4 in 1 - AAC Himalayan Meet 2008

by Malcolm Imhoff

Four holidays in one! That's what it looked like on the meet sheet. It was a trip to Nepal, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Bhutan, organised with meticulous efficiency by "Papa" Tony Freake. Sadly, Tony and Sheila had to depart early because of Tony's deteriorating health, but all the documentation was passed to George Taylor who took over the leadership. I think the group, twenty of us now, were pretty much agreed on what were the four highlights of the trip.

One was the delightful eleven hours spent on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the "Toy Train". Tony had chartered a steam train for us which took us from the plains of Bengal up to the hill station of Darjeeling, via a series of fascinating engineering achievements designed to tackle the steep gradients: spiralling loops and zigzags that we had to reverse up. The wonderful thing about the railway is that it goes right through many towns and villages on route, often only a few feet from the frontages, and everybody comes out to wave. It really makes you feel good to be giving pleasure to so many people.

Yes, but we're mountaineers and we're supposed to walk, so we had to go trekking! The trek was in Sikkim in Northern India, and there were two undoubted highlights of the eight-day expedition. One was the pre-dawn walk up to the payer flag clad Dzongri view-point to see sunrise on the Kanchenjunga massif. The other was the "big day", a 3 a.m. start for the walk up to the Goeche La at over 5200 metres. The route goes right under the east ridge of Kanchenjunga so the mountain is right "in your face" - a mind-blowing experience. It was also a nose-blowing experience for me as I was suffering from a bad cough and cold, a present from the other members of the group and made worse by the poor-quality tents which quite frankly were not suitable for the conditions. It was hard going, and only half of us made it all the way to the high point, so I was pleased that I was one of them.

Our last night in Sikkim was spent in an Indian border town where we discovered it was the last night of Diwali, and the streets were full of lights, every shop and hotel had its own firework display, many outstanding, and everywhere kids were letting off Catherine wheels in the road and dancing round them! Late at night, some of us took the opportunity to walk up to the much-photographed Great Gate at the entrance to Bhutan.

The whole of our time in Bhutan was another highlight. I'd read quite a lot about the "Land of the Thunder Dragon" and was prepared to be impressed. I was not disappointed. In contrast with other "developing" countries, it's clean, organised, everything works, the people are delightful, and the King and his new democratically elected government, with the policy of "Gross National Happiness", seem to have the right set of values. I'm sure they could teach our rulers a thing or two about statesmanship. The very special highlight of our time in Bhutan was the hike up to Taktshang Goemba, better known as the "Tiger's Nest" monastery, perched on the side of a sheer cliff three thousand feet above the Paro Valley. It is so named because Guru Rinpoche, one of the founders of Buddhism in Bhutan, is alleged to have flown here on the back of a tigress to subdue the local demon. The temple clings to the cliff-face fastened by the hairs of khandroma, female celestial beings.

OK I know that's six highlights already. So I won't mention the hours spent just wandering around the streets and fields, meeting and taking pictures of the people, playing with the kids, and having a lot of fun. Or the time Ellie, Tony and I were pressed into helping on the farm to winnow the grain! Or the excitement of arriving back at Heathrow and finding my bag had gone to Manchester!

Thanks Papa Tony for a memorable trip.

Approaching the Coeche La, 5202m, with Kanchenjunga in the bakground

The Tiger's Nest Monastery

Papa Tony on the footplate. Photos by Malcolm Imhoff

The summit party at Goeche La, 5202m. Photo by Lakpa Sherpa

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