Providing expeditions
since 2005
9 April 2006, 13:48

April, 8
A general strike storms in Katmandu. Tyre-covers burn in streets. There is a lot of police and militaries everywhere. Shops are closed, taxis do not work, or ask for double payment. It is possible to reach the airport only by buses with special paper. There is nothing to do for us, there is a rain.



Only one thing is good, that participants of our expedition have started to arrive. Four are last year veterans: Alex Abramov, Harry Kikstra, Noel Richmond Hanna, Lorenzo Gariano. New members are: Ludmila Korobeshko, Ronald Kevin Muhl, William Hazelton Tyler III, Barbara Tyler, Milan Collin and Kevin Augello (two last - from videogroup of Thomas Weber project)

At whole, everything goes as beforehand planned. While members gather in Katmandu, in Tibet already our preparation work continues. Today there was a communication with Base Camp, where there are our guides: Nikolai Cherniy, Andrey Selivanov, Maxim Onipchenko and 24 Sherpas. They have informed, that all is good, the Base Camp stands. As well as the Middle Camp. Only one thing is lack now - electricity. Tomorrow they plan for the first yaks caravan to ÀÂÑ (6400ì).

Unfortunately one of our main Sherpa, Renjin fell ill. He is one of the most skilled and last year he climbed Everest with our team. Under our plan, the first group (10 Sherpas) has left to Tibet 25-th of March (20 days prior to the official beginning of expedition) to occupy best places for ÂÑ and ÀÂÑ camps, and to start to prepare platforms for tents. Renjin supervised over this avant-garde, and probably has risen too quickly in ÀÂÑ. He complains of pains in a breast, it seems as a pneumonia. He has not eat 5 days. Now Renjin has gone down in Òàshi-Zhong (4200ì) and feels already better.

And we in Katmandu are waiting for the following members and drink beer "Everest", in hope that it will help us to acclimatize better. The most part of group arrives 10th of April, and 13-th we should leave to Tibet under the plan.

Alex Abramov and Maoists (a series 2)

There is unusual silence in the streets of Katmandu. Only birdies sing. And flowers smelt.
Two days of strike have not passed for nothing. In Katmandu, usually gas-polluted, with transport filled streets, the ecological situation has changed for better. The air became cleaner. And two-days rain has washed off all dust and a dirty. Simply paradise !

Today we have woken up early, about 7 a.m. and for the first time for many my visit of Katmandu, I have wanted to go jogging. I have woken Luda, and we have run. The route of our ran goes along narrow streets of Katmandu. Local Nepaleses looked at us as at bewildered. Precisely same reaction is observed in Moscow, where we live in the city centre and usually we run along modern offices, making slalom between brand-new Mercedeses and BMW.

In the area of Swoyambhunath we became witnesses of origin of demonstration. One Nepalese stood and waved a red flag, crying out, probably, it was damnations to king and to rich tourists. New and new people approached to him. Then the order of police was directed this side.

On a return way, we have run over a corner of the next street as have come across powerful demonstration (about hundred persons). With loud shouts people moved on us.
I have noticed, that they take stones from road. The prospect of a meeting with furious crowd has seemed doubtful enough pleasure. Not reducing speed, were unwrapped on 180 degrees.

Already near our hotel, Jami, the leader of one Everest expedition has shouted to us, that in Katmandu the king enter a curfew since 10 a.m. till 9 p.m.. Streets have become empty. Only militaries and polices in corners. No one could see in the streets. Only cows quietly walk along empty streets, and even lay across dividing strips. It is good for cows: they outside of politics!

And for us it means an enormous problem:
Participants of our expedition continue to arrive and they should be met at the airport. Transport does not go. Only some tourist buses, with super-permissions, where the exact amount of tourists is specified, venture to pass in the Airport. While we went, we were stopped by militarians about ten times. But today all has passed well.

I think about 2005 and my last year trip to Tibet. If then we were stopped by militarians and have unwrapped back, it would not be possible to maoists to throw to our machine granates, and Sergey Kajmachnikov would not be treated for explosion which has deprived with his part of stops.

And I till now have not taken out ten splinters from legs too. So I have no huge love to Mao, and once again to risk it would not be desirable for me.

But work is work and so, in complicated political situation today we have met new participants of our expedition: Giuseppe Gariano, Patrick Singh, Vince Bousselaire and Slate Stern.