Helicopter to Chame on Sunday 2 July

[yakshaver]

If there is some lost soul out there endeavouring to do a trek in the "rain shadow" of the AC - and avoid the worst of the hot/steamy/leechy lower area of the trek - I have one seat on a helicopter flight from Pokhara to Chame for Sunday 2nd of July. For a fee of course... I've always been easy, but never cheap.

[Buddhamountain]

Yakshaver, don't want to give you a hard time or be rude, but, this kind of surprises me ......., how many gallons of kerosene will be burned just to avoid some raindrops and leeches? Imagine if ........:o

[yakshaver]

Yakshaver, don't want to give you a hard time or be rude, but, this kind of surprises me ......., how many gallons of kerosene will be burned just to avoid some raindrops and leeches? Imagine if ........:o

Buddhamoutain I appreciate your concerns. I have given thought to the issues you imply.
That you are surprised, it means you have probably formed the wrong image about me - at least in this respect. I not dogmatic at all in my approach to trekking. Pragmatic might be more the word that characterises me.
I simply do want to spend a lot of time in various places (not the "straight" AC, but a very convoluted route in and around certain parts of the AC. And this is what suits me this time around. I have done all sorts of treks in Nepal, and no, I don't appreciate the hot and humid temperatures. I have enough hot & humid happening in Australia for 8 months of the year... You can do the Besi to Chame part for me if you like, in July. Be my guest. But I won't do it if I can help it. If I'd have no other solution I would put up with it. I've never been a "hero". Or a masochist for that matter. Always employ a porter to carry my stuff, for example.
I am also a member of Greenpeace.

[hoot72]

Ahhh..the leaches of pokhara...much blood did they suck from my veins..

[yakshaver]

Ahhh..the leaches of pokhara...much blood did they suck from my veins..
You are so right hoot! What I forgot to mention is that, having a grandfather from Transylvania (no kidding), I do hate competition in terms of sucking blood. So this must be the real reason why I avoid the Besi to Chame section during the monsoon...

[Boulia]

Yakshaver, enjoy your trip. I am sure at some stage during the Gold Coast half marathon on Sunday i will wish I had taken up either option, the helecopter ride or even the Besi - Chame section.

Look fwd to hearing how your trek goes at this time.

[julia]

and no worries about the LYW either! Or do you?

[Escher]

and no worries about the LYW either! Or do you?

No the LYW lives at high altitude. Yakshaver is getting a chopper in so he can be in her clutches sooner without having to walk in! Ahh, it must be love.

This is the real reason Yakshaver is going during the monsoon, he can't wait to see his hairy lover.

All this talk of avoiding leeches is just a smokescreen. Well spotted Julia.

[yakshaver]

I will neither confirm nor deny...

I thought you guys were my friends...

I feel like Julius Caesar, saying: E tu Brute?!!

Low, very low. Not speaking to Escher and Julia anymore.
Plus my lawyers will speak to your lawyers. I am also told that the solicitors of LYW are thinking of starting proceedings against you. But for all the wrong reasons. They maintain that any publicised insinuation of a possible liaison between the afformentioned LYW and me will be a slur and and insult. Therefore you guys are liable for defaming her character. Which in turn means that they are defaming mine. So I have to sue LYW too. What a mess...

All your fault.

[Todd Delaney]

Hi Yakshaver,
So envious...
Insurance? Any tips on which Australian based insurance companies are currently providing policies with emergency evac for Nepal. Presumed you have recently finished shopping around since you've just left Sydney...

I'm heading off to Nepal late September this year with my 60 y.o. father. We plan to fly into Lukla, then take our time walking up to Gokyo, spend a few days poking around there, then maybe see how we feel about walking over Cho La on towards KP and EBC... Can't wait !!! Trying not to set too high an expectation for Dad, not even sure if we'll make it to Gokyo, he's really fit, really keen...just hope the old knees and joints up. I Did AC back in April 2001 with my wife... can't believe it has been so long. We now have a 6 month old little girl, so she's volunteered to stay home this time, bless her.:D

[Escher]

Yakshaver is in Nepal right now but I know he always recommends QBE insurance in Australia. Indeed I believe he had to have an evac once and he has mentioned at how fast and easily they settled his claim.

[yakshaver]

Regardding insurance:

Yes Todd, Escher is right, I had one oportunity to settle a claim with QBE, when evacuating with my sick son. They settled quickly. But I had all the documentation, including receipt from the airline (they included a letter sayng the evacuation was for medical reasons), the doctor's certificate from the hospital in Pokhara (in KTM I recomment CIWEC). Then I wrote a one page letter, telling basically the story. They even paid my phone call from Manang, as I could not do reverse charge from there... And because of their stupid bureaucratic stystem (they could not locate Manang on their map, apparently it was a requirement - how stupid is that!!) they kept me on the phone for more than 30 minutes, which meant about 100 dollars. But I wrote a paragraph about that in my letter, and they included that in the payment. So I can' really fault them.

Everyone,
I am in Pokhara right, now and look forward to watching the footbal tonight.

Helicopter to chame tomorrow morning.
We'll email you from Chame. Or Pisang. Or Manang at the latest.

[Todd Delaney]

Escher, Yakshaver...Thanks for the help.