Sunday, September 16, 2007

Himalayan Dreams to Seattle


Club Hulhevi's mountain introspective Himalayan Dreams starring Maldivian photographer Muha is to be screened in Seattle, USA. The film was officially selected by Tasveer, a non-profit organisation promoting independent South Asian cinema, for their 4th Independent South Asian Film Festival 3-7 October.

Himalayan Dreams premiered last December in Kathmandu, Nepal, at the prestigious Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival KIMFF 06, and was attended by Muha and friends in the city at the time.

A clip of Himalayan Dreams on YouTube has had more than 40,000 views in 10 months, but the film is yet to be formally screened here in the Maldives.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Rainbow over Vilingili


A stunning half-rainbow over Vilingili greeted me as I turned left, at the end of Majeedi Magu. Thankfully, a colleague, Niran, captured the sight and graciously donated it to my blog, which has been in need of an update badly.

A lot has happened in my life since the last post, most of it unexpected. I’ve taken up a full-time job in Male and moved to Hulhumale. My earlier plans to move to a North Maldives island community has, therefore, been shelved for now. Instead, I’m settling down to my new life on the artificial but quiet and spacious island of Hulhumale. In fact I would be content there if not for the nagging thought that I haven’t done anything creative for a while now.

But this may change soon. My friend Centerey and I are planning to shoot a music video on Hulhumale for Ramazan. This will give us a chance to work together again and hone in on our filmmaking skills.

Also planned for Ramazan is a new fitness and nutrition programme with very specific strength and endurance goals. But if I can get the windsurf board I’m trying to put together it would make this programme truly enjoyable. Windsurfing, I believe, combines all the components of the pre-trek strength training developed for me by Zinan. It builds coordination and balance, and strength in the legs, knees, arms and back. I suspect, that windsurfing may well fall into what the personal trainer in his blog describes as “functional training”. In other words, windsurfing is probably the ideal strength trainer for a trek in the Himalaya!

Nobody will be surprised to hear that, in the last few weeks or so, I’ve been dreaming mountains again. As soon as my contract is up I plan to go back to Nepal. Yes, in the spring or autumn of 2008, I hope to be in the Himalaya.

I realize now that my attachment to that part of the world may be the only really endearing attachment I have, left.