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Author Topic: Paradise  (Read 4724 times)

Ray

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Paradise
« on: June 18, 2011, 01:23:39 am »

I'm reluctant to post an image which is so different from the ordinary experience of you people who try to make flowers look interesting by making the backgroung windmill out-of-focus.

Here's a shot of paradise, no less. Nothing out-of-focus here.

For the record, this is a scene of the ABC. No, not the American Broadcasting Corporation. No, not the Australian Broadcasting corporation, but the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal, at a height of approximately 4,100 metres.

Sensible criticisms are welcome.
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tom b

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2011, 02:07:14 am »

I did the Pokhara Muktinath trek over thirty years ago and the views of Annapurna are breathtaking. I just looked up the trek recently and was stunned to learn that you can catch a 4x4 up the valley and there are power poles snaking their way up there too. At 12 500ft I had a Tibetan young woman sell me tea and Nebico biscuits. They certainly know how to make you feel humble with their physical abilities in such a hostile and demanding environment.

How much modern development is there at the base camp? The presence of a hotel seems to indicate that the traditional base camp of tents is long gone.

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

Rob C

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2011, 03:24:19 am »

Masochists.

Rob C

Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2011, 04:15:23 am »

Masochists.

Rob C

You have a point, Rob. When I was persuaded by my beautiful Brazillian room partner to arise at 4am to trek from the MBC to the ABC in order to catch the dawn, I did actually comment, as we were all gathered to begin the trek, 'We must be masochists'. The response was, 'No! No! It's a great adventure.' (MBC = Machapuchare Base Camp).

Here's the dawn.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2011, 04:20:46 am by Ray »
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Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2011, 04:42:26 am »

I did the Pokhara Muktinath trek over thirty years ago and the views of Annapurna are breathtaking. I just looked up the trek recently and was stunned to learn that you can catch a 4x4 up the valley and there are power poles snaking their way up there too. At 12 500ft I had a Tibetan young woman sell me tea and Nebico biscuits. They certainly know how to make you feel humble with their physical abilities in such a hostile and demanding environment.

How much modern development is there at the base camp? The presence of a hotel seems to indicate that the traditional base camp of tents is long gone.

Cheers,

It's absolutely not true you can catch a 4x4 to the ABC. There are no power poles up there, but there are a couple of guest houses that rely upon solar power and bottled gas. However, it is true that the traditional base camp of tents is long gone.

The trek from the MBC to the ABC is a continuous incline of about 600 metres along poorly defined paths. Some folks sometimes stray off the path, looking for a short cut, and find themselves knee deep in snow.

I believe it is possible to hire a helicopter to take you directly to the ABC without the hassle of trekking there. This option would probably be preferred by Rob, if he can afford it.  ;D
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Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2011, 06:59:06 am »

Here's the helicopter. Damn and blast! I walked all that way in the early hours of the morning, in sub-zero temperatures, when I could have taken a ride in a helicopter.  ;D
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2011, 07:43:51 am »

Ray,

I'm quite grateful to masochists like you who make it possible for me to visit (vicariously) such places that I know I will never be able to visit directly.

Thanks!

Eric
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-Eric Myrvaagnes (visit my website: http://myrvaagnes.com)

Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2011, 10:13:49 am »

Ray,

I'm quite grateful to masochists like you who make it possible for me to visit (vicariously) such places that I know I will never be able to visit directly.

Thanks!

Eric

Eric,
There are lots of 60 to 70 year-olds who make this trip. I always boast to people I meet on the track that I'm the slowest trekker on the mountain.

Here's me at 4,200 metres, welcoming all. You'll notice my right hand is ungloved. That's for a reason. To take photos. The camera around my neck is the D7000, and the camera used for the shot is my D700, handled by a Norwegian lady.

The D7000 in such cold weather is very limited. The autofocus doesn't work. I had to manually focus. The solution may be to sleep with one's camera, to keep it warm. However, I'm not keen on sleeping with my camera in a tight sleeping bag. In any case, the cold air at 4am in the morning might soon make such amorous efforts pointless.
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Rob C

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2011, 02:34:58 pm »

Ray,

I'm quite grateful to masochists like you who make it possible for me to visit (vicariously) such places that I know I will never be able to visit directly.

Thanks!

Eric


Quite right, Eric: for every masochist there needs to be a sadist; it's called equilibrium.

Rob C

tom b

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2011, 02:28:44 am »

Glad to hear of the solar/gas solutions, they sound great except for some poor donkey/yak that has to haul the gas bottles in.

I've been thinking about the arrival of 4x4s and electricity to Muktinath and it appears to be a double edged sword.

Sure the valley has two scars on it and the area isn't as protected from progress.

When I was there there was no electricity and so all heating was done by burning local fire wood. The valley was being deforested and erosion was a a very big problem. The arrival of electricity could be something that saves the valley. Obviously this depends on locals being able to afford it.

I did the morning walk up to Poon Hill to see the sunrise over Mt Dhaulagiri and Mt Annapurna and I can image how much harder your walk must have been.

Enjoy your trip, the Pokhara Muktinath trek was one of the most memorable things I have done in my life.

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2011, 10:39:08 pm »

Glad to hear of the solar/gas solutions, they sound great except for some poor donkey/yak that has to haul the gas bottles in.


No donkies or yaks are permitted. The area around the MBC and ABC is a National Park.

The timber beams in the photos below are hardwood and very heavy. I'm surprised anyone would attempt to carry two at once, but I guess the incentive is twice the pay.

The beams are for the construction of a new lodge for the tourists. As you can see, meeting one of these bearers can slow one down. Even old-age pensioners get slowed down. Eric should have no problem just walking behind one of these guys all the way.  ;D

I was at Poon Hill in November 2006. A wonderful place, except for those damned tourists. The trek in the dark to see the dawn is so popular, when one arrives at the top it's like arriving as St Peter's Square in Rome. (Slight exaggeration  ;D ).
 
I too am a little bit dismayed from a photographic point of view at the gradual proliferation of power lines and the construction of new roads which can be an eye-sore. But that's progress. These Nepalese country people have such a hard life I don't think anyone could deny them such modern comforts.
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Michael West

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2011, 12:14:04 am »


I'm reluctant to post an image which is so different from the ordinary experience of you people who try to make flowers look interesting by making the backgroung windmill out-of-focus.

Here's a shot of paradise, no less. Nothing out-of-focus here.

For the record, this is a scene of the ABC. No, not the American Broadcasting Corporation. No, not the Australian Broadcasting corporation, but the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal, at a height of approximately 4,100 metres.

Sensible criticisms are welcome.

 Paradise.jpg (954.42 KB, 1248x702 - viewed 59 times.)


That is cold.
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Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2011, 01:31:39 am »

That is cold.

Actually, it's not as cold as it looks at that altitude of 4200 metres. When the sun doesn't shine, it's very noticeably cold. When the sun's out it's quite pleasant. In that photo of me, I didn't need the glove on the left hand. I'd just forgotten to remove it. I could even have taken off my jacket.

In fact, now I come to think of it, I should have stripped naked for the shot. Maybe next time I shall  ;D .
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Rob C

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2011, 03:43:58 am »


No donkies or yaks are permitted. The area around the MBC and ABC is a National Park.





Careful, your equus asinus may object, particularly in plural!

Rob C (Nit-Picker Police Corps.) ;-)

Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2011, 09:29:13 am »



Careful, your equus asinus may object, particularly in plural!

Rob C (Nit-Picker Police Corps.) ;-)

Ah! I should have metioned I was using archaic language which I thought was appropriate for the context of an archaic country.  ;D

From that great book, The Oxford English Dictionary, I quote the following references.

1. 1804  - from the works of Anna Barbauld - "I cannot tell whether my orthography is right, but a donky is the monture in high fashion here (Tunbridge Wells).

2. 1859 - from George Sala's work "Twice Round the Clock"  .... costermongers'  'Shallows', drawn by woe-begone donkies...

3. 1793 - from Gentleman's Magazine -  (definition) A Donky or a Dicky:  An Ass.
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Rob C

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2011, 02:46:26 pm »

Ah! I should have metioned I was using archaic language which I thought was appropriate for the context of an archaic country.  ;D

From that great book, The Oxford English Dictionary, I quote the following references.

1. 1804  - from the works of Anna Barbauld - "I cannot tell whether my orthography is right, but a donky is the monture in high fashion here (Tunbridge Wells).

2. 1859 - from George Sala's work "Twice Round the Clock"  .... costermongers'  'Shallows', drawn by woe-begone donkies...

3. 1793 - from Gentleman's Magazine -  (definition) A Donky or a Dicky:  An Ass.



I get your point: typos are nothing new!

Rob C

Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2011, 06:03:40 pm »


I get your point: typos are nothing new!

Rob C

Now! now! Rob. Surely you are not trying to imply that the Oxford English Dictionary would use quotations containing typos in order to demonstrate the use of a word.

Donky (plural donkies) is an archaic form of the word. I was writing about a country with very archaic practices, so obviously my subconscious must have kicked in, resulting in my choosing this archaic, but legitimate spelling, because of its appropriateness.

As Sigmund Freud might have put it; there are no accidents, just the subconscious having its own way.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.  ;D
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Ray

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #17 on: June 29, 2011, 03:27:44 am »

Well, I feel compelled to comment further on this thread. There's been a lot of interest in the 'paradise hotel' and  the photo of my posturing in a snowy environment, but very little interest in the real story of human suffering whereby undoubtedly undernourished labourers struggle to carry 50Kg loads on ther back in order to earn a subsistance living.

Anyone in favour of costly renewable energy?
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Rob C

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Re: Paradise
« Reply #18 on: June 29, 2011, 04:11:12 am »

Well, I feel compelled to comment further on this thread. There's been a lot of interest in the 'paradise hotel' and  the photo of my posturing in a snowy environment, but very little interest in the real story of human suffering whereby undoubtedly undernourished labourers struggle to carry 50Kg loads on ther back in order to earn a subsistance living.

Anyone in favour of costly renewable energy?



Ray, fresh typos aside, who would argue with a man who walks with the savage beast, or at least tweaks its tail?

;-)

Rob C
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