Back at Pokhara

Hi, There still is the problem of a road strike which will last a few days on the road to Butwal where we would be going onto Palpa. So instead we have had to head back north west to Pokhara and then early in the morning we will head south to Palpa. This has turned 4 hours driving into 10!. We are all ready for the next few days and we have plenty of muesli, nuts, powdered milk and diesel fuel so we will be able to be self sufficient for the next few days. I will write a detail post on my return. Cheers Steve

PS Tucker, you taught me everything I know!!

Saurama - Strike

Hi, just a quick post, we are currently stuck in Saurama as the road to Palpa (a few hours west) is blocked due to striking. I am a little frustrated as I am keen to carry on with the Vulture conservation work but this has slowed us down. It is important that we get to Palpa soon as the vultures will soon be fledging the nests so hopefully the strike will get resolved tomorrow. I have had a rest day today and took the opportunity to take an elephant ride through the Chitwan National Park which was great and saw two Asian one horn rhino which was a treat as there numbers are getting very low. I may be out of Internet contact for a good few days if I leave to Palpa in the morning, we will see what the morning brings..... Cheers Steve

More Pictures!

Please note for those who do not know,click on the image to get a higher quaility image 1) picture was taken on descending down the steep sided valley toward the river that is feed from the Phewa tal lake that is around Pokhara. 2) 3 children at the top of the valley after the bumpy 4X 4 drive which we did yesterday 3) the bridge to cross the river feed from Phewa tal.

Leaving Pokhara

Pictures - 1.) This is the vine/bramble covered tree with the nest perfectly formed in the top of the tree (as mentioned in an earlier post.) 2.) This is me looking my very best (before tree in pic 1) 3.) Team Vulture (in Butwal) - From left , am bad with names (sorry who I have forgotten!) our driver, Anand from Bird Conservation Nepal , Richard Cuthbert from RSPB, Tulsi from Bird Conservation Nepal and another person who helped us with carrying equipment etc - everyone has been great in looking after me and educating me in all areas of Nepal..Thanks! 4) Tulsi - he was a natural tree climber 5) children. I may try attaching a few more pictures if I have time.

Hi, ok making the most of good Internet access, great coffee and danishes. This morning was the last part of the work to be completed in Pokhara and went well. I woke to perfect views of the whole Annapurna mountain range and they really did knock me off my feet. They are soo big that the scale looks unreal and like there superimposed onto the background. I have taken many pictures but have not got access to them at the moment. We then head up into the steep side valley where we had been working for the last few days. The last nest we were to gain access to was tricky as was on a steep side of a small water fall and the large tree was leaning away from the bank. We had to use a few different skills where i was sorting out gaining access lines into the tree and manageing ropes down on the side of the bank as Richard climbed the tree. We work well together and by early lunch time all was completed and we head back into Pokhara for lunch. I am not 100 percent ready to leave Pokhara to return to Saurama for a few days. We then have many different areas to cover in the next few weeks. I will make the most of good internet access by attaching a few pictures. Thanks Steve

Pokhara - After the thunderstorm

hi, A good storm passed through last night with much thunder and lighting. This morning got going early and set off to a similar site as yesterday. In stead of the big walk in up the valley we decided to take the Hilux 4 By 4 up a steep rocky muddy track to get to the top of the valley. This proved a little bit tricky with wet clay soil and many boulders making the going very bumpy and slow (having to get out and push). We eventually arrived at the top of the valley and then we set off down with many hundreds of paddie field all glued to the contours of the steep sided valley (the amount of work to build, maintain and farm these must be mind blowing). We soon arrived at the site and the work was soon completed there. We then headed to the next area following the valley further down. It took some time in finding the area even with GPS and was hard going but great scenery as we moved into thicker wooded areas. I started climbing the tree which had no really difficulties but on arriving near to the nest I could see that with one was very ready to fledge the nest. I climbed closer but getting within a few feet of the nest the chick fledged the nest. It flew very well and when I descended back to the ground the chick soon returned to the nest. Best leave this one for another year. We then continued to descend further down the valley and then crossed the river to ascend a massive set of steps to meet the driver with the beatern up hilux. Now back in Pokhara where I think after tomorrows work we will be leaving back to Saurama for a few days and then we are going deep into the wilds for around 5-6 days. I am now making the most of my creature comforts as I think that soon may change. Its all good and things are going great. Thanks again and will post a few more pictures but memory stick is saying NO.

Pokhara - A dusty Llanberris

The Pictures from top left to right (1-children , 2- I was unsure about publishing this picture as I feel what we are doing is sensitive work and slightly distressing to the bird and myself, but this chick would have had less than 20% survival chance in it first year if left in the wild, with out this work they may well be extincted in around 5 years time (for the record this is a small chick), 3 - one of the harder trees (35m) with nest in view mid top right, this is the tree that I mentioned in an early post with aid climbing etc (this is the tree with the nest in pic 2), 4 - one of the easier trees with two nests!......both trees sadly had many ants nests!)

Ok in Pokhara and managed to have early morning views of the mountain Machhapuchhre (6993m)..amazing. It looks very much like the matterhorn but bigger. I believe that all climbing is banded on the mountain for religious reasons so that my excuse for not climbing it!...Feeling a lot better today as have not been 100 percent for the last few days (food). But waking up to the sight of the mountains automatically made me feel better. We headed shortly out of Pokhara (a haven for all extreme sports people - parraglydling with hawks (I am on the case), trekking, rafting, mountaineering etc so like a warm dusty Llanberris so I am feeling at home). So we left early after an healthy breakfast and traveled a short distance out of Pokhara. Then we had to tackle many steps and crossing steep sides of Paddie fields (spelling sorry)to arrive at the nesting site after over an hour of slogging with heavy packs (which i always surprizing enjoy). The tree was largeish (30+metres) and tricky as was covered in vines and massive brambles so I decided to take one for the team and climb the tree to get to the vultures nest. It was difficult to get a rope high into the tree but managed with a little bit of flicking and pulling to get the rope into position. Then it was a case of battle through the dense shrubby layer to get into the bottom part of the tree. To climb further it was a jungle in the tree so had to use many different skills of pulling vines and minimal cutting to find a way through the sharp brambles and vines ( i am now one shirt down). All went well with the climb and never got frustrated with the brambles as its too hot for that. Soon with a bit more battling I returned to the ground with the chick (4.8kg!) and a hour and half after leaving the ground. I am now resting and licking my wounds. Hopefully I will attach some pictures. Thanks again Steve ps thunder is building loud in the mountains!!! pps ok we have reached the half way mark with the Vulture conservation work but the sites are getting further a field and spread out and numbers as very much down on last year (further knowledge of the mass decline in there numbers) ....i have become very aware that time is running out. thanks again and hope everyone is good.

Pokhara

Hi, we left Saurama this morning after packing all the kit for the next part of the project. We drove out of Saurama heading west to Narayangadh and then onto Pokhara. The scenery soon changed from the flat lowlands to the steep tree covered valleys heading up towards the mountains. One part of this trip I enjoy the most is the driving and absorbing the scenery. We stopped off on the journey on an old bridge to watch many different species of birds. Every time a lorry went passed the bridge swede up and down which was quiet nerving. So now preparing for an early start in the morning. No sites of the BIG mountains yet but hopefully clear weather in the morning will reveal them. Cheers for the comments and will attach pictures in the next few days Steve

Butwal to Saurama

ok, I am back in Saurama on the edge of the Chitwan National Park now and should have a pretty steady supply of electric and internet connection so will write a bit about the trip as a whole.....Yesterday was the fifth day of vulture conservation work and was a slow start ....on driving early out of Butwal for the last time and heading East....we headed to many sites in the pick up truck on very bumpy dusty tracks with great scenery the whole time......sadly there were no vultures in the nests and moving from one site to another made the decline in there numbers very much apparent to me and i could feel sober feelings and frustrating in the team....luckily the last site we visited there were a few nesting birds but by then the heat had picked up.....i managed to gain some shelter from climbing the back of the tree in the shade but still was very hot work....we have taken to a supply of water, sugar and salt strapped to out harness in a bottle to keep all our levels up.....the day finished well but felt a little numb and exhausted from the last 5 days toll.....today and tomorrow we will be resting and heading (4 hours) North West to Pokhara on the edge of the Annapurna Conservation Area (Great views of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre, if time allows may try and squeeze a few day trek in)...the rate of our work will drop as there will be longer walk into the site in hilly areas where the trees are even bigger....we have achieved nearly half of the required work already and could not really ask for a better start...things now may change as we gain height but will be a little cooler.....today I have been helping out with work at the Biodiversity Conservation Centre (BCC) and the rest of the day I will be stenching out my aching limbs.......

A few other points of interesting...sorry if I sound very British but have noticed a further rule to driving Nepal if you want to over take then u beep your horn, then when the car in front signals right then over take...or overtake any way....but they also signal right to turn right....again if there is a car crash then the person who wants to claim compensation blocks the road( what they call a strike here) until they get paid!

One last amusing thing that I am ashamed to admit is that I have spoken to many different people in BCC whos english is very good and Surya (A Vet) who has been great has started using "IS IT".....hmmm cant think where he gets that from!

Thanks for the support from everyone Cheers Steve

Butwal - the last few days

Hi, sorry been meaning to update the blog but the electric has been off everytime I have tried. The electric supply shifts through out Butwal where one side of the street will have power and the other will not ( and generally the side with power loses internet connection). I have not been getting too bothereed but I hope people have not been worrying too much about me (as if). It interesting here as if the power is not on at 12 then it 4pm then it 8pm etc so when you do get it you appreicate it but I have been enjoying reading/listening to music by candle light.

Ok the last few days have been pretty much the same format of getting up at 5.30am breakfast and head west by 6.15am. The drive takes around 1 to 1 half hours to get to the differnent sites and is amazing to just look out the window and see the Western Tarai Lowlands early in the morning. These lowlands are pretty flat and the road very straight and rough in places with forest areas and open plains. The sites we are working are mixed areas some close to the road some out in untouched beauty.

The vulture conservation work has started very well with the first 3 days all going to really good. The work is hot hard work but rewarding. We have a good system in place where me and Richard Cuthbert will be working in the tree and Tulsi and Anand (from Bird Conservation Nepal who have been brillant) helping with things on the ground and have been guiding me around Nepal and educating in the wildlife. With the work I have got better at spotting the ants nest in the tree (they are a few large leaves knitted together the size of a melon and hang down like laterns full of orange ants, they are not poisonous but do have a nasty bite and I have a few more bites from today to add to my collection). These nests have made the climbing trickier as I have to come up with ways to pass by the nest without knocking them. The main trees we have been working in is off medium/large Saj and Sal trees (rough barked decidous similar to a southern beech tree). Yesterday was some of the trickiest work to date and had to climb a large Saj tree (35metres) with the nest on a limb sticking out of the top of the main crown at a 45 degree angle. I had to use a mixture of tree, rock and aid climbing to get to the nest which was out in space. This whole process took a hour and a bit and was made interesting by a few gusts of wind but still ensured my safety. Then we had a long lunch and the work after lunch drew a crowd of around 70 people. Luckily all went very well and was a great testing day. Today has been one of those days which have not been so good with thunderstorms and logistical problems made us cut the work short. I have had a resting afternoon drink tea (Very strong, milky sweet tea with cinnomon or other spices that i now have a taste for). The plan for the next few days are to head back to Saurama for a few days via some sites then possibly head north.

I have loads of great photos and will try publising them when I have a better internet connection.

To finish the food we have every evening is really good and is patiently made over a few hours by the very friendly people of the GreenLand hotel in a busy back street in Butal. We have been eating Dall Bhaat Tarkaarii which is lentel curry, rice and veg curry. It is slightly different every night with different lentel used and is very tasty, for most nepalise this is there stable diet and its very good. Plus it is refilled until you are full. The people I am working with are great, very laid back and passionate about this work. To sum up this trip is just the biggest adventure I have been on and I still have 3 and half weeks left!

PS Mum Happy Birthday, Mothers Day!
PPS There were a few data issues with my last post that i will correct
PPPS James TSU pop around my mams to pick up the Petzl Pantin
PPPPS I hope everyone is sticking to the rota!!

Saurama and now Butwal

ok.....soo much to say but electric is on and off here so will try to keep it quick....visited the Bird Conservation Nepal to sort out climbing equipment, then we head out of Thamal in Katmandu heading west passsed some prefect boulders along side the river system that met up with the Trisuli River. Then headed south to arrive after 6 hours later at Saurama on the edge of the Chitwan National Park (tourism has taken its toll there). Next day I did some unexpected interesting work with some brilliant people from the Biodiversity Conservation Centre. Following day we then headed further west toward Butwal which took a good few hours. Driving around here is amazing and the further west we are heading the more real Nepal it is becoming but everyone still beeps there horns. Today has been great as started the vulture conservation work west of Butwal which is very much untouched. The first tree I started climbing was of great amusement to the locals as I got attacked by some nasty ants, ow how they laughed when i started doing some freaky dancing trying to de-ant myself! keeping my eyes a bit more open for the ants now. So now just recovering from the tree climbing in the midday sun. My neck is strained from not wanting to miss anything. The people are so good and very laid back as you have to be, for example the electric and water is on and off here all the time. I am really starting to enjoy this unstructured life here and is a real breath of free air to be way from the UK structured rules! More Vulture conservation work tomorrow and hopefully no ants. We will be trying to starting as early as possible to avoid the midday sun. Cheers for now and no spell check so bare with me.

Thamel - Kathmandu

OK I have made it to Kathmandu and all the travelling went good and I strangley enjoyed it. Not sure if this is because I have been thinking about this trip for the last few months and just pleased it was all happening. Landing in Kathmandu the weather was cloudy so did not get a chance to see the big mountains. Then the drive through Katmandu was great with every form of transport all blasting there horns at the same time and coming at each other from all angles. We then went out for the traditonal dish of pizza and beer!..the plan for today is to leave Thamel (a tourist ghetto, where most people stay here because most people stay here) and we will be heading south for 5 hours where we will be for a good few days. Hopefully we will be starting the work Wednesday on taking vulture chicks into captivity. I may well be out of comms for the next few days so the next blog should be of interest and hopefully good news!

Waiting Game

hi,

At the airport and strangley enjoying just waiting around and watching people rush by. My flight is delayed for an hour so there is a chance I will miss my connection but that is not a major concern of mine. Starting reading Into the Wild....vgood and getting me into the right frame of mind for the trip. Next post I hopefully will be in Nepal and will have something more interesting to report back. Cheers Steve

All systems are go!

ok this is it,

Thanks again for everyone coming out last night.

I am all packed and ready to go.....I will be taking the following with me for anyonw who is interested:

TREE CLIMBING
45 metre 13mm tree climbing rope
tree harness and 4m lanyard
1 16oz throw bag with zin it line
1 Spare zin it line
1 big shot catapult + replacement elastics
x2 Etriers
x4 twist lock krabs
x4 Prussiks 10mm + x2 6mm
hand saw + small maillion
120 slings x1
Screw krab x2 ( 2 small)
Small Pulley x2
Petzl Jumar Gold left hand
Climbing helmet
1 dynamic cows tail
Tree Climbing Spikes
Petzl Tibloc
LockJack and lanyard
Small knife/whistle
Petzl Pantin (Thanks James!)

Other
3 shirts cotton
2 trousers cotton
1 Waterproof top (Proclimber)
1 Waterproof bott (Proclimber)
1 Large rim hat
1 Light fleece
1 brown shorts
3x tshirts
1x sleeveless tshirt
5x socks
5x pants
1 thermal leggings
2 thermal top
1 tracksuit botts
Buff
1 small rim hat
1 trainers
Flip flops
Biodegradeable soap
Insect spray + natural
Insect hood
Mosq net
Head torch
Thermal gloves/Balv
suncream +50
Iodine water treatment
sugpack sleeping bag
slik liner
therma rest
towel
Anti-Malarial Drug
Paracetamol 500mg
Loperamide Diarrhoea relief
Diclofenac 75mg
Tinidazole 500mg
Ciprofloxacin 500mg
Amoxicillin 500mg
Ibprofen 600mg
Dioralyte Citurs
Antispectic wipes
Plasters + Zinc oxide tape
Paracetamol
Tiger Balm
Germolene
Finger tape
5x ear plugs
Camera + charger + USB
Ipod + USB leads
Coll copy notes/id book
Book - nepal and read
Journal
Passport + docs + money
Glasses
Shades
Tooth brush + Paste
Deo - roll on
2 x platitpus and hose

Hopefully I have not forgotten anything!!

I will update the blog as and when I can with progress.

Cheers for now...Steve

Training with Safety Technology

Just back from a nice spin in the car up to Raglan in Monmouth to visit Justin Palmer of Safety Technology Ltd. We chatted about his lastest trip where he was apart of the team who climbed maybe some of the biggest trees in the UK (http://dunans.org/2009/02/dunans-castle-views-the-tallest-tree-in-the-uk-its-official/) and about the trip I am about to be a part of. We then moved over to a farm building where some ropes were set up to practise different SRT set-ups. Justin had a good few pointers and reassured me that the system I was going to use in Nepal was sound. One good efficient advantage he showed me was the use of a Petzl Pantin on the right foot with a Jumar on the left and then demonstrated the SRT frog walking technique that was very slick. Also as a highlight he demonstrated the ActSafe ACC Powered Ascender SEE VIDEO AT : (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y96RoMC0nso).

http://www.safetytechnology.co.uk/wind-energy/blocks-and-winches

Thanks Justin for the help!

Pre Nepal Training 2.

Another day of pre-Nepal training. Steve Kedward kindly offered to come along tree climbing. We headed to Clyne Valley again and the weather was fresh and sunny. I set up the lines up the big Ash tree and with in no time he was heading up to the top of the tree. I am pleased as everyone I have demonstrated DRT (doubled rope technique) with a jumar and footloop for the legs and all have picked it up very quickly and efficently.