HimalayaNet #64 (November 16, 1999)

Please remember to send all contributions to himnet@hotmail.com. Please
also remember to include your membership number if you'd like to post a
message.

Namaste!

Kathie Mears
HimalayaNet Moderator

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. NEW MOUNT EVEREST MEASUREMENT ANNOUNCED
2. CORRECTION: NEPAL SINGLE ENTRY SAME-YEAR VISA FEES
3. OVERLAND PRECAUTIONS IN NEPAL
3A. WARNING ON TRAFFIC RELATED ACCIDENTS IN NEPAL
3B. NEPAL SECURITY INFORMATION SOURCE
4. ORISSA CYCLONE RELIEF
5. NEW DAILY FLIGHTS TO KATHMANDU
6. THE ANNAPURNA SCHOOL: LOOKING FOR TEACHER
7. JEFF GREENWALD WRITES ABOUT ROAD THROUGH UPPER MUSTANG
8. RUMORS ABOUT A POSSIBLE NEW ROAD THROUGH LANGTANG
9. CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS INVITATION FOR WORLD CITIZEN AWARD CEREMONY
10. HEC MEMBERS SEEK TRAVEL COMPANIONS/ADVICE
10A. SEEK CLIMBING PARTNERS FOR 5500-6500m PEAKS IN NEPAL
10B. LOOKING FOR TREKKING PARTNER FOR EVEREST BASE CAMP
11.ADVENTUROUS TRAVELER BOOKSTORE SPONSORSHIP

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO HIMALAYANET
HOW TO POST ON HIMALAYANET
HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
HOW TO ADVERTISE ON HIMALAYANET

*********************************************************

1. NEW MOUNT EVEREST MEASUREMENT ANNOUNCED

(Washington-AP) It turns out the world's highest mountain is even higher
than anyone thought. Mount Everest is actually seven feet taller than
previously thought -- 29,035 feet above sea level to be exact. The new
measurements were announced at the National Geographic Society.

The information was compiled by teams of climbers using special equipment to
collect data from global positioning satellites. The research also shows
that Everest is slowly shifting -- and possibly growing even taller -- on
the fault system that pushes India under Nepal and China, creating the
Himalayas. The mountain is moving northeast at almost two-and-a-half inches
a year.

*********************************************************

2. CORRECTION: NEPAL SINGLE ENTRY SAME-YEAR VISA FEES

Richard Salisbury clarified that a single entry visa in the same year as a
previous visit to Nepal costs $50, not $25, as implied in HimalayaNet #62.
He writes:

The Nepalese Consulate Office in New York is charging $50 for a second
tourist visa to Nepal in the same calendar year regardless of the number of
days between the two visits. The visa itself is preprinted with:

SINGLE ENTRY VISA for next journey within the same visa year
Visa Fee: US$ 50

Richard Salisbury
Richard.Salisbury@umich.edu

*********************************************************

3. OVERLAND PRECAUTIONS IN NEPAL

3A. WARNING ON TRAFFIC RELATED ACCIDENTS IN NEPAL

[Editors Note: The US Department of State posted the following note on the
Web. Remember to look both ways when crossing!!]
American citizens should be extremely cautious when traveling overland in
Nepal, especially by bus. In general, roads are in very poor condition and
lack basic safety features. Many mountain and hill roads are impassable
during monsoon season (June-September) due to landslides, and are very
hazardous even in the best weather. Avoid travel on night buses - fatal
accidents are frequent. In the Kathmandu valley, roads are congested. Not
only is traffic badly regulated, the volume of vehicles on the roads is
increasing by 15 percent a year. Many drivers are neither properly licensed
nor trained. Vehicles are poorly maintained. Sidewalks and pedestrian
crossings are non-existent in most areas, and drivers do not yield the
right-of-way to pedestrians. Of the 4,500 traffic-related deaths in 1997,
two-thirds were pedestrians. http://216.200.80.33/nepal.html

3B. NEPAL SECURITY INFORMATION SOURCE

Information on Incident Reports for Nepal:
http://www.ds.state.gov/osac/edb/diplomatic/incident.cfm?INCIDENT_RSN=30844

*********************************************************

4. ORISSA CYCLONE RELIEF

Note: Venice Walters, a Connecticut volunteer with The Orissa Project, a
registered non-profit organization based in New Jersey, sent the HEC this
information:

Assistance is desperately needed in Orissa and any help you can give will be
much appreciated. Donations can be made to the Red Cross by phone:
1-800-HELP-NOW or over the internet by going to www.redcross.org or by
mail to your local Red Cross. In any case, please stipulate that the
donation is specifically for Orissa Cyclone Relief.

For a detailed status report of the current situation in Orissa, please go
to http://www.ifrc.org (International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies) or redcross.org (American Red Cross). Thank you.

*********************************************************

5. NEW DAILY FLIGHTS TO KATHMANDU

HEC Member John P. Hughes sent the following travel information:

I thought I would quickly share two good pieces of news for posting in the
next issue of HimalayaNet. Both items relate to the number of airline seats
that are now available into Kathmandu.

First, Qatar Airways has announced daily flights into Kathmandu from Doha.
Qatar has daily connections from London to Doha, and Mon-Wed-Fri connections
to Doha from Munich, Vienna, and Zurich. Qatar and Lufthansa
have a "code sharing" alliance. This should make it easier for North
American and European trekkers to fly directly into Kathmandu and avoid
Delhi.

Second, Thai Airways has just expanded its service into Kathmandu from
Bangkok. It will now use the larger Boeing 777 on its daily flights between
those two cities. The 777 will also offer business class service.

*********************************************************

6. THE ANNAPURNA SCHOOL: LOOKING FOR TEACHER

A small, privately funded, summer boarding school in Pokhara is looking for
a native English speaking teacher. The Annapurna School will be in it's
second year with 2 classes of approximately 20 students each. The school
serves young people, age (8 - 15), from the mountain region, who are either
too remote, or too poor to have had the chance to attend school.

The curriculum focuses on Nepali reading and writing, beginning spoken
English, and rudimentary math skills. We are looking for someone to teach
English, (there will be 2 professional Nepali teachers), and to help
supervise the overall running of the school and well-being of the students.
This is a volunteer position, but room and board will be provided along with
a stipend. Your co-workers and host while in country speak English and are
experienced in the needs of westerners living in Nepal. For more
information, call me:
Tim Olmsted, at 970-879-0731, or e-mail me at tim@amigo.net.

*********************************************************

7. JEFF GREENWALD WRITES ABOUT ROAD THROUGH UPPER MUSTANG

Jeff Greenwald, author of "Mr. Raja's Neighborhood" and "Shopping for
Buddhas", writes this month on Salon.com
(http://www.salonmagazine.com/travel/feature/1999/11/06/mustang/index.html)
that a road may be planned into the remote village of Lo Manthang.
Greenwald's eloquent piece captures the disastrous impacts this road would
have on this mystical region. An excerpt follows, but we recommend readers
visit the Web site for the complete piece:

"Kagbeni is the portal to Upper Mustang, an important leg of the old
salt-trading route from Tibet. A sign at the edge of Kagbeni warned trekkers
to go no farther; a police post just below ensured that they did not.

For 20 years -- since my first trek to Kagbeni in 1979 -- I longed to ignore
that sign and continue on, traversing Mustang's harsh and spectacular
terrain: a land more similar to the Tibetan plateau than the highlands of
Nepal. Until less than a decade ago, Lo was a world apart. Few Westerners
had penetrated its secrets, and entering the gates was like traveling back
to the 15th century.

One month ago, I was finally able to make the journey to Lo. The trek
through Mustang was unforgettable; it's a place where the drama of the
landscape dovetails perfectly with the local mythology. Walking beneath a
wall of tortured, blood-red cliffs, there's little doubt that this was the
site where a bloodthirsty demon was eviscerated.

This is why it was so shocking to learn, from a handful of well-informed
locals (over a few glasses of the local rakshi, in Chimmey's Coffee Shop),
that Lo Monthang is now endangered by the very plague that has ruined
Kathmandu. Within two years, the Nepalese government hopes to build a
highway into Lo Monthang -- and turn the once-forbidden city into another
gruesome sacrifice.

The rationale for the road is deceptively simple. A day's walk south of
Kagbeni, the Thakali villages around Marpha grow a phenomenal number of
apples. This potentially lucrative export rots on the ground; there's no
efficient way to ship the fruit to the markets in Kathmandu.

Present plans call for the route to begin in Lo Monthang, a four days' walk
(by porters, not trekkers) from Marpha. It will enter occupied Tibet, and
loop back down to Kathmandu on a pre-existing Chinese motorway. Eventually
the route will reach all the way to Jomson itself, crossing all of Upper
Mustang via Lo.

Grab your camera -- and get yourself to Upper Mustang as soon as possible.
That moment of sacrifice may have arrived."

*********************************************************

8. RUMORS ABOUT A POSSIBLE NEW ROAD THROUGH LANGTANG

Facts, more so then anything else, are hard to come by in Nepal. So whenever
a interesting piece of news comes through the HEC Clubhouse it's met with a
healthy dose of skepticism. The current round of rumors comes down from the
Langtang Valley. According to a Military Commander stationed there, we
should be expecting some changes. The unknown solider tells us that the
"restricted" status that covers the area north of Syarabu Bensi all the way
to the border of Tibet will be lifted. Apparently there are plans underway
to improve the road as an alternative to the current Tibet/Nepal crossing at
Kodari. Trekkers, supposedly without a permit, will be able to go as far as
Kyirong(Kyerong) in Tibet. Anxious trekkers should not hold their breaths,
there is plenty of bureaucratic foot-dragging to be done before we see the
end of this one.

*********************************************************

9. CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS INVITATION FOR WORLD CITIZEN AWARD CEREMONY

Cross-Cultural Solutions and Asia Society cordially invite you to meet an
individual who makes progress around the world possible. **Dr. Uma Tuli**
Founder of Amar Jyoti, a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities
in New Delhi, India.

Special components of the evening also include the conferral of the first
Cross-Cultural Solutions World Citizen Award and a special appearance by
Enrique Bossio, Director for Cross-Cultural Solutions in Peru. This event
will be held at: The Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street, New York
City. The event takes place on November 17, 1999, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. Guests are welcome, but space is limited. To confirm your spaces,
please call 914-632-0022.

*********************************************************

10. HEC MEMBERS SEEK TRAVEL COMPANIONS/ADVICE

Note: Please respond directly to the HEC member.

10A. SEEK CLIMBING PARTNERS FOR 5500-6500m PEAKS IN NEPAL

I'm looking for one or more experienced climbing partners for moderate
technical routes 5500-6500m peaks in Nepal during November and December.
Possibilities include peaks in the upper Langtang valley, Annapurna
Sanctuary, or Ganesh Himal. I'm also open to other suggestions.

Please contact me at zarmot@yahoo.com or leave a message in the mailboxes at
the HEC Kathmandu clubhouse. Cheers,

Mike Sullivan, Crestone, CO

10B. SEEKING TREKKING PARTNER FOR EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK

I'm planning on trekking to Everest Base Camp the first three weeks of April
and am looking for someone to travel with. I'm hoping to hire a local guide
and a porter. Please call me if you are interested in joining me (I don't
have e-mail!).
Dana Jones
(206)285-7164

*********************************************************

11. ADVENTUROUS TRAVELER BOOKSTORE SPONSORSHIP

This newsletter is sponsored in part by www.AdventurousTraveler.com. Check
them out for the most complete collection of Himalayan guidebooks,
narratives and maps on the internet. Give them your HEC membership number
for a 10% discount!

*********************************************************

12. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION
(updated 12 November 1999)

GUIDES

Pakistan with Pakistanis: Concordia Expeditions, your premier connection to
Pakistan, offers superior and affordable adventures to K2, Hunza, Snow Lake,
Chitral, and the Karakoram Glaciers. Contact Concordia Expeditions, PO Box
4159, Buena Vista, CO 81211 (719)395-9191, info@concordiaexpeditions.com,
http://www.concordiaexpeditions.com

Explore Himalaya: Can arrange individual/group holidays to all destinations
in Nepal, India, and Tibet. High altitude treks & climbing, mountain
biking, and white water rafting. Contact Suman Pandey, PO Box 4902,
Kathmandu, Nepal, Fax:977-1-252 115, e-mail: adventur@mos.com.np

Join the Himalayan Explorers Club in the Himalayas! Pemba Sherpa leads
Everest trek with Island Peak in March and October 2000. info@mountainexplorers.org or
call (303)998-0101. All trips also include an excursion "off the beaten
path" to the village where Pemba grew up.

JOURNEYS International. Nepal, Ladakh, Bhutan, Tibet, Mongolia, Burma. Since
1978, group, individual, family, and research travelers have chosen JOURNEYS
based on our reputation for reliable, locally-based services and expert,
friendly local leadership. In all Himalayan and South Asian destinations we
handle flights, outfitting, permits and reservations, and keep you healthy.
Join our group departures or set off on your own personally-guided
expedition. Phone (800)255-8735 for your free color catalog and full
details. Or e-mail info@journeys-intl.com, http://www.journeys-intl.com.

KE Adventure Travel. Unique trekking, climbing, mountain biking and cultural
journeys throughout Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh,
Bolivia, Peru, Patagonia, Ecuador, Russia, Africa & more! Contact us for a
free, color brochure. (800)497-9675, ketravel@rof.net,
http://www.keadventure.com

NEPAL, TIBET, SIKKIM, PAKISTAN, & BHUTAN. Scheduled treks & tours with USA
leader of 33 Sierra Club Himalayan trips. From $400. Custom itineraries.
Off-the-beaten track areas. Environmentally sensitive and porter friendly.
Peter Owens' Asian Treks. E-mail: peter@lotusnrg.com.np Phone:
(800)223-1813 or (510)222-5307. Website: www.instantweb.com/p/peterowens

World of Wonder Adventures, Inc. - specializing in adventure travel - WOW!
Takes you to places you've always wanted to go, to do the things you've
always wanted to do, at a price you can afford. Our exciting schedule of
upcoming adventures includes Nepal, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Spain, Jamaica, Fiji and the beautiful Oregon Coast. For more
details call toll free - 1-888-4-wow-fun or e-mail us at:
wowadventure@earthlink.net

TRAVEL

Adventurous Traveler Bookstore offers the world's most complete selection of
outdoor travel books and maps. Books, maps, and videos for the entire
Himalayan region. Call (800)282-3963 or order on the web at
http://www.adventurousTraveler.com HEC members get 10% discount!

The Asian Trail is your FREE downloadable guide to work, travel, and
adventure in Asia. Job listings too! Get your copy of The Asian Trail at
http://www.asiantrail.com

Avia Travel. Competitive fares to Asia, especially Nepal, Pakistan, and
Thailand though major consolidators. Established since 1987, recommended by
Lonely Planet as "reliable source" for discounted fares. Customized land
packages into Asia and small group adventures. Call (800) 950 2842 or
(415)536-4155; avia@avia.com, http://www.avia.com

Himalayan Treasures and Travel. We have seats to Kathmandu all the time.
Call us for the best price and best service. We book for many HEC members
and give HEC discounts! Call (800)223-1813 or (510)222-5307,
govindsh@himtrek.com

Ticket Planet. We are America's leading round the world air consolidator,
and also your Nepal airfare experts. We can get seats to Kathmandu when
others can't. We broker over 50 airlines. We have over 15 years of
experience pricing international airfares. Please contact us at (800)
799-8888, (415) 288-9999, fax (415) 288-9839, see our website:
http://www.ticketplanet.com or email us at himalayas@ticketplanet.com

*********************************************************

VOLUNTEER/STUDY ABROAD

Himalayan Study-Abroad Program. Applications now being accepted for Fall
2000. Participants will study tourism development along the Everest route,
then design community development projects for remote Rolwaling valley,
according to individual interests and community needs. Info:
www.bridges-prtd.com, Contact: sicroff@bridges-prtd.com

Volunteer Nepal Himalaya offers participants a unique opportunity to
volunteer in Sherpa villages in the Himalayas, near Mt. Everest.
Participants spend the first ten days doing an orientation in Nepali
language and culture. Volunteers then fly to Lukla, the gateway to the
Khumbu (Everest) region of Nepal, and teach English in a Sherpa school.
Accommodations are with local families. While not teaching, participants
work on community service projects or explore the endless trails and
villages of the Khumbu region. Upcoming programs in Feb-April 2000, Sept-Nov
2000, and Feb-April 2001. For more information, please contact the Himalayan
Explorers Club at info@mountainexplorers.org or call (303) 998-0101.

The Nepal Volunteer Handbook offers potential volunteers everything they
will need to know about volunteering in Nepal, including a personal skills
assessment, background on the history of foreign assistance in Nepal, tips
for ensuring a worthwhile experience, and information on over 50 volunteer
leads. The Handbook sells for $20 and is available through the Himalayan
Explorers Club. For more information please contact the HEC at (303)998-0101
or e-mail info@mountainexplorers.org

The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) is again looking for
experienced volunteer English teachers to teach Basic English and advance
Language Course for trekking industry and lodge owners staff. These courses
will help to provide a solid foundation in spoken English to trekking
sirdars, sherpas, cooks, and kitchen staff with an emphasis on
trekking-related vocabulary. In addition to English instruction, four Sunday
workshops will provide presentations and practical demonstrations by experts
on acute mountain sickness, eco-trekking, first aid, and food handling etc.
For more information and registration, please contact: PT Sherpa"Kerung",
Executive Director KEEP, tour@keep.wlink.com.np

The HEC has learned that there is an opening for an experienced English
(ESL) teacher in Nuwakot, Nepal. Nuwakot is an historic hill town about 3
hours from Kathmandu, near Trisuli Bazar, and offers views of the Ganesh and
Langtang Himal to the North. The position is in the Nuwakot High School,
where the students are between 14 and 20 years old. Class size will be about
20 students. The position is for about one year (a nontourist visa will be
arranged), and will begin in the next few months. Room and board will
probably be provided, but candidates must pay their own airfare to Nepal.
Applicants must have experience teaching English as a second language (ESL)
and send resumes (C.V.s) to the Himalayan Explorers Club at info@mountainexplorers.org