HimalayaNet #70 (May 16, 2000)

Namaste, and welcome to the 70th edition of HimalayaNet, the online newsletter of the Himalayan Explorers Club. We have an update from our last issue of HimalayaNet #69. Kunde Hospital is not currently in need of a temporary physician at the Himalayan Trust Hospital.

Please send all contributions to himalayanet@egroups.com, and remember to include your membership number if you'd like to post a message. We are also very interested in sharing the travel information or updates you have received from other HEC members.

Kathie A. Mears
HimalayaNet Moderator


IN THIS ISSUE:

1. HEC SEEKS ACCOUNTING ASSISTANCE
2. DHARMSALA HOSPITAL SEEKS DOCTOR FOR TIBETANS
3. LEFTIST PARTIES SCHEDULE STRIKES IN NEPAL
4. MOUNTAIN MUSEUM UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN POKHARA
5. CLIMBERS DISCOVER AND ATTEMPT "REAL" MERA PEAK IN NEPAL
6. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON HIMALAYAN ENVIRONMENTS
7. RESEARCH PROJECT: ENERGY IN THE HINDU KUSH-HIMALAYAN REGION
8. HEC MEMBERS LOOKING FOR TRAVEL COMPANIONS/ADVICE
8A. LOOKING FOR TREKKING PARTNERS FOR OCTOBER
8B. TREKKING PARTNERS IN EVEREST REGION: OCT-NOV.
8C. LOOKING FOR TREKKING COMPANIONS: EVEREST REGION
8D. LOOKING FOR TRAVEL COMPANIONS: LADAKH TO SPITI
8E. TREKKING PARTNER SOUGHT FOR KHUMBU/TESI LAPTSA
9. HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING E-MAIL LIST
10. ADVENTUROUS TRAVELER BOOKSTORE SPONSORSHIP
11. 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

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1. HEC SEEKS ACCOUNTING ASSISTANCE

The HEC is looking for an accountant to assist us with our IRS Form 990. Our records are kept in Quickbooks, so are fairly orderly, but we do need help with the IRS forms. If you have experience with nonprofit tax filing and can donate a few hours to the HEC, please contact us at info@mountainexplorers.org Note that we have already filed for the extension, so we have until August 15th, 2000.

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2. DHARMSALA HOSPITAL SEEKS DOCTOR FOR TIBETANS

The Tibetan Delek Hospital in Dharmsala, India, has an opening for a physician for six months. The hospital, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, has about forty beds. It deals with all non-surgical problems. Patients with tuberculosis are the single largest group. The nurses are Tibetan. All speak their own language, English and Hindi and act as translators for western doctors. The doctors are a mixture of Tibetans trained in the Indian medical system and western volunteers. Their numbers vary but four is usual. Western doctors work there for a minimum of six months. About 70% of the patients are Tibetan, the rest are local Indian people or western tourists.

The TB program is complex, well documented and integrated with the Indian national protocols. The hospital runs field trips to surrounding Tibetan settlements in Himachal Pradesh whose day to day needs are met by basically trained health workers. These trips are immensely rewarding for volunteers, both culturally and medically.

There is no pay. A room and basic food (basic Tibetan food is quite basic) are provided free of charge at the hospital. All other expenses are the volunteer's responsibility. £1500 covers the lot for six months. Several volunteers have said that this was the best six months of their lives. The opportunity to work with two ancient cultures, both extraordinarily different from our own, and practice a high standard of medicine without constantly tripping over cables and tubes, is a rare privilege.

Contact: Dr. Alan Munro 
alan.munro@virgin.net 
or the hospital at:
delek@nde.vsnl.net.in 
More information is available at:
http://www.inverness-pgmc.demon.co.uk/Dharamsala.htm

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3. LEFTIST PARTIES SCHEDULE STRIKES IN NEPAL
(From the American Embassy in Nepal)

A coalition of Leftist parties has scheduled nationwide strikes (Bandhas) for May 23 and May 31, with rallies planned for the evening of May 22. Although no violent actions have been planned, past events of this kind have been marked by confrontations between demonstrators and police and by rock throwing at passing pedestrians and vehicles.

American citizens are advised to exercise caution when traveling to or through Nepal, especially by road. American citizens and American-affiliated organizations and businesses in Nepal are advised to review their security practices and to contact local police and the American Embassy in Kathmandu should they observe any unusual activity.

Americans in Nepal should monitor local news for information about civil unrest and Maoist activity. Americans in Nepal are also urged to register and obtain current information about the security situation at the Consular Section of the American Embassy in Kathmandu. For additional information about Safety/Security issues in Nepal and registration by email, access the State Departments Consular Information Sheet for Nepal, available on the Embassy's website at:

http://www.south-asia.com/usa or on the Department of States Consular Affairs Homepage: http://travel.state.gov/nepal.html

General information on travel to Nepal is also available on the current Consular Information Sheet for Nepal.

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4. MOUNTAIN MUSEUM UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN POKHARA
Reprinted from "The Independent"

Finally the most ambitious and unique project undertaken by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has begun to take shape. After more than three years of constant efforts, the first phase of the construction of the International Mountain Museum (IMM) is seeing the light of the day.

The IMM project is the biggest project of its kind with a budget estimate of more than US $1.1 million undertaken by the NMA. Being constructed with the objectives to record, document, and to chronicle the past and the present developments of mountaineering activities in the world and to preserve the story of great mountaineering feats achieved in the history of mountaineering in the Himalayan region, the IMM project occupies 6 hectares of land at a scenic place in Pokhara valley.

The first phase of project work encompasses the construction of the Main Museum Hall. "The construction work is progressing smoothly. By middle of next year, we hope one portion of the Museum can be started," Sarosh Pradhan, Architect and the project director of IMM informed.

On successful completion of the Museum Hall, other phases of the project will gradually be started, Pradhan informed. The other phase of the project includes activities like construction of Administrative Building, Conference Hall, Restaurant Hall, Guest House for students and the Entrance Gate. The main Museum Hall will house the halls for exhibit display, an audiovisual hall and conservation room for exhibits. There will be two main exhibition halls in the Museum Hall - the Hall of the Great Himalaya and the Hall of the World Mountains. "Both these halls will have models of famous peaks, mannequins of famous climbers, equipment and material used in mountaineering history, culture and life style of mountain people, flora and fauna including geological information," he pointed out.

When NMA started this project, it almost seemed to be a distant dream to them. But once it started it, alpine clubs all around the world began to help the NMA. "With different alpine clubs supporting the project we can now see an interesting thing happening here," Pradhan added. The general assembly of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation held in October 1998 had unanimously endorsed the Project and also initiated to raise funds for it.

Similarly, SANPAKU, a Japanese organization comprising of Japan Mountaineering Association, Japanese Alpine Club, Japan Worker's Alpine Federation, HAT-J, Himalayan Association Japan, Nippon Nepal Society, has made a special financial assistance worth more than US $175,000. Likewise, the Indian Mountaineering Federation, Chinese Mountaineering Federation, Korean Alpine Club, Hiroshima Mountaineering Federation, French Alpine Club, Australian Army Mountaineering Club, ICIMOD and other international mountaineering organizations have also pledged their support for the museum.

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5. CLIMBERS DISCOVER AND ATTEMPT "REAL" MERA PEAK IN NEPAL

A group of Finnish and American climbers claims to have discovered the "real" Mera Peak, the tallest and one of the most popular of the 18 trekking peaks in Nepal. The climbers discovered that a recent map of the Khumbu region had a peak that was labeled as 6,654m, the official height of Mera as reported by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).

The peak everyone has been climbing for 22 years is only 6,476m, and everyone assumed the inaccuracy was due to a miscalculation by the NMA. Since the "false" Mera was a technically straightforward climb, no one investigated the difference. This error was recently confirmed by Jamie McGuinness, author of "Trekking in the Everest Region".

"They are right," Jamie wrote to us, "everyone has been climbing the wrong
mountain!"

The team set out for the "real" Mera, about five miles North-Northeast of the "false" Mera, a few weeks ago. The climb is a far more technical climb then the "false" Mera. They were tracking their progress on the Web at www.kuvalehdet.fi/realmera/index.htm (although the site was not operating at the time of this posting). A recent report from Kathmandu was that bad weather and illness kept the team from succeeding in their attempt. So, aspiring mountaineers should note that a 6,654m mountain in Nepal remains
unclimbed.

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6. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON HIMALAYAN ENVIRONMENTS

With the help from UNU, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, and Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal will host International Symposium on the Himalayan Environments: Mountain Sciences and Ecotourism/Biodiversity form 24 to 26 November 2000.

We would like to invite papers from broad disciplines, not to discuss a particular single issue but to exchange knowledge/information/techniques related to natural and social environments of the Himalaya, through which we will discuss the roles of academic sciences in establishing ecotourism and conserving biodiversity in the protected areas of the Himalaya. Focus will be placed on the sciences particularly important in the Himalaya, such as GLOF, glaciology and glacial chronology, mountain hazards, geology, GIS, geography, biology, plant and animal ecology, forestry, socio-economics, tourism, and planning.

This symposium is initiated under Agenda 21, Chapter 13 (Sustainable Mountain Development), with the support from the United Nations University.

Venue: Radisson Hotel Kathmandu
Date: 24-26 November 2000
Deadline for abstract and early registration: 30 June 2000
Please visit our HP: http://geo204b.ees.hokudai.ac.jp/ISHE/

Teiji Watanabe, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Geoecology, Graduate School

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7. RESEARCH PROJECT: ENERGY IN THE HINDU KUSH-HIMALAYAN REGION

I am conducting research on the impacts of electrification in the Himalayan regions of India and Nepal. The goal of the research is to understand to what extent renewable energy technology - specifically small and micro hydropower - offers development benefits to local communities and how such benefits are best managed.

I am presently investigating sites in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. I would be grateful for any information related to the status of small or micro hydropower in this area, or contact information for any organisations involved in the field.

Chris McMenemy
Environment, Society and Development Research Group
Department of Geography
University of Cambridge
Downing Place
Cambridge, UK CB2 3EN
Tel: +44 7932 041814
Fax: +44 1223 333392

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8. HEC MEMBERS LOOKING FOR TRAVEL COMPANIONS/ADVICE

8A. LOOKING FOR TREKKING PARTNERS FOR OCTOBER
Veteran Nepalophile looking for fit partners for either of the following 4-5 week treks.this October.
1. Around Manaslu from Gorkha, over Rupina La, to Ganaesh BC, then up the Chhekampar valley (if allowed) , then to Manaslu BC, over Larkya La, to Annapurna trail, return Pokhara. Trek requires "liasion officer," I think, so
it is a bit expensive. 
2. An awesome trek up the Rowaling Valley, over Trashi Lapsta (technical pass), to resupply in Namche, then over Amphu Lapsta, into wild Hongu valley, over Sherpani Col into Makalu BC area, return down Arun.

Tom R. Sewell
tomrsewell@hotmail.com


8B. TREKKING PARTNERS IN EVEREST REGION: OCT-NOV.

I will be trekking in the Everest region from Oct. 14 to Nov. 16 and am seeking 1 to 3 people to join me. I plan to hire a porter / guide in Lukla at the start of the trek. The intended route is Lukla to Chukhung to Kala Pattar to Gokyo then back to Lukla. Many people do this route in about 18 to 20 days, so by stretching it to 32 days there is plenty of time for day hikes and side trips. Most nights will be spent in tea houses, although I plan to bring a tent and stove so that overnight side trips can be taken when desired. 

Don Kanare
donkanare@home.com


8C. LOOKING FOR TREKKING COMPANIONS: EVEREST REGION

Interested in trekking the Everest region this fall or perhaps next spring and would like to make contact with others that might be interested in same. 

David Savage
Tobsav@yahoo.com


8D. LOOKING FOR TRAVEL COMPANIONS: LADAKH TO SPITI IN EARLY AUGUST

I am looking for companions to travel from Ladakh to Spiti for the Dalai
Lama's Kalachakra Initiation Ceremony in early August. 
Contact:
Mary Noble
noblem@jsd.k12.ak.us

8E. TREKKING PARTNER SOUGHT FOR KHUMBU/TESI LAPTSA

Looking for partner to join trek to Tesi Laptsa pass, starting and ending from Lukla. Remote area, few trekkers, spectacular scenery and "Tibet Like" landscape. Pass is 18,876 feet. November 5-19, 2000. A true "Himalayan Explorer" will want to visit this region! Call Walt Bukowski 360-586-8797.

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9. HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING E-MAIL LIST

The high-altitude@climber.org email list is for peak climbing broadcasts for high-altitude peaks: these are defined as peaks above 14500ft. (4300m) without geographic restrictions. The specific intent of this list is to exchange information, not to make a profit or reach only those who pay for other publications.

There is no charge to subscribe, and you don't have to be a member of any organization to send broadcasts or just listen in. Your name will not be revealed unless you make a post, but you must provide a real first and last name to the list owner for administrative use only, (we promise, to the best of our ability, to keep it private).

If you want to know about climber.org, send any message to 
info@climber.org
To subscribe to the high-altitude list send the following message to
lists@climber.org
The message is:
subscribe high-altitude yourfirstname yourlastname <youremailaddress>
Pay attention to the spaces and the angle brackets. The server will reply to you and verify you are real, and you must reply. This protects us all against hackers with bad addresses. If you have trouble ask Paul PWilsonwcr@aol.com

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10. 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!

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11. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SECTION
(updated May 15, 2000)

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)3959191,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 October 2000, info@mountainexplorers.org or call (303)998-0101. All trips also include an excursion "off the beaten path" to Sewangma, where Pemba grew up and the location of the HEC Bridge Project in November 2000.

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

HIMALAYA CLIMBS. Tibet, Nepal, China. Easy 7000, 8000 meter peaks.Cho-Oyu, Mustagh-Ata, Nojin-Kansa. Mt. Kailash Trek. Low Cost. Well Organized. E-mail: mazur@cybernet1.com
http://www.cybernet1.com/himalaya
Phone: (406)363-7747

Discover the Himalaya with local expert Pemba Sherpa. With over 14 years of experience, HEC trip coordinator Pemba and his international guide team offer trekking, climbing, and cultural journeys to Nepal, Tibet, and Ladakh. Proceeds also go to support the HEC school and bridge projects in Nepal. For free brochure contact:
SHERPA ASCENT INTERNATIONAL
Phone: 888-568-8924
e-mail: pemba@sherpaascent.com
Web: www.sherpaascent.com

Project Himalaya. Wild treks and expeditions in Nepal and India; nobody else on the planet runs trips quite like ours. Small, friendly, professional operation run by Jamie McGuinness, author of Trekking in the Everest Region guide book. Quality Tibet tours too! 
jamie@project-himalaya.com
www.project-himalaya.com

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, Baja Mexico, Spain and the Oregon Coast. For more details call toll free: 1-888-4-wow-fun or e-mail us at: wowadventure@earthlink.net
http://www.wowadventure.com

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
http://www.himalayantrekking.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
Email us at: himalayas@ticketplanet.com


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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 teach English in Sherpa villages in the Himalayas, near Mt. Everest. 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. 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. Contact the HEC at (303)998-0101 or
info@mountainexplorers.org

The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) is looking for experienced volunteer English teachers to teach English and educational workshops for sirdars, sherpas, cooks, and kitchen staff. For more information please contact:
PT Sherpa"Kerung", Executive Director KEEP
tour@keep.wlink.com.np


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HOW TO POST ON HIMALAYANET

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(4) If you receive responses to your posting, please send the moderator (himalayanet@egroups.com) a summary if the topic is of general interest so it can be sent it out to all subscribers in the next issue.

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HIMALAYAN EXPLORERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

The Himalayan Explorers Club (HEC) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks to promote a better understanding of and respect for the environment and culture of the Himalayan Region. Members can receive e-mail, postal mail, and faxes, store luggage, and browse through trip reports at our Clubhouses in Kathamandu and Islamabad, Pakistan. In addition, members receive discounts with many hotels, restaurants, shops, and travel agents. Members also receive our hardcopy newsletter, Himalayan News.

For more information about the HEC please visit our Web page at
http://www.mountainexplorers.org, or contact us at:
Himalayan Explorers Club
PO Box 3665
Boulder, CO 80307
Phone: (303)998-0101
Fax: (303)998-1007
info@mountainexplorers.org