and Ganseer The Throne of the Gods
Herrligkoffer, K Nanga Parbat
Herzog, M Annapurna
Herzog, M Regards Vers L'Annapurna
Heyerdahl, T The Ra Expeditions
Hillary, P Rimo
Hillary, E East of Everest
Hillary, E From the Ocean to the Sky
Hopkirk, P The Great Game
Hunt, J Our Everest Adventure
Jackson, M Tents in the Clouds
Johnson, R Spying for Empire
Johnston, H Pioneers in India
Jones, O B Pakistan: Eye of the Storm
Jordan, J Savage Summit
Kanota, M S & Rudolph S Reversing the Gaze
Kanwar, Dharmendar The Unforgettable Maharajas
Kapadia, H High Himalaya Unknown Valleys
Kaul, H K Traveller's India
Kaye, M M The Golden Claim
Kazantzaki, N Zorba the Greek
Keay, J Gilgit Game, The
Keay, J The Great Arc
Keay, J When Men & Mountains Meet
Keay, J Explorers of the Western Himalayas 1820-1895
Khosla, G D Himalayan Circuit
Kipling, R Barrack Room Ballads
Kipling, R Kim
Kipling, R Soldiers Three
Kipling, R The Two Jungle Books
Kipling, R Wee Willie Winkie
Knight, E F Where Three Empires Meet
Knox, J Robert Byron
Kohli, H Across the Frozen Himalayas
Kohli, MS Spies in the Himalayas
Kopp, H Himalaya Shuttlecock
Krakauer, J Into Thin Air
Kremmer, C The Carpet Wars
Kumar, N Kanchenjunga
Laffont, R Nanda Devi
Lambert & Kogan White Fury
Lane, J Fly Fisher's Pie
Languepin, J J Nanda Devi
Luce, E In Spite of the Gods
Lunt, J Bokhara Burnes
Macfarlane, R Mountains of the Mind
Macintyre, B Josiah the Great
Mackintosh-Smith, T The Travels of Ibn Battutah
Maclnnes, H Climb to the Lost World
Madra, A S Warrior Saints
Maitland, A Speke
Man, J Genghis Khan
Mason, K Abode of Snows
Masters, J The Deceivers
Masters, J Night runners of Bengal
Masters, J Bhowani Junction
Matthiessen, P The Snow Leopard
Maxwell, Marius Stalking Big Game With A Camera In Equatorial Africa
McLynn, F Hearts of Darkness
McRae, M The Siege of Shangri La
Meade, C Approach to the Hills
Meade, C High Mountains
Messner, R Free Spirit
Meyer, K Tournament of Shadows
Meyer, K In the Shadow of the Himalayas
Migot, A Tibetan Marches
Moorcroft, W Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan Moules, L Three Miles High
Mukherjee, R India Then & Now
Mulgrew, P No Place for Men
Murray, W H Mountaineering in Scotland & Undiscovered Scotland
Naipaul, V S Beyond Belief
Naoroji, K Himalayan Vignettes
Nathan, J Mishima
Neate, J High Asia
Newby, E A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
Newby, E Slowly Down the Ganges
Newby, E A Traveller's Life
Newby, E A Short Walk
Newby, E A Merry Dance Around the World
Newby, E Great Ascents
Newby, E Around the World in Eighty Years
Noble, C Over the High Passes
Norah, B Jungle Days
Noyce, W South Col
Noyce, W To the Unknown Mountain
Orme, Eve Mountain Magic
Ortner, S Life and Death on Mt Everest
Palin, M Himalaya
Paola Pozzolini Sicouri; Vladimir Kopylov Forbidden Mountains:The Most Beautiful Mountains in Russia and Central Asia
Peissel, M Mustang
Peissel, M The Ants Gold
Peissel, M Zanskar
Penzer, N M Selected Papers on Anthropology
Perrin, J The Villain
Pierre, B A Mountain Called Nun Kun
Pierse, S Kangchenjunga
Pirsig, R Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Pratapaditya, P Art of the Himalayas
Quilley, G William Hodges 1744 - 1797: The Art of Exploration
Rawlinson, H G Shivaji The Maratha
Ricard, N & Follmi, O Buddhist Himalayas
Roberts, Forty-One Years in India
Roberts, G D Shantaram
Roper, R Fatal Mountaineer
Rushby, K Children of Kali
Rushdie, S The Satanic Verses
Rushdie, S Midnight's Children
Russell, S Mountain Prospect
Sella, V Dal Caucaso Al Himalaya 1889-1909
Seth, V A Suitable Boy
Shand, A I Soldiers of Fortune in Camp and Court
Shipton, E Land of Tempest
Shipton, E Nanda Devi
Shipton, E That Untravelled World
Shipton, E The Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
Shipton, E The Six Mountain Travel Books
Shipton, E Upon That Mountain
Shipton, Eric Blank on the Map
Shirakawa, Y Himalayas
Singh, Dr Trilochan et al Selections from the sacred writings of the Sikhs
Singh, M India: Paintings from Ajanta Caves
Singh, P The Sikhs
Skerede, W Across the Roof of the World
Smeeton, M A Taste of the Hills
Smythe, F Kamet Conquered
Smythe, F The Kangchenjunga Adventure
Smythe, F The Valley of Flowers
Smythe, F The Mountain Vision
Smythe, F Peaks and Valleys
Smythe, F Over the Welsh Hills
Snailham, R A Giant Among Rivers
Steele, P Eric Shipton
Stewart, J Spying for the Raj
Stewart, R The Places in Between
Stisted, G M The True Life of Sir R F Burton
Stonor, C The Sherpa and the Snowman
Strang, H Barclay of the Guides
Stronge, S The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms
Summers, J Fearless on Everest
Suyin, H The Mountain is Young
Taylor, M Confessions of a Thug
Teltscher, K The High Road to China
Thapar, V Tiger
Thesiger, W Arabian Sands
Thesiger, W Amoung the Mountains
Thesiger, W A Vanished World
Thomson, H Nanda Devi
Tilman, H W Mostly Mischief
Tilman, H W The Ascent of Nanda Devi
Tilman, H W The Seven Mountain Travel Books
Tilman, H W When Men & Mountains Meet
Tranter, P No Tigers in the Hindu Kush
Trotter, H The Pundit's Journey in Great Tibet
Tucker, J Kanchenjunga
Valli, E Hunting for Honey
Venebles, S A Slender Thread
Waring, E J Waring's Bazaar medicines of India
Weeks, Edwin Lord Visions of India
Weir, T East of Katmandu
Wignall, S Spy on the Roof of the World
Wilfred, T My Life and Travels
Wilfrid, N To the Unknown Mountain
Younghusband, F Kashmir
Younghusband, F The Heart of the Continent
Zurick, D Himalaya
Zwalf, W Heritage of Tibet

Kedarnath to Khatling Trek

2007-07-13T19:43:00.000+10:00

This 11 day trek involved crossing a 5000m pass and negotiating some interesting trackless country with the aid of a 90 year old map and a GPS. Have a look at the photos here.

Kuari Pass Trek

2007-07-13T19:39:00.001+10:00

In June 2007 we started our two month trip with Scott and Ross. The first section was over Kuari Pass, from Wan to Joshimath, crossing several valleys. Have a look at the photos from this trek.

Thank You MSR!

2007-05-04T20:02:00.000+10:00

Before I left for this trek I wrote to MSR about a problem I had with my XGK stove. They responded immediately and said that they would send me some spare parts. When I got back from our trek I found I had a brand spanking new XGK stove waiting for me!

I wasn't expecting that. Thank you MSR.

It's great when a company produced quality outdoor gear and then backs it up with fantastic customer service. Very rare indeed. Keep it up MSR!

Lassar Yangti Expedition

2007-05-04T19:44:00.000+10:00

Just got back from a fantastic trek. It was originally supposed to be the Ralam Pass Recci trek but it eventually turned into the Lassar Yangti Expedition.

The Lassar Yangti river is a tributary of the Dhauliganga which flows down the Darma Valley. The Darma Valley is east of the Milam valley in the Kumaon Himalaya.

We spent 17 days exploring the area and got quite deep into the upper reaches of the Lassar Yangti. Bad weather eventually forced us to retreat.

While April was a bit early to do this trip we did find that we had the entire place to ourselves. None of the villages were occupied. The only people we saw were the odd village watchman and the ITBP troops. Everyone, including the usually suspicious ITBP troops were extremely hospitable and friendly. We were the first people they had seen in 6 months.

In addition to being a fantastic experience we learned a lot on this trek. The only trouble we had was with the payment of the porters at the end of the trek. I will write more about that later.

Click on the picture to see all the photographs from this trek:

We are off..............

2007-04-08T04:28:00.001+10:00

After weeks of planning we are finally off on the trek to Ralam Pass.

I will not try to better the sentiments expressed by Burton:

"Of the gladdest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands.

Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of Habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares and the slavery of Home, one feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood...

A journey, in fact, appeals to Imagination, to Memory, to Hope - the three sister Graces of our moral being."

Look out for the photos once we have got back.................