Feature film in 2006?

Narco and I discussed work for 2006 and a feature film Raiy Kulhi might be in the offing. Raiy Kulhi was originally written by Shareef as a poem, then a screenplay, but now Narco and I have re-written the script with significant changes. But we've kept Shareef's characters, basic story, and some of the verses.

The photo shows a brackish area of Nalandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll, which we hope to use as a location for the film. However, it will all depend on whether we're able to raise funds for the production.

On another note, I managed to contact one of the female pioneers who climbed Kala Pattar in Nepal in 1990. She told me that three and not four, as I had reported, Maldivian girls reached the summit. The fourth girl in the group was, in fact, Nepalese. In any case I left a dvd of the footage we filmed with the one I spoke to.

I hope to have her views on the video and also for her to confirm whether they summitted the higher or lower peak of Kala Pattar.

It would also be nice to have an interview with her.

Looking ahead

I think I'm finally settled back here, mind and body, at least as settled, I've decided, as a restless, rootless chappie with nomadic tendencies, like myself, is ever going to be.

In the initial stages I had to resort to rather desperate means (which I won't go into here) in order to get my mind off images of desolate, windswept, moon-like, landscape.

But yesterday, I was meeting potential customers and discussing work for the year 2006, with my associate, as well as the production of a feature film, Raiy Kulhu, based on Shareef's verses and screenplay.

I guess I'm lucky because filmmaking is not only my work but also my passion. But it isn't the only one.

Far away from human habitation, high above the clouds, the barren but beautiful, hostile but haunting terrain known as the roof of the world beckons.

Himalayan dreams

I'm not coping too well with readjustment and reintegration into life on Male. It takes a lot of effort to summon an interest in potential work opportunities (which isn't fair to the people who work with me); I haven't been able to even get back to swimming and fitness.

Instead, a spring journey to Nepal is slowly taking shape in my thoughts, even though logistics forbid such indulgence so soon. But I've never been out there in the spring, never really seen rhododendrens in bloom.

Meanwhile, Images of the high Tibetan landscapes bathed in the dying sunshine sun keep flooding back constantly, and I have to force my thoughts back to the more immediate challenges and surroundings.

Perhaps when the documentary is finally done I can put the Himalyan dreams behind me and concentrate on work and life at sea-level and for a sustained period.

Rough cut of video ready for viewing

I'm pleased to announce that a rough edit of the footage filmed on both sides of the Himalaya is now ready for viewing. Visitors and friends who have supported and followed our journey and are currently in Male can contact either Muha or me to arrange a viewing.

Please note we're unable to lend copies to people, as we're still discussing whether the footage merits being edited into a proper documentary.

Also, people who want to post comments will now find it easier to do so as they won't have to register. I'm still new to blogging, so I only just discovered how to change that particular setting.

In the meantime, many thanks for everyone's support.

We weren't the first

Just finished putting together the images of Nepal (an image grab from which serves as the photo for this post) to show friends and family, with a track pinched from a collection of Tibetan music running in the background. Tomorrow I shall start editing the Tibetan footage.

Much as we'd like to take credit for being the first Maldivians to climb an alititude of 5600 metres, we have to concede that four others beat us to it 15 years ago!

In 1990, four young Maldivian women summitted Kala Pattar, so I'm dedicating the images filmed on my old but robust XL1 to those brave pioneers.

It should be noted that Maldivian women are under increased attack by the religious right and other persons who seem to be looking to the avenue of misogyny to take out their own insecurities. At a recent parliament session one sad individual allegedly went on for more than half an hour about the inferiority of women's intellect. Apparently bigotry is common-place in that institution and tolerated by 'reformists'.

This may be a backlash against the emergence of educated, liberated women in the Maldives and a nostalgic longing for those uncomplicated times when men could persuade themselves that women only existed to raise children and serve their husbands.

For myself, I have always had a sneaky suspicioun that whenever a man tries to force the buruga on others they are really expressing a thinly-veiled desire to wear it themselves.

Many thanks, Mr Thangraj

Male, sea-level, 30+degrees celcius

Been home two days now and still in the process of readjustment. Any hope Muha may have had of sneaking back into the country unobstrusively was shattered when our friends (and lovers) turned up at the airport. No sign of the threatened garlands, though. I was quite surprised but later learned Muha had messaged Shaaxu with flight details who had then messaged Hilath and so on. And Yasir too!

Meanwhile Male (shown in another picture I've stolen from Muha's photos) is still in the middle of political and social upheaval or mess, as some would have it. But brave and tireless individuals are working day and night to make life better for people here and, although I'm not quite sure where I fit in all this, if at all, I must laud their efforts.

Meanwhile, Muha is having problems adjusting to the noise. He went for a swim yesterday and sat on a rock, he says.

I would like to dedicate this post to someone here I forgot to mention earlier but who may have played the most crucial role in our well-being at high altitude: our phsyiotherapist. The lack of knee pains which characterised my previous Himalayan adventure, I think, is entirely due to the effective programme he devised for us in the short time we had for training. On the whole, we didn't encounter either joint problems or major symptoms of altitude sickness so hats off to our trainer and friend Mr Thangraj.

I've lost 5 kilos in weight, have problems sleeping, am restlesss, and, on the whole, feel somewhat isolated from everything. If truth be told I'm a tad lonely, but don't have the desire to do anything about it. But I'm an optimist when it comes to my own mental and physical well-being, so I know I'll overcome these post-Himalayan challenges.

Thankfully I can take refuge in a haunting collection of Tibetan chants, which I heard and brought in Thamel, and also, of course, in the footage I filmed in the Himalaya, from which hopefully I will be able to weave an edited whole that will in some way represent what the journey has meant to me, and to Muha.

Eve of departure

Trivandrum, 19 December 2005, scalding hot

We're back in Trivandrum and have got seats for a flight homeward bound tomorrow. We almost didn't get them, and could have been stranded here for a while. But thanks to my cousin Bambi (Thumma's brother) and my dad, the necessary money arrived, yet again, and we were able to resolve the matter. Thumma's parents are here in Trivandrum but for some reason Thumma seems to be avoiding the subcontinent. She was happy enough to go to Bangkok a while back.

Trivandrum is scorching hot, humid, and Muha is missing the wintry chill of the Himalaya. He continues, also, to miss the exellent Gongabu doctors, who seemed to have a very efficiently working household in the nice, but trouble-erupting Katmandu. However, their food costs for the month of Ramazan appeared a little higher than average, not that we were poking our noses or looking at things we weren't supposed to.

Of course, this blog will continue after the trip, into eternity if all you nice people will contribute. Send your thoughts on anything, not just Hilath, although I hope there'll be more on him and from him.

Inside India

We're in Gorakhpur now, train ticket to Trivandrum confirmed for tomorrow. However, we're unable to get air tickets to Male confirmed, so Hilath may have to hang on to his garlands for a while yet.

Gorakhpur is an unremarkable Uttar Pradesh city whose residents know people only come here to go to somewhere else. It's crowded, dirty and dusty, but energetic and enterprising too. Unfortunately, it's very difficult not to get ripped off here, whether you want a room, a bus, or even a meal. There's usually three or four parties between you and the service you want and the actual price may be 1/4th of what you really paid.

This is what puts me off most about India, even though there are a great many places here that I want to visit.

Yesterday was quite a day too. First an early morning bus to catch to take us from Katmandu to the border. They kept picking people up even though the bus was packed.

It was a misty morning and the sun only came out when it was noon. We drove mostly along the Terai, the flat strip of land in Nepal (in the photo).

Border formalities went without incident, but at the Indian side they asked the inevitable question: "Where's your visa?" Luckily the immigration officer didn't make too much fuss.

As we waited for our bus a few yards into India, the sun set. It was quite a sight: a flaming red ball dipping behind silhouettes of people, rickshaws, and traffic pouring in and out of both countries.

This is the last post until we get to Trivandrum on 18 December, after travelling 3,200 km.

One last thing, two days ago in Katmandu, Muha, who was homesick earlier, was at a travel agency inquiring about Mongolia!

I think he misses our friends in Gongaboo Choke.

I wonder if Sharif's stuffed toy and Shanoo's stuffed toy will ever meet each other.

For Hilath

Don't worry about pouring out your heart on this blog, everyone is welcome to express themselves in any way they see fit. But Shanoo commented that some of your posts were disturbing---I'm not quite sure what she meant by them.

As for the garlanding, Muha is looking forward to it and I'm sure he'll inform you of our arrival date as soon as we've got the tickets.

Last day in Nepal

It's the eve of our departure from Nepal. After three overland border crossings, three time-zones, three currencies, and more than a month away from home, 20 days of which were spent 3,500 metres above sea-level, we're finally heading home. Tomorrow we take an early morning bus to the Indian border and then on to the Indian town of Gorakhpur. From there to Trivandrum takes three days, but we haven't got train tickets yet.

I can reveal that Muha spent most of the last two days shopping. I'm not allowed to say what he bought or who he bought things for.

Yesterday we caught Shanoo, Minna and Doctor Bagey just after an exam (it seems copying is quite common at medical exams, but I can't reveal any more than that!)and had a meal together, after they helped with the shopping.

It should be mentioned that Shanoo, like Sharif, has a kanneylu and large stuffed toy in her room. I'm not sure she's taking them to Male when she goes there for her holiday, but I'm sure Sharif won't mind lending her his.

Going home

Back in Katmandu, our base camp for two very incredible journeys, we're preparing the long trip back home. There's bus, train, and air tickets to co-ordinate, dirty laundry to be seen to, and, most importantly, shopping to be done, for which we hope to enlist the assistance of our experts.

Now that the Everest trek and the Tibet tour are done, they don't seem to have been so difficult.

In fact the most insufferable part of the whole journey, for me, has been having to use Windows based applications to update the blog.

It's with mixed feelings that I think of going home. Yesterday as we drove from the Nepal-Tibet border to Katmandu I couldn't help feeling a pang as the afternoon sunlight-baked hills, villages, rivers and terraced fields flashed past. I can see I'm going to miss all this very much.

The truth is there's precious little back home that I'm truly attached to.

For Muha it may be different. A month on since he departed Maaveyo Magu, Muha has admitted to having lately felt a little homesick, notably in Tibet.

But a quick glance at certain websites from the Maldives was enough to reveal that Saffah has failed to carry out a certain task we assigned him to complete before our arrival back there.

For those of you who are wondering what all this is is about I will only say that, like Hilath's closeted heterosexuality, Saffah has his little secrets which he keeps to himself but which most people have always suspected.

On a final note to this rather long post let me add that I'm delighted that this blog is resulting in such splendid discussions about sex, philosophy and Titanic.

And for those of your who are wondering why I like Nepal and Tibet so much, given the considerable political repression they are under, well, all I can say is they've got mountains.

Beyond Himalaya: Last words

Note: Muha and I are back in Katmandu, our base camp. Muha has a slight cold, but apart from that we are healthy. Many thanks to the comments of all our friends, it's wonderful to know people are following our journey. We tried to add the Tibet trip to the blog back in Lhasa, but because the computers were in Chinese language we clicked the wrong buttons and discovered, on arrival in Katmandu, that the posts were saved as drafts and not actually published. Martin and others wondering who took the photos, they're all Muha's. I did the video which I hope you can all see one day.

Muha says of Tibet: The Tibetan landscape, and mountain views, are more beautiful than in Nepal. The villages and the old parts of the towns, especially in Lhasa, are also very beautiful.

Al says of Tibet: Although we planned the Tibet tour as a side-trip to our Everest trek, it has since become its own unique experience. The stark moonlike landscape of the Tibetan plateau and its hardy inhabitants, struggling to survive in the cold and the marginal conditions that exist here, will remain in my thoughts and, hopefully help make me a better human being.

P.S: Vishal, Muha and I are still alive and eating rather a lot.

Beyond Himalya: Lhasa

Lhasa, 3650metres, 7-8 December

-Another scenic day, largely due to the Yamdroke Lake along which we drove for hours. At every turning and every bend, the lake looked more picturesque as it did from higher and higher elevations. In my view, the lake is more beautiful than Gokyo lake in Nepal.

-Lhasa is a populous town and, surprising for a place steeped in Buddhism, had its own Muslim community. Muha went to their mosque for prayers.

-We had one of the cheapest, and best, meals just outside our hotel, where street vendors deep-fried all sorts of meat, mushroom, cauliflower, and potatoes and served them in kievs. We tried all!

-We visited Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas. It rises up to more than a hundred metres, spanning 13 stories. Constructed of stone and timber with golden roofs, it is the most famous architectural work in Tibet.

Beyond Himalya: Gyantse

Gyantse, 3900metres, 6 December

-Scenic village flanked by a monastry and a fort. The Stupa, the largest in Tibet has 5 stories, symbolising the 5 stages to enlightenment, with more than 100 halls with buddha shrines. We climbed to one of the temples for great views of the stupa, the fort and the town.

Beyond Himalaya: Xigatse

Xigatse 3900metres, 5 December

-Most people on the tour seemed to be suffering from the altitude sickness. Indeed, a German girl had to be transported back to Katmandu overnight. Unlike the Everest trek, the Tibet tour seemed to rely on Diamox, the drug for altitude sickness, rather than proper acclimatisation. Thankfully, having been on 5600metres only 10 days ago, we didnèt seem to suffer even the mild symptoms of altitude sickness.

-We visited the 15th century Tashinpo Monastry, with its colleges and the residence of the Panchen Lamas. It was like a self-contained town, with its resident monks and people milling about, in and aout of narrow lanes.

-Xigatse itself had a Chinese feel with wide, clean streets, shops and government offices.

Beyond Himalaya: Tingri

Tingri, 4300metres, 4 December

-An amazing day and an eyeful unlikely to be repeated. As we drove uphill, vegetation became more sparse and patches of snow appeared all around. Before we knew it we were on the highest point of the Lalunga pass (over 5000 metres). We could see a whole range of Himalayan peaks. As I stood on this cold windy prayer-flag strewn spot, reminiscent of the top of Kaala Patthar in Nepal, it really did feel like the roof of the world because the mountains were in the distant.

-As we drove on, we also saw Mount Everest and Lhotse from the North side. Mount Everest had more snow than when we saw it up close and personal from Nepal and I would not have recognised it if it was not the highest peak with the trademark plume of cloud.

-We were now in the Tibetan plateau. Barren, brown hills with a multitude of folds and layers sparsely dotted with high-altitude settlements and huts.

Beyond Himalaya: Nyalam

Nyalam, 3700metres, 3 December

-We finally got to see Katmandu valley in all its winter glory as we drove to the border with Tibet. Mists hung over parts of the valley while some Himalayan peaks towered over the hills. Sadly the terraced fields were bare.

-Border formalities went smoothly but the landrover broke down just before the first Tibetan town of Zhangmu.

-Several hours of delay meant we finally arrived at Nyalam in Tibet well after dark. But the sunset as we drove up the hills was breathtaking.

The final word

"I came to Nepal to see Mount Everest, but I've got much more---the bus ride to Katmandu, the flight to Lukla, the forests, the rivers, the waterfalls, I don't think you can get all that anywhere else in the world." Muha

"There were times during the trek when I asked myself why I was doing it AGAIN. Now I know. The difficulties of high altitude in bitterly cold temperatures can defeat you---I've seen even the excruciating-load carrying porters and yaks panting for breath---but you just keep going. I'm glad I did, because nothing compares to what I've done and felt up on those mountains. I hope I can come back next year!" Al

Return to Lukla

25-30 November

The walk back, especially when descended into the forest zone, was great. I hadn't noticed how green and chromatic the woodslands of Nepal were on my way up. The area just below Tengboche, and Phakding, which I hadn't given a second thought to earlier, now seemed gorgeous. I wouldn't mind spending a few days in either of those places.

Gorak Shep

Gorak Shep, 5170 metres, -7 degrees celcius, 23-24 November

-Terminal morraine and semi-frozen streams lead to Gorak Shep, the highest habitation on our trek. Not a trace of green anywhere since Lobuche.

-Muha climbed the higher peak of Kaala Pattar (5610 metres) in two-and-a-half hours---I summitted half-an-hour later. It was cold and windy up there, but we stayed there to carry out the filming and photographing.

-The view couldn't have been better: Everest and the rest of the Himalayan giants (seen reflected in Muha's shades in the photo) crystal clear against the deep blue sky.

-Muha later said he couldn't sleep that night because he kept thinking of his ascent to the summit of Kaala Pattar.

Lobuche

Lobuche, 4940 metres, -5 degrees celcius, 22 November

-Endless exhausting climb up a steep, stony hill left me exhausted. My appetite failed and I was out-of-sorts.

-The "chortens" scattered on the top of the desolate hill serve as a memorial to the Sherpas and others who've died on Everest, a grim reminder of the risks involved in high altitude adventures but a dramatic and beautiful scene with colourful prayer flags flapping in the cold wind (the photo is not of the chortens, but the mist-ridden Tengboche).

Dingboche

Dingboche, 4350 metres, -3 degrees celcius, 20-21 November

-Muha had diarrhoea, but after a few visits to the loo and a litre of ORS, it disappeared.

-The altitude really hit us here, even a trip to the loo left us exhausted. Poor Muha!

-Surprisingly the walk up to Dingboche was less tiring than the first three days of the trek.

-Beautiful but bleak landscape as the clouds crept up the valley and envoloped the mostly barren surroundings.

-An enjoyable day trip to Bibre, a few kilometres up the valley, and the walk back to Dingboche was done in record time! We both felt fit, healthy and ready for more high-altitude action. Not a trace of altitude sickness anywhere!

Pangboche

Pangboche, 4000 metres, -2 degrees celcius, 18-19 November

-Muha developed a persistent headache, possibly a symptom of altitude sickness, so we broke short the trek and stayed at the same altitude for two days. He was better on the second day and regained his appetite (which still hasn't left him).

-We stayed in a lodge owned by a four times Everester and have a great time with his family. We also had the best "dhal bhath" (traditional Nepalese meal of boiled rice, lentil, vegetables, yak meat, and pickles) here.

Tengboche

Tengboche, 3860 metres, -2 celcius, 17 November

-Earlier part of the trek relatively easy but final uphill bit quite tortorous.

-Muha waited more than half an hour for me to catch up with him, but I'd gone up past him without either of us seeing each other!

-Stunning views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam in the late afternoon sun.

-One of the most dramatic locations of our trek with clouds and mists covering and revealing stunning mountain views within minutes.

-We slept in tents because all the rooms were taken by trekkers.

-We left some of our stuff in Tengboche to be picked up on our way down, because 10+kg at these altitudes was just too much.

Namche

Namche Bazaar, 3450 metres, 3 degrees celcius, 15-16 November

-Exhausting, steep climb up to Namche.

-We managed to make 9 hours out of a 5-hour trek, mostly because of me. I found it difficult to negotiate the stone steps and the endless uphills and downhills. Muha fared better but we were both exhausted when we reached Namche well after dark.

-But on the extra acclimatisation day in Namche, we made short forays up the hill and enjoyed the views and the exercise.

Lukla

Lukla, 2850metres, 5 degrees celcius, 14 November

-Stunning views from the morning flight to Lukla.

-Crisp, clear, but wintry air as soon as we stepped out of the plane.

Alive and well

Firstly, apologies to our friends and supporters for the delay in updating the blog. There were only two locations on the trail which had internet, but prices were far too prohibitive.

We're back in Katmandu, the Everest trek completed. Although it was hard, exhausting and, in some places pure torture, we managed to carry on. We're both safe and healthy (someone please tell Vishu we haven't died yet) and enjoying the cuisine and comfort of Thamel before heading off to Tibet tomorrow---but that's another story.

We were lucky. At least one trekker died of altitude sickness, many others couldn't go up to Kala Paththar, the highest point of the Everest trek, and several people had to be evacuated.

So many thanks to the medical advise of our friends in Katmandu, Shanoo, Bagey, Minna, and Shaishta. It should be noted here and now that without the ground support of Shanoo and Hilath, neither our Everest trek, nor our Tibet trek would be possible.

We're posting some photos of the Everest trek along with highlights from a record I've been keeping of the journey.

P.S When we visited Shanoo today, she was listening to 'My heart will go on' from Titanic---that's one more thing she has in common with Hilath.