Space available - Gokyo Ri

We've had someone drop out so there's a space available if anyone wants to join.

http://www.meetup.com/Great-Outdoor-Adventurers/events/43472072/comments/123250362/?a=ed1_18&read=1&_af_eid=43472072&_af=event

I'll update with further details if/when they become available.

Gokyo Ri - Kit List

OK, I'm just about completely packed. As per my packing philosophy described earlier, I have 3 trail outifts, 1 night outfit, and 1 outfit for Kathmandu (I think I'll wear this on my flight over then check it while trekking) plus assorted equipment. It breaks down as follows:

3 trekking trousers (1 with zip off legs)
1 snow pants with inner leg vents
4 merino wool base layer shirts
2 silk base layer tops (to wear under the merino)
2 silk long johns
2 merino long johns
3 pair long and heavy/thick hiking socks
3 pair thin inner hiking socks
5 pair panties
4 sports bras
1 pair tent mules
1 silk liner gloves
1 fleece gloves
1 waterproof outer gloves
1 snood with face mask
1 fluffy fleece for night-time
1 heavy fleece for daytime
1 microlight down jacket with hood
1 waterproof outer layer jacket
1 multipack tissues
1 multipack antibacterial wet wipes
blister plasters
1 hygiene/skincare bag
toothbrush
toothpaste
flossers
tweezers
handwarmers
footwarmers
immodium
diamox
ibuprofen
e-cigratte with refills and usb charger
camera with 16GB card and battery charger
kindle
universal charger with usb slots
spare dry sacks
compass
map
headtorch
dynamo torch
insurance card
hydration tablets
chlorine tablets
water pouches
sleeping bag
bag liner
OTG ski goggles
walking sticks
Swiss Miss instant hot chocolate
mini-marshmallows
instant oatmeal sachets
Daysack - I have a Deuter Act Lit 35+10 SL


All of which fits into my 65l rucksack with room to spare. I haven't been able to weight it as I can't find my luggage scale but the ease with with I can pick up the pack leads me to suspect that I'm under 20 kilos.

Packing for Gokyo Ri

When planning what to pack for Gokyo Ri I have been determined to go very light and minimalist. Which is probably wise as I have now been informed that we are restricted to 20 kilos, 10 for the daypack and 10 to be carried by the porter (although some of us gals have been kicking around the idea of chipping in together to hire an extra porter).

Generally I plan to bring 1 outfit for Kathmandu to stay checked at the hotel. For the trail I will have 3 outfits so that at each place where I shower on the way up I can leave my dirty clothes to be laundered. That way as I come back down I can shower and change into clean clothes. And although I will generally be sleeping in my smelly sweaty clothes from the day I will bring pyjamas to wear on the nights when I've been lucky enough to get a shower.

Other than clothing I'll bring a light sleeping bag, toiletries (decanted into small travel containers), microfibre towel, wind-up flashlight, water pouches with chlorine tablets and citrus tablets, 1 set of layers, ski goggles, flipflops,

So I've gathered up my mountain stuff and I'm going to go through it thoroughly and organise it so that I have a view of exactly what I've got. Only then can I go through it again and assemble my kit for Gokyo Ri and establish whether there are any gaps in the list so that when I go to Decathlon on Wednesday with The Anias I will know what, if anything, I need.

 But right now it's all a jumble and I find myself buying things that I already have simply because that's easier than actually finding anything. Anyway, once I've organised all my stuff I will pick and pack my bags for Nepal. Then I will weigh the bag(s) and determine whether I need an extra porter but I suspect I'll be able to stick to within the 20 kilo restriction. It's actually good to do that and then have room left in the bags for the inevitable shopping. :-D

I promise that when I've finalised my kit list I will post it here.

On the fund-raising front we are up to £857 which, if you include Gift Aid, means that we have cracked the first £1,000! Now I'm really concentrating my efforts on getting some corporate sponsorship.If you are interested in corporate sponsorship opportunities or have a lead/contact that I could use then please do not hesitate to get in touch with me via Stephen Fleming at The National Museum of Computing.

And don't forget, ALL proceeds go to The National Museum of Computing.

Flights - Kathmandu to Lukla

There's been another crash on the Kathmandu to Lukla route today. This isn't terribly surprising as this route is one of the most dangerous in the world. If anything the surprise is that it happened in Kathmandu instead of at the other end. The landing strip at Lukla is at an angle (12%) and approximately the size of a postage stamp (1500 feet long) with mountain face at one end and cliff at the other. Because of this you can only use small twin engine aircraft to get there.

To give an idea of what we are talking about, here's a pic of me in the cigar tube that I flew in last year.

And gazing forward

At Lukla - The Tenzing Hillary Airport

And the postage stamp airstrip

The point is that the danger is well known. All you can do is try to book with a reputable airline, pop a Xanax, and hope for the best. Or take the bus to Jiri and walk from there if you're willing to add a week to either end of your trek.

Ethical Trekking

I'd like to talk today about the ethics of trekking.

First of all, I've been accused of using my fundraising for Bletchley Park Trust and The National Museum of Computing to subsidise my vacations. Nothing could be further from the truth. While, in the UK, one does have the option to do this, I have not. I've laid out thousands of pounds on these treks. In fact, I've sadly laid out far more than I've raised when one counts in the cost of equipment. Indeed, I've just laid out another £620 for my airfare for April. ::faint:: The only thing that mollifies me there is that I hope that these stunts help to raise the profile of these admirable organisations and make people aware of the important work that they do and their desperate need for money.

Let me repeat, I do not ask donors to subsidise me. It doesn't sit well with my personal code of conduct. YMMV.

Moving on, some people question the ethics of trekking in the Himalaya because of the environmental and sociological changes that result. Here too, I agree that it's upsetting but there are things that can be done to minimise impact however it is unfair to expect the Sherpa community to live in some sort of bubble and trekking brings in much needed money so that this poverty stricken corner of the world can begin to build schools and medical centres and even distribute some electricity.

So how can we minimise our impact?

Step 1 - Ensure that you are using an ethical trekking company. They should supply your porter(s) with adequate and appropriate equipment for the conditions, not overload the porters, and provide medical services.

Step 2 - Bring your own water bottle. I touched upon this briefly in my previous post on Hydration. Don't forget that everything that isn't grown in the Khumbu Valley has to be flown in via Lukla and then carried either via yak or porter. Furthermore, non-biodegradable materials have to then be ported OUT, assuming that they are disposed of responsibly in the first place. So if you're planning to buy water, please don't. Which takes us to...

Step 3 - Pick it up! If you're caught short, make sure you have some baggies for your used toilet paper or wipes. There's nothing fouler than filthy wipings left by the side of the trail, caught in brush or, worst of all, floating on the breeze. If you smoke, keep your butts until you get to where you can dispose of them properly. Throughout Sagarmatha National Park there are bins for waste - use the bloody things.

Step 4 - Respect the water supply. Last year I saw some students washing their clothing in the stream at Pheriche. This too is a big no-no. People downstream have to use that water. If you must wash your smalls then do it in a basin and then dump the water away from the stream. Better yet, pay someone at your lodge to do your laundry thus adding much needed money into the community.

Step 5 - Ensure that the lodges that you stay in use solar power for heating hot water and kerosene for cooking. There are few enough trees up there as it is.

Right, I'll get off of my soapbox now.

Oh, and please don't forget to support The National Museum of Computing. ALL proceeds will go to TNMOC. I'm just as opposed to charity tourism or whatever the hell it's called as you are.

Trekking Skincare

Skincare while trekking is a major concern for me. Between the dehydration and the UV, a high altitude trek can do quite a number on your skin.

Last year I was deeply disappointed by the dermalogica products that I used. At altitude, the UV ripped right through SPF moisturiser and I got back to Kathmandu with peeling face, neck and hands. :-(

This year I will be trying a skin regime from Kiehl's. So while in NYC last week I went to the mothership and   had a consultation.

Working through my daily routine, I will be using:

Ultra Facial Cleanser - I won't be able to shower daily but at least I'll be able to wash my face. This is a gentle cleanser that does not strip the skin

Calendula Toner - I always follow with a toner. It's the legacy of following the Clinique 3-step routine for decades.

I'll then slap on the Super Fluid UV Defense which is SPF 50+ which I will then layer with Ultra Facial Cream that is specially formulated for extremely cold and dry conditions (as used on the Greenland First Ascent expedition!).

I also have some of their coloured lip balms with SPF 15 and Hair Oil with SPF 10 to finish off although once one leaves Namche hats are de rigeur.

For the evening I have Midnight Recovery Concentrate and if I'm lucky enough to cadge a shower, the Cross-Terrain All-in-One Refuelling Wash which is good for hair and body.

I know that sounds like a lot of products but the lady at Kiehl's kindly gave me sample sizes for a number of the products so it's not as bad as it seems at first blush.

I just wish I'd realised they would also be for sale at duty free. :-(

Shopping in Kathmandu

Inevitably a trip to Nepal will involve some level of shopping. I look on this as an opportunity to get my XMAS shopping done and/or a chance to replenish the "emergency gift drawer". 

If you are in Nepal for a trekking holiday, I would recommend that you book an extra day at the end for your shopping butt if this is not possible then check with your hotel in Kathmandu as many will check luggage while you go up-mountain. This means that you can get your shopping done and check it for the period of your trek. At this point I'd also recommend that you check a nice clean outfit to change into once you return to civilisation and want to get decent again.

My shopping experiences in Kathmandu centre around the Thamel district where most trekkers will tend to stay. Whether you are shopping for gems or pashminas the best thing to do is get up bright and early and be the first person at the shop in the morning. There is  tradition/superstition among shopkeepers to make that first sale of the day so they will be particularly amenable to haggling. The last thing they want id for the first customer of the day to walk out empty handed as this will set the tone for the rest of their day.

Gemstones - I shan't tell you my favourite place to buy stones but I will say that it reminds me of the little shop in Chinatown at the beginning of Gremlins. In general the thing to do is to sit down, have a chat, have a cup of tea and peruse the goods at leisure. Get a good look at all of the things that you are interested in before focussing in on what you want to buy. Get prices for everything that you are interested in and then try to get a bulk buy price. I usually go for a price 25% below what they ask but if I think they're being cheeky then I aim for 50%. In Nepal I focus on buying Star Ruby Sapphires and Watermelon Tourmalines. General rules for buying gemstones apply, size, clarity, cut should all be considered. 

Pashminas - Prices vary wildly due to the variety of levels of quality. Quality is affected by percentage of wool to mixer and whether the mixer is cotton or silk as well as where on the goat the wool has been gathered from. Underside of the goat is better moving from belly (lowest quality of the underside) to under the chin (best quality). Again, I settle on a level of quality, agree a price, then see what price I can get for a bulk purchase.

Yak wool shawls - are a cheap and lovely alternative to pashminas but they do tend to shed initially. That said, the huge price difference is compelling. I pay no more than £5/shawl even in Namche. A must-buy for the cost conscious.

Wool - a lovely alternative to buying a finished product. Buy the wool (raw or dyed) and make your own souvenir!

Spices - I prefer the raw spice selection in Marrakech but if you like Tibetan or Indian food then it's worth investing in some of the ready-made spice mixes. Frankly they are so cheap that it's hardly worth haggling over these. Just be sure to check dates in the packages and buy the freshest.

Clothing - It's worth considering getting a Shalwar Kameez made. What you do is buy the fabric and pattern then get measured up and pay for a seamstress/tailor to make the clothes while you are away trekking. I confess that I haven't done this myself because I hadn't realised last year that one cannot buy these off the rack. Also I was there for Teej so most of the selection was in red. :-( 

Funny story there - during Teej, married women fast and pray for a happy marriage and unmarried women fast and pray for a good husband. One flirty guy asked why I wasn't wearing red and off at the festivities (with waggling eyebrows). I told him it's because I'm a widow. That shut him up!

Carvings and Brasses - All look like cheap tat to me so I don't bother with them.

Antiques - be careful here as exporting anything over 100 years old is forbidden. If in doubt then get a certification.

Any other questions about shopping in Nepal, please post in the comments. And don't forget to donate to The National Museum of Computing to support their fine work to preserve our computing heritage!