Diarrhea Hit

Shimla (3)

Sangla (2)

Rekong Peo (1)

Tabo (1)

Manali (1)

Leh (1)
Pelling (1)
Hyderabad (2)
Chennai (1)

To be updated……

Decrypting India’s Hypes

Hype#1: Post office at Hikkim is the highest post office in the world.

Fact: The highest post office in the world is actually located at Everest Base Camp in Tibet which stands at 5200 m.

Hikkim, Aug'19

Hype#2: Komic is the highest motorable village in the world.

Fact: The highest motorable village in the world is actually located at Santa Barbara in Bolivia which stands at 4754 m.

Komic, Aug'19

Hype#3: Chang La is the world’s second highest mountain pass.

Fact: The second highest mountain pass in the world is actually the road to Uturuncu Potosi in Bolivia which stands at 5777 m.

Chang La, Sep'19

Hype#4: Khardung La is the highest motorable road in the world.

Fact: The highest motorable road in the world is actually Umling La which stands at 5883 m. 

Khardung La, Sep'19

Hype#5: Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is number one airport in the world.

Fact: The world’s best airport in 2019 is Singapore’s Changi Airport. 

Indira Gandhi International Airport

To be continued……

Searching Puri in Puri

I’m not disappointed to make my way to Puri in the state of Orissa. Puri used to be a hippie hideout in the 1970s largely because of the bhang (marijuana), and the sea. Of course these are not the reason drawing me here. Neither does the deep-fried bread named Puri which is usually eaten for breakfast in northern India. Hahaha. While the hippie vibe has long evaporated and so are the backpacking scenes, it was getting more pleasant for me to stay here especially when I found a small guesthouse opening its door to the seafront. It is only Rs 350 per night albeit teeming with mosquitoes. Having said that, Puri is still far from being a laid back town.

Hotel Woodstock (right by the sea!)

First encounter to an Indian beach

It could be due to the slower pace that makes the people here more friendly especially when I just traveled from the chaotic and hectic Kolkata. Only a handful of foreigners were spotted here. Puri must have been on Japanese backpackers’ radar. It has been a long time since I am mistakenly regarded as Japanese. I was told that it used to be a Japanese favourite place. A few Japanese even fall in love with the locals and settled down here eventually.

In addition to beach, Puri is also a fishing village

Orissa to me is still part of northern India but it appeared that Dosa has been replacing Puri as the popular breakfast on the street. I continued to search for Puri in the town of Puri and wondered why I was reluctant to take Dosa.

Sun Temple of Konark

Decided not to get in the Sun Temple in Konark due to high entrance fee (Rs 600 for foreigners vs Rs 40 for Indian). However, I was still able to appreciate the temple from afar, well, not really, by walking on top of the high wall surrounding it. By doing this, I realize that it is possible to sneak in though.

Sun Temple of Konark

Unlike the numerous temples I had stumbled upon on the road, the Sun Temple was actually conceived as the cosmic chariot dedicated to the sun god Surya (Malay: Suria). It took me some time and imagination to picture this though. The giant ornamented chariot was drawn by seven rearing horses (corresponding to the days of the week) with twelve pairs of elaborately carved stone cartwheels (corresponding to the hours of the day) which has become the iconic symbol of the temple, featuring on one’s house gate to souvenirs lining on the street. It was believed that when viewed from inland during the dawn, the chariot-shaped temple would appear to emerge from the depth of the blue sea carrying the sun.

Note: Sun Temple of Konark is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural Site) inscribed in 1984.

Mountain Railways of India – Part II

Boarding 52588 Darjeeling Himalaya Railway - another 'toy train' in India

Narrow gauge (2ft-wide - even narrower than modern rapid transit!) and short wheelbase of the locomotive (hence the toy train) were used to allow for sharp radius in the line. These genius measures have avoided the need for heave engineering which would otherwise lead to construction of many bridges and tunnels as what had been done to the Kalka-Shimla line - another Indian toy train

Technique such as loops and reverses were used to overcome the difficulties of the mountain terrain through which the train passes

Note: Together with the Kalka-Shimla Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in Tamil Nadu, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway form the Mountain Railways of India which were inscribed the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural Site) in 1999.

Kathmandu Valley

Durbar Square, Kathmandu

Durbar Square, Patan

Durbar Square, Bhaktapur

Swayambhu Stupa

Boudha Stupa

Pashupatinath Temple

Changu Narayan Temple (Internet Photo)

Note: Kathmandu Valley is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural Site) inscribed in 1979.

Tongue Twist

Met a Hongkie in a dormitory in Kathmandu today who had migrated to France since she was 15. It is a present surprise to have found out that, aside from her mother tongue, she is also fluent in Spanish, French and Hindi! When I say fluent, I mean it. A further chat revealed that she is currently on her ambitious pursuit to master in ten major languages in the world. Next in line are Arabic and Russian. My initial cognition that one can only master a maximum of five languages appears to be frail.

It has been a long time since I met an interesting traveller on the road. It has been a long time since I have a long chat like no tomorrow. I pretty enjoyed our chat in the small simple café next door, from common travellers’ topics, democratic school to open relationship.

My favorite breakfast at the cafe

Meeting interesting travellers on the road is like seeing yourselves in front of a mirror. It helps to reflect how good you have been doing on the road. I have to admit that it has been a long time since I learn something new. The tongue twist at the right column of my blog is pretty much a shame.   

The Ultimate Everest Circuit: Trekking Independently to Everest Base Camp & Gokyo via The Three Passes – Kongma La – Cho La – Renjo La, Nov’19

Date: 25 Oct 19 – 8 Nov 19

Duration: 15 days 14 nights

Maximum Elevation: 5546 m (Chukhung-Ri)

Start: Taksindu (2842 m)

End: Kharikhola (2010 m)

Total Ascent: 10,231 m

Total Descent: 11,176 m

Total Distance: 213 km

Nos. of Summit	:	3 (Chukhung-Ri [5546 m], Kala Pattar [5545 m], Gokyo-Ri [5360 m])
Nos. of High Mountain Pass	:	3 (Kongma La [5535 m], Cho La [5420 m], Renjo La [5345 m])
Nos. of Base Camp	:	2 (Everest Base Camp [5364 m], Imja Tse Base Camp [5100 m])

Guide: No
Porter: No
Insurance: World Nomads (Up to 6000 m)

Difficulty: Hard

Permit:

Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Permit: Rs 3000
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Tourism Fee: Rs 2000

Packing List:

No.	Item	Weight (g)	Remark
1	Backpack (Deuter Aircontact 55+10 L) + Rain Cover	2400	40 L is ideal
2	Hiking Boot (new)	900	Bought a new pair at Rs 5000 at Thamel. Thanks for the blisters!
3	Socks x 4 pairs	100	3 pairs are sufficient
4	Thermal Sock (new)	50	Bought a new one at Rs 500 at Thamel. Warm!
5	Hand Glove (Fleece+Wind Breaker) (new)	100	Bought a new pair at Rs 500 at Thamel
6	Slipper	200
7	Sleeping Bag	970	Limit Temperature: 5oC. Warm!
8	Camera + Lens + Back Up Battery + Back Up Memory Card + Bag	600
9	Smart Phone + Charger	120	Off most of the time to save battery
10	Power Bank + Cable + Case	240	Portable solar panel is useful
11	Base Layer Top (TNF Flash Dry)	200
12	Base Layer Bottom	150	Doubled as sleeping bottom
13	Down Jacket (800 Fill Power)	250	Warm!
14	Softshell/Windbreaker (TNF Windwall 10 CFM)	544	Effective against chilly wind
15	Poncho	100	Not required
16	Convertible Trekking Trouser x 2	720	1 is sufficient
17	Trekking Top x 2	200	Not required. Base layer will do
18	Sleeping Top	145
19	Undergarment x 4	150	3 are sufficient
20	Microfiber Towel	200	Not even take a single shower
21	Trekking Sun Hat	50
22	Trekking Pole	500
23	Water Bottle (1 L)	1000
24	Water Bottle (0.75 L)	50	Useful for day hike
25	Headlight + Batteries	100
26	Watch (Casio Pro Trek)	50
27	Medical Kit (Paracetamol+Diamox+Imodium+Ibuprofen+ Plaster+Blister Plaster+Lip Balm+Wind Oil	100	Not even take a single pill
28	Water Purification Tablet (Aquatab)	50
29	Sunglass, Beanie, Buff, Handkerchief, etc.	200	Beanie is not warm!
30	Toiletry (Toilet Paper, Tooth Brush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Soap, Packaged Shampoo x 4, Facial Foam +Packaged Liquid Detergent x 2	300	Soap, shampoo and detergent are not required
31	Super Glue	50
32	Snacks (Chocolate, Biscuit, Candy, etc.)	500	Not sufficient; lots of snacks and tea bags should have been added
33	Miscellaneous (Passport, permits, wallet, money bag, cash, ATM card, credit card, universal travel adapter, plastic bags, etc.)	300	Universal travel adapter is not required
	TOTAL	11,629

Trek Route:

The Three Passes trek (Internet photo)

25/10: Taksindu (2994 m) to Bupsa (2360 m); lunch break@Jubing (1680 m) (7 hrs [9.30am-4.30pm]; 16 km; 1433 m descent, 865 m ascent)

26/10: Bupsa (2360 m) to Cheplung (2671 m); lunch break@Surke (2290 m) (8 hrs [7am-3pm]; 17 km; 1000 m ascent, 650 m descent)

27/10: Cheplung (2671 m) to Namche Bazaar (3430 m); lunch break@Jorsalle (2830 m) (6.5 hrs [8am-2.30pm]; 15 km; 871 m ascent)

28/10: Namche Bazaar (3430 m) to Hillary Memorial Viewpoint (4048 m) to Khunde (3878 m) to Khumjung (3780 m); snack break@Hillary Memorial Viewpoint (4 hrs [10.30am-2.30pm]; 6 km; 611 m ascent, 256 m descent) *

29/10: Khumjung (3780 m) to Dingboche (4360 m); lunch break@Pangboche (3860 m) (7.5 hrs [7.30am-3pm]; 17 km; 478+137=615 m descent, 552+229+394=1175 m ascent)

30/10: Dingboche (4360 m) to Chukhung (4730 m) to Imja Tse Base Camp (5112 m) & Imja Tsho (5044 m) to Chukhung (4730 m); lunch break@Chukhung (4730 m) (6 hrs [8am-10am]; [1pm-5pm]; 5.0+6.2+6.2=17.4 km; 435+314=749 m ascent, 314 m descent) *

Imja Tsho, 5044 m

31/10: Chukhung (4730 m) to Chukhung-Ri (5546 m) to Chukhung (4730 m); lunch break@Chukhung (4730 m) (5 hrs [9.30am-1pm]; [2.30pm-4pm]; 5.4 km; 785 m ascent, 785 m descent)

Chukhung-Ri, 5546 m

1/11: Chukhung (4730 m) to Lobuche (4930 m) via Kongma La (5535 m) (6 hrs [6.30am-12.30pm]; 9.4 km; 800 m ascent, 620 m descent)

One needs to cross this semi-frozen mud-lake in an attempt to cross the Kongma La. Tread at your own risk!

View from Kongma La at 5535 m

2/11: Lobuche (4930 m) to Gorak Shep (5160 m) to Everest Base Camp (5340 m) to Gorak Shep (5160 m); lunch break@Gorak Shep (5160 m) (5 hrs [8am-10am]; [11.30am-1.30pm]; [2.30pm-3.30pm]; 11.5 km; 386 m ascent, 157 m descent)

Everest Base Camp, 5364 m

3/11: Gorak Shep (5160 m) to Kala Pattar (5545 m) to Dzonglha (4830 m); lunch break@Gorak Shep (5160 m) (5.5 hrs [8am-9.15am]; [11am-11.30am]; [12.15pm-4pm] 14.4 km; 456 m ascent, 869 m descent)

Gorak Shep, 5160 m - the last permanent settlement set beside the Khumbu glacier

 4/11: Dzonglha (4830 m) to Tagnag (4700 m) to Gokyo (4750 m) via Cho La (5420 m); lunch break@Tagnag (4700 m) (7 hrs [6.30am-9.30am]; [10am-12noon]; [2pm-4pm]; 12 km, 559+121=680 m ascent, 691 m descent)

Trekking cautiously on the snow in an attempt to cross the Cho La. Tread at your own risk!

Personally, Cho La is the most interesting high mountain pass to cross

5/11: Gokyo (4750 m) to Gokyo-Ri (5360 m) to Gokyo (4750 m) to Donag Tsho (4835 m) to Gokyo (4750 m); lunch break@Gokyo (4750 m) (3 hrs [8am-9.30am]; [11am-11.30am]; [2.30pm-3.30pm]; 6.0 km; 600+115=715 m ascent, 600+115=715 m descent)

The beautiful Gokyo set beside the jade-green puddle of Dudh Pokhari (3rd sacred lake)

6/11: Gokyo (4750 m) to Thame (3820 m) via Renjo La (5345 m); lunch break@Lunghen (4350 m) (7.5 hrs [7am-9.30am]; [10am-12.30pm]; [2pm-4.30pm]; 21 km; 644 m ascent, 1609 m descent)

Renjo La, 5345 m

7/11: Thame (3820 m) to Surke (2290 m); lunch break@Phakding (2610 m) (9 hrs [6.30am-12.30pm]; [2pm-5pm]; 29 km; 1530 m descent)

8/11: Surke (2290 m) to Kharikhola (2035 m) (5 hrs [7am-12noon]; 16 km; 932 m descent, 494 m ascent)

*    Acclimatization day

Important Note:

1. Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Permit can be applied at Nepal Tourism Board at Kathmandu or at the National Park entry at Monjo. It costs Rs 3000 per head incl. tax.

Pay your Sagarmatha National Park entrance fee here near Monjo

Entrance Permit

2. Since 1 Oct 2017, TIMS card is no longer required for Everest Base Camp trek. It has been replaced with the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Tourism Fee issued near Toc Toc. It costs Rs 2000 per head. However, if you start the trek at Jiri, TIMS card is required.

Pay your tourism fee here near Toc Toc if you are not starting from Lukla

Rural Municipality Tourism Fee

Another police checkpoint before arriving in Namche Bazaar

The stunning mountain amphitheater of Namche Bazaar - the closest the Khumbu region has to a city

3. Local bus from Kathmandu to Phaplu costs Rs 1100 per pax. It leaves from Chabahil Chowk at 5am daily. Returning back to Kathmandu from Salleri/Phaplu, the bus leaves at 4am daily instead.

4. Shared jeeps (10 pax: 2-4-4) from Kathmandu to Phaplu costs Rs 1400 per pax. They leave from Chabahil Chowk at 5am daily. Ignore the travel agents at Thamel which charged as high as Rs 3000 and buy the ticket one day in advanced at Chabahil Chowk. It is located approx. 4.5 km from Thamel. Give your hostel address to the ticket seller and the driver will pick you up at your hostel around 4am.

Chabahil Chowk

5. Shared jeep from Phaplu to Taksindu (2 hrs) costs Rs 500 per pax. Arrange via any guesthouse in Phaplu.

6. The highest trail head as of Nov’19 is Bupsa. One can take shared jeeps from Salleri/Phaplu to Bupsa via Adheri. Refer Note #11.

7. It appears that the trail preceding Lukla has been abandoned by trekkers for years. Signages were very limited and the trail was not easy to spot. There were many branch-off where some are actually used by villagers for farming. Even some of the trails shown on Maps.me cannot be taken due to obsolescence. Ask locals whenever you are not sure.

8. Hotel Camp de Base at Namche Bazaar gave me a very bad image: I greeted several times at the reception but the guy continued to ignore me. When I showed myself in front of him asking for a single room, he said no right away after I told him I’m solo. 

9. To get a cheaper lunch, leave the village center along the trek or where tour group congregates and look for restaurant without attached lodge or guesthouse. It would be even cheaper if there is no menu. Just tell them what you want and agree with the price.

10. It is not necessary to bring more than one trekking top. You will most likely have running nose rather than running sweat especially when you trek above 3500 m altitude.

11. As soon as you get in the trekking route, every resource you have been taking granted in lowland comes with a fee: battery charge in lodges costs Rs 100-Rs 500 per hour; WIFI costs Rs 100-Rs 500; hot shower costs Rs 100-Rs 500. The higher you go up, the more expensive things would get.

A general guideline of oxygen saturation in the mountain

Almost every lodge along the trek is equipped with a heater. Gathering around the heater has been a pastime to to kill time, if not cold

Things in the mountain get expensive as you go up, for a reason

11. Shared jeep from Kharikhola to Salleri via Adderi (6 hrs) costs Rs 500 + Rs 1000. Arrange via any guesthouse in Kharikhola. Take note that one needs to walk across Dudh Kosi on foot and change to another jeep at the other side of the river to continue to Salleri. It is a short but steep 30-minute climb via a suspension bridge. Brace yourselves as the road condition is one of the most terrible I have ever taken.

You need to cross this river (Dudh Kosi)...

...through this suspension bridge...

...and change to another shared jeep (Rs 1000) at Adheri for the final leg to Salleri

Note: Sagarmatha National Park is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Natural Site) inscribed in 1979.