Wholly fricking EXPENSIVE

I just went to a company that processes Visas. Ultimate destination Nepal of course. I could have done this myself but I used this company before and it was relatively painless. THIS time there was significant pain... to my pocketbook!! They charged me $224 for a Visa to Nepal. Two-Hundred-and-twenty-four-dollars-and-ninety-one-cents to be exact. I was dumbfounded! I just looked at the woman behind the counter and said "Are you sure?!" She replies "Oh yes ma'am, it will take 11 days that's with tax of course" My brain is whirling, should I say fuck it, snatch my passport from her hand along with my "almost happy visa photo" and do it myself? I have a month but what if I screw it up and I don't have my passport back in time for Bhutan? But Jesus, I don't need the express service here.



I got back to work and googled Canadian Visas for Nepal. $80USD for a multiple entry into Nepal. Now lets say they Fedex my documents to the Nepali Consulate in Toronto at $40 both ways. Righto that's about $160 and that would mean that the Visa company is taking about $60 in profit. Providing they ARE sending it on an expensive courier which is feasible I suppose if I'm getting all my stuff back in 11days. I dunno, it still feels like I've been raped and pillaged in some way.



I could have waited and gotten a Visa entry at the Kathmandu airport, but I have visions of long line-ups, no air conditioning, people jostling in line and one bored Government Official moodily stamping passports. In the long run I would rather pay the bucks and have the Visa beforehand. Next trip though I hope I have enough lead time to do it myself and save some money.



I am also looking at Cameras. After my Mongolia trip I decided to put away my SLR for good and go totally digital. I really couldn't see a measurable difference between the shots taken with my Canon and the images taken from my point and shoot camera. I should back up thats not entirely fair. The wide angle zoom lens on my SLR made for excellent closeups and I could get some quality shots from far away. While I've been leaning towards buying the Canon EOS Rebel digital back which can take my existing lens, it would work out cheaper to pick up the newest generation of Long zoom Wide Angle Digital Cameras. One draw back I won't be able to change lens but honestly, I don't do that with my Canon anyhow. A friend has recommned the Panasonic DMCFZ18K Lumix Digital Camera. The reviews are positive. I'm amazed at what you can pick up now for $500. Digital technology just keeps getting more affordable and its looking like its about the amount of camera I need. Its smaller than what a DSLR would be and cheaper but I think the quality will be fairly good. While I love to take images and I know I have a good eye for composition, I really haven't been too focused (pardon the pun, ha yuk) on the technical aspects of photography. Perhaps lucky for me that I can take my images in photoshop and tweak enough to make up for my lack of technical ability. But at the end of the day that can't replace a well composed shot, and engaging subject matter.

Jason Thompson informed me that I am now on the roster for his annual Cognac and Cheeze Slideshow. A much anticipated event that I look forward to. Typically it has been Colin, Jason and Rapheal presenting cool stuff they've done over the year. Last year Jason didn't feel he had as much to contribute and he changed it up by having Nic and Karena presenting on their trip to Nepal, although they also climbed mountains there so it still fit. I reminded him that I wouldn't be climbing in Bhutan and he gave me a look and said "Its not all about climbing Lise" and fair enough. Its a group of friends who love the outdoors and we love to see what other people are up to. It will be missing Colin's presence and that'll be tough and I think it will especially underscore that the real event is all of us enjoying each others' company and looking at cool pictures. Now I feel like I'm on assignment! :-)

Think a happy dod

The money has been wired am I one step closer to Bhutan! I've recently been surprised to find out that there are in fact more than 3 people who have been known to read my blog and I'm flattered. For the first 3 of my dearest of readers my ramblings about Bhutan will sound eerily reminiscent of my pre-Mongolia-arrangements. However I was never told to "think a happy dod" before. This occurred today as I got some photos taken for my Nepali Visa. Apparently Bhutan is content when they have your copious amounts of cash and a faxed version of your Passport. Nepal wants a photo of you looking like a criminal before they warmly welcome you to their country. Which isn't too far off of my Passport photo where I could easily pass for Karla Hulmuka. (for my American readers, she is a nasty Canadian killer, I think she's free now).

I didn't want to look like I just murdered my neighbour this time. The first shot the nice little asian photographer took of me, I responded "I look mad, can I smile?" She shook her head. "No smile, no country like smile. But you think Happy Dod and you look better" As she's readying the camera again I am quickly trying to ascertain what a "happy dod" is. Ah.. a THOUGHT. She wants me to think a "happy thought". She's almost ready to click the damn camera, happy thought QUICK, so I think of sex. She smiles at the view finder, and as she's turning the camera around to show me remarks "See Happy Dod does make difference see?" Well I'll be damned that happy dod of me being.. well never mind. Lets just say that in my newest Visa photo for Nepal I look... content.

Next on the list will be to book my flight. I will be headed back to dreaded and most reviled Heathrow Airport. Readers I direct you to my blog about Switzerland, Christmas 2006. My climbing luggage got into an argument with Heathrow, climbing luggage got a vacation to Italy for a month while I was in Switzerland borrowing climbing gear from a generous local climber. Hate Heathrow. Heathrow is where the humourless security man took away my gifts of Maple Syrup bought at a duty free store (still in the sealed duty free bag) that had gone through 3 fucking security scans already. He smiled as he put them in the "contaminated" bin. (ok I'm bitter but I got stuck in England in a mediocre hotel overnight and this added insult to injury) Heathrow now dubbed Hell is a place I will be reluctantly visiting enroute to Quatar enroute to Kathmandu, and eventually to Paro, Bhutan.

Tomorrow I'll be sending off the Nepali Visa request and start researching what heinous deseases I should be innoculated for and most likely taking a trip to the international health clinic. The fun is just begining!

Planning for the Spring

Another trip on the horizon - yippee! I have been thinking, dreaming and scheming of traveling to Bhutan ever since I did a research paper on the culture and country last year.

It has the lure of a very limited tourist and environmental footprint. The country has closely monitored the impact due to people like myself. The downside to tourism is that those of us that love to travel and experience other cultures also have to take responsibility for at times negatively impacting a country with our tourist dollars, lifestyle and our physical presence. Tourist trade infrastructure builds up and the culture becomes dependent on our first world dollars. A double edge sword. Bhutan's response has been to severely limit tourism and charge alot of money to the people who still want to go there. They allow roughly 9000 tourists in a year, in contrast to Nepal who has an average of 400,000 tourists per year.

Pull out your pocket book if you want to travel to Bhutan. The average cost per day will be over $220USD per day. There is no slumming it here as you must be listed with a government approved tour company to get a Visa into the country.

The way I assess things, is that in 10yrs will I think "I'm glad I didn't go there, it was too expensive" or will I be kicking myself in the ass? I already know the answer hence why I'm wiring money to the Bhutanese tour operator this week. Next will be booking the flight to Kathmandu. A mere 32hrs to get there, including lay-overs. I'll bring a good book or two or three.

This brings me to the discount flight companies we love to hate but use because the prices ARE good. I have only one observation to the aspiring flight taker to international destinations. If you are making international transfers, changing airlines etc give yourself plenty of time in between. I looked at some flights schedules that would have given me a paltry hour to change airlines in Bankok. I almost laughed. I've never been to the Bankok airport but I have spent time in airports in Kenya, Tanzania, China, Peru, Mongolia, England and Mexico. An hour is barely enough time for the logistical areobatics of getting luggage off of one plane to the other in a first world country let alone third world. I've witnessed the cacophony of sounds, people and flurry activity around transferring planes. I'm amazed I got on some of my flights, WITH my luggage. However that is just my experience, if you are blessed with traveling angels who look after you then go crazy. I recognize that I must have been really shitty in my previous life as I am cursed with traveling "issues" shall we say. Suffice to say I am happy with 4hr layovers. I'd rather be bored than stressed trying to make a connection or manage an unplanned situation. Afterall one never knows when a flock of birds will disable one of the plane's engines, your dental bridge will fall out in the Lima airport,  you'll spend an unplanned night in Denver or Saltlake City or your luggage will sit in Italy for a month when you are spending 2 weeks in Switzerland, but those are other stories.

One thing that will make this trip unique is that I'm travelling alone. As alone as one can be on a tour, I will be the only client. I'll be with my guide, porters and pack animals. I'm really looking forward to this style of travel. those of you who follow my blog know that things have been difficult for me these past couple months. I've found myself retreating to my home, creating a quiet and lower-stress lifestyle. Giving myself permission to truly accept and integrate my life experience as best I can. Its not that I'm hiding out from life, but definitely taking a slower approach. The idea of trekking almost solo over mountain passes in a foreign country is so appealing. I look forward to a more intimate experience in a new country.

I can't wait to leave. My soul is calling for peace, for quiet and for healing. In some way it feels like Bhutan holds some of those things. Its also given me something to look forward to, a bright spot!