Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Life Is On My Side

When my days aren't so full I have the luxury of planning blog entries, thinking about what I'm writing, and occasionally posting relevent photos. But those empty days are few. Now, I scramble to slap some updates on the blog to let America to know if I'm still alive, and if so how I'm doing. Emails are almost always a one way thing with me now; apologies all around to the kind people who have sent me unanswered mail. I'm doing my best, and still love reading it.

My month of training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was dy-no-myte. I'm now a practiced rock climber, can tie useful knots, and know my way around a glacier. I spent 10 days living right on the Rhatong Glacier at 14,600 ft., each day full of ice climbing practice and struggling to catch my breath in thin air. Getting back to low altitude made me fully appreciate good, full lung, heavy-aired breathing. Now, being out of breath isn't half as tiring.

Living on the glacier made global warming apparent as ever: when the HMI base camp was built, it was a 5 minute walk from the glacier. 50 years later, students have to walk 1 and half hours before they reach continuous ice. Mountaineering will be the first sport to fall if global warming keeps its speed, though mountaineering doesn't command the same public outcry as the plight of the polar bear.

One HMI instructor, Kushang, holds the record as the only man to summit Mt. Everest from all 5 faces, and without oxygen. The oxygen debate in mountaineering is a little insane. One teacher noted wisely that, "Strictly speaking, oxygen is no more a technical aid to a mountaineer than food is" When I head for the top of a Himalayan peak--and I will--I don't see the harm in bringing along extra air.

The rest of the instructors are equally accomplished. One spent 10 years as a helicopter ski instructor and starred in several North Face adventure films, another spent one month climbing an ice cliff during the Kargil wars with Pakistan, and several taught at the acclaimed Indian High Altitude Warfare School, where students learn to ski and fight at four thousand meters and above.

But I have no plans to use my mountaincraft for war. My hope is that my HMI training will set me up with good jobs in America as an Outward Bound or NOLS counselor, or as a private adventure trekking guide. Rock climbing seems like the easiest job I could get soon, but my long term sights are set on high altitude trekking in the American and Canadian Rockies.

But first, this year's grand finale: An arduous, nearly month long trek to the Mount Everest base camp. Tomorrow I will wake up in the small hours, savor my last good shower for the next few days, and begin the winding, slow bus ride to Kathmandu, in the Nepali region of northern North India. I spent a hefty sum on the right guide book today, which will serve as my aid in finding places to stay and villages to see as I hike through the Himalayas on approach to Everest. Since the Maoists joined the government earlier this year, I no longer have to worry about paying the bribe to enter the Himalayan park, which leaves the hike relatively risk-free. More details on that trip as it unfolds.

...time to cut this entry short--I'm out of rupees and time at this cafe. More from me when I reach Kathmandu. And after May, America.

Yes, I am excited.