Changra La from Nirekhi, Khumbu

Hey. has anyone been from Nirekhi peak round to Changra La and down to Gorak Shep in the last few years? I am planning a trip for spring.

I am based in Kathmandu and a also asking locally. I would like info on conditions and route from Nirekhi base camp to the La.

Thanks

Sudan - Discover the Ancient

Sudan - Discover the Ancient!

We will be in Sudan for the next 3 months and would like to go on a trip through the country, we have been there twice but it definitely is not enough to get to more far away places. We would like to combine the desert and bush with the ancient monuments there. The trip will start in Khartoum and last about 3 weeks. We will first make our way up the Nile to visit Old Dongola and little Nubian villages, before heading towards the Meroe Pyramids (an absolutely stunning and magical place) and the 2 remote temples of Musawarat and Naga, before crossing the Bayuda desert to go to the Red Sea, where we would like to dive.

Apparently diving here is pristine, there are shipwrecks and remains of Jacques Cousteaus underwater experiments. All quite exciting...especially if one encounters the hammerhead sharks there!From there we will continue into unknown territory, down towards Kassala and further to the Dinder National Park - said to be a wild and remote area. There are nearly no tourists here, so we would be quite excited to see it.

From Dinder we will make our way back to Khartoum.We will travel in 4x4s and mostly sleep in the desert. Food etc. will be shared.Sudan is a country which is not overrun by tourists, often locals wonder, what one si doing there. Sudanese people are among the most friendly on the whole continent. An ideal base to dive into their culture!Photographers welcome - as its a very photogenic country!

Adventurers' adopted charity looking for donations

An A-List of Mountaineers support and endorse the Himalayan Stove Project. Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Tom Hornbein, Erik Weihenmayer and Jeff Evans serve as very active Advisory Board members, guiding the efforts of this unique US Based charity. Reinhold Messner, Simone Moro, Rebecca Stevens, Carlos Buhler, Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, Dave Hahn, Sandy Hill and dozens and dozens more distinguished Himalayan Mountaineers endorse their efforts as well.

All have suffered in the smoke-choked homes of the Sherpa's in Nepal, where the acrid wood and yak-dung smoke creates an enormous health hazard for the people who live in this fragile environment. The Himalayan Stove Project is dedicated to improving the health of the people in the trans-Himalayan region.The organisation provides free, clean-burning, highly fuel-efficient cook stoves to families living in the Himalayas who now cook with traditional, rudimentary stoves or over open fire pits inside their homes, consuming excessive amounts of precious fuel and polluting the indoor air to dangerously unhealthy levels.

Replacing open cooking fires and primitive stoves, improves health and quality of life of families by dramatically reducing indoor air pollution. It also decreases environmental damage in the fragile and sensitive Himalayan ecosystem by reducing de-forestation and reducing carbon emissions. The organisation has, thus far in it's first two years, delivered 1,400 stoves in Nepal, transforming the lives of individuals, families and communities, one clean cookstove at a time. It is staffed totally by volunteers who pay all their own expenses (including travel to Nepal) so that virtually all donated funds are used to accomplish their mission, and they make substantial contributions to the local economy.

Their on the ground work in Nepal is through experienced Himalayan Partners (including the Himalayan Trust (UK) and Community Action Nepal) who have had decades of close connection with the local communities, and know their needs.

For more information, and to make a donation, go to their website at http://www.himalayanstoveproject.org byGeorge Basch

EURO 48

Euro 48 is a 5 year project in which we hope to reach the highest point of every country in Europe. We are almost 3 years in and have 'summited' 32 of the 48. Our travels so far have taken us north to Norway's frozen peaks, south to Spain's Sierra Nevada and east to the Belarusian plains.

The trekking and climbing has also varied from a gentle stroll over the grassy hills of Denmark to a more strenuous Alpine ascent of Mont Blanc and full scale expedition attempt of Russia's Mount Elbrus. Finding the actual high point can be as much a challenge as summiting them sometimes as they are normally off the beaten track and hidden miles away from anywhere, but this is what makes EURO 48 a true adventure. That said, you don't need to be a professional adventurer to attempt it. The real beauty of this project is that it's open to anyone and you can approach it in whatever way suits you best.

We have travelled mostly at weekends as we both have family and work commitments but there is something extremely gratifying about being a secret weekend adventurer. You can fly off on Friday, get your adrenaline fix, soak up some of the sights, sounds and cultures of these countries before heading back to your desk for the Monday morning meetings feeling great!

Enjoy!