Din nou pe drum (Back on the road – English translation at the end)

Vechi prieteni si noi-cititori, ma pregatesc sa plec din nou, dar de data asta pentru o perioada putin mai lunga decat de obicei… Daca pana acum am stat 3-4 saptamani pe taram asiatic, de data aceasta voi hoinari prin Nepal si India aproximativ 2 luni si 2 saptamani… In zile ar fi vreo 77, dintre care primele si ultimele 2 intre/prin avioane. Probabil luni, pe 25, o sa dau o raita si prin Istanbul data fiind sederea putin mai lunga decat data trecuta – ajung la amiaza, iar avionul catre Sharjah (a doua escala) e seara. Emotiile, in schimb, isi vor face simtita prezenta la al doilea schimb, pentru ca in Emirate am 45 de minute intre zboruri. Aterizez la 06.30, iar legatura catre Kathmandu pleaca la 07.15. Am sunat la Air Arabia sa-mi confirme ca am cum sa prind zborul si ca bagajele mele nu se vor rataci pe undeva prin Peninsula Arabica, iar ei mi-au spus sa „stau fara griji”… Bine-bine, dar echipamentul de munte o sa fie pe mine – nu glumim cu asta in Himalaya.

Da, ati aflat deja prima destinatie din itinerariu – urcare in muntii Himalaya, mai exact la Everest Base Camp (5.360 m).

Daca data trecuta am urcat pana la Annapurna Base Camp (4.130 m), acum conditiile vor fi putin mai dificile, aclimatizarea va fi pe bune, nu doar o supa de usturoi cu putin ceai de ghimbir, iar temperaturile mai mici. Am ajuns in ABC dupa doar o zi pe zapada – aici ma astept la cel putin 4-5. La peste 3.000 m sigur se gaseste zapada, iar aclimatizarea incepe de pe la 3.500… Probabil o sa fie vreo 2 zile de aclimatizare si inca 2 de urcare propriu-zisa. La coborare, ca si in primavara, sper sa mearga mai repede si sa incheiem tot traseul in vreo 10 zile (dupa plecarea din Lukla). Am vorbit cu Stelian Pavalache, unul dintre membrii echipei Everest 2013-2014, despre cum e vremea pe acolo si mi-a spus ca e cu multa zapada pe sus. Ei sunt la Kathmandu si pregatesc expeditia romaneasca de anul viitor. Foarte probabil ma voi intalni si cu ei marti la cina, dar asta mai ramane de vazut si de povestit.

Alta treaba care merita studiata pe-ndelete va fi deplasarea pana la Lukla – punctul de plecare catre EBC. Exista varianta cu avionul – mai scumpa, evident – si cea cu autobuzul pana intr-un anumit punct, dupa care pe jos. Aceasta a doua varianta ar fi mai lunga, dar mult mai ieftina decat prima. O sa verific mai pe-ndelete la fata locului (in aeroportul din Kathmandu) daca a lua avionul e mai rentabil decat mersul cu autocarul dpdv al oboselii/banilor investiti.

In orice caz, dupa EBC mergem in Chittwan, la elefanti. Acolo va fi relaxarea de dupa, iar intre timp sper sa obtinem (adica eu si o buna prietena/colega din AETM EcoXtrem, Alina) viza de India. N-am mai luat-o de la noi in ideea ca nu stim exact cand terminam cu plimbarea prin munti si cu statul prin Nepal, asa ca o s-o luam direct din Kathmandu. N-ar trebui sa fie probleme, mai ales ca biletul de intoarcere e deja luat cu plecare din New Delhi. 

Vom vedea la fata locului daca mai dam o raita si prin Pokhara, dupa care vom cobori in India prin punctul de trecere al frontierei de la Sunauli si ne vom indrepta catre Varanasi – Lucknow – Agra – Delhi si Dharamsala.

Nu vreau sa spun ca acesta va fi programul exact, pentru ca in partea aia a lumii nu e bine sa-ti faci planuri prea multe… O vom lua incet, sistematic, fara sa pierdem din vedere lucrurile, locurile sau oamenii pe care-i vom intalni. Cu siguranta va fi o aventura, asa ca pregatiti-va pentru niste noi povesti „la gura sobei”. 😉

TRANSLATION

Old friends and new readers, I’m gettin’ ready to hit the road again, but this time for a little longer than usual … If I stayed 3 or 4 weeks before on the Asian continent, this time I’ll wander through Nepal and India for about 2 months and 2 weeks … The day-count would be actually 77 , with the first and last 2 on planes. Probably Monday, on the 25 , I’ll visit Istanbul because the stay there will be a little longer than last time – the plane arrives at noon and flyes to Sharjah (the second stop ) at night . Emotions , in turn, will make their presence felt in the second change, because in the Emirates I have 45 minutes between flights. The plane lands at 06.30 and my link to Kathmandu leaves at 07.15. I called Air Arabia they confirmed that I’ll catch the flight and my luggage will not get lost somewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. They told me to ” don’t worry „… Okay, fine, but the mountain equipment will be on me – do not joke with that in the Himalayas.

Yes, I told you the first destination in the itinerary – climbing in the Himalayas , specifically to Everest Base Camp ( 5,360 m).

PICTURE WITH MOUNT EVEREST

Last time I went up to Annapurna Base Camp ( 4,130 m ), but now the conditions will be a little more difficult. There will be acclimatization, not just a little garlic soup with ginger-lemon tea and low temperatures… We arrived at ABC after just one day on the snow – here I expect at least 4-5. At over 3,000 m there’s snow for sure and the acclimatization starts at about 3.500… Probably we’ll have about two days of acclimatization and another 2 for the climb itself. On the descent, as in spring, I hope to go faster and to end the trekk in about 10 days ( after departure from Lukla ). I spoke with Stelian Pavalache, one of the Romanian Team Everest 2013-2014, how ‘s the weather up there and he said it is a lot of snow this year. They are in Kathmandu preparing the Romanian expedition that will go on the summit next year. Most likely I will meet with them on Tuesday at dinner, but that remains to be seen.

Another thing that deserves to be studied is the road to Lukla – starting point for the EBC trek. There are various aeroplanes – more expensive, obviously – and there’s the bus up to a certain point, and then walk . This second option would be longer, but much cheaper than the first. I’ll check on the spot (in Kathmandu airport ) if the flight is more cost effective than going by bus in comparison with the fatigue / money invested .

In any case , after EBC we go in Chittwan for the elephants. That will be relaxation after, and in the meantime we hope to get (me and a good friend / colleague of AETM EcoXtrem, Alina ) the visas for India.  I  don’t know exactly when we’re done with the trekk and with the stay in Nepal, so we’ll take it in Kathmandu. It should not be problem, especially as the tickets back are already taken with the departure point New Delhi.

We’ll see if there if we’ll go to Pokhara also, and after we will descend into India via the border crossing point at Sunauli. We will head down to Varanasi – Lucknow – Agra – Delhi and Dharamsala .

I don’t say that this it will be the exact schedule, because in that part of the world is not good to make too much plans… We’ll take it slowly, systematically , without losing sight of things, places or people that we’ll meet . It will definitely be an adventure, so get ready for some new interesting stories. 😉