[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by deky

This has to be the best journey I have ever undertaken.

...and the best travelogue that we have ever undertaken to read!

Originally Posted by deky

For me and my mom it has been indeed an unforgetfull trip of a life time.

...and an equally unforgettable travelogue of a lifetime for us!

Thanks, Deky! You rock, Sailorboy!

[gd1418]

Deky,

Excellant & gripping tale with lucid narration. Reading the entire travelogue was like I myself was doing the trip through you.

Wishing your Mom a speedy recovery.

[rajesh1868]

deky,

doing a Kailash yatra has always been my dream and I think I was able to do it in a way thanks to your excellent travelogue. I hope I will be able to do this in real some time . Hope your mother is doing fine.
The way you have narrated each steps, the preparation taken etc is really great. This can be used as a guide for future yatris.
Once again , Thanks a lot .



@gd1418
Thanks a lot for the threats made

[Raj1008]

Just fantastic. Loved the pictures and the story telling. The whole surroundings and atmosphere seems surreal. Hope your mother is feeling better. Cant get over the picture where she is smiling for the camera despite being in pain. Mothers are so resilient.

[tortoiseNhare]

deky, as your description of the entire process of the yatra has been truly remarkable; bravo! As the saying goes in Sanskrit, Ghranena Ardha Bhojanam, for me it has been like Kailash-Mansarovar almost done, thanks to your thread.

Wish your mother speedy recovery.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@DEKY,

Thanks for sharing pics and travelogue.
This travelogue will be guide for team-bhpians for mt. kailash yatra.
Just came to know that my cousin and his wife were also on this yatra during the same time of yours.

I hope, your mother will recover in short time. Salute to her for this tough journey.

[raju2512]

deky

Thanks for the wonderful travelogue. I hope your mother is recovering fast.

The yatra was in the back of mind for a long time. I had an oppurtunity to do it in June this year but had to back out. My aunt who is 83 completed the yatra (but opted out of parikrama).

Her accounts and your excellent writing and photos have made me firm up my plans for the yatra, may be 2010.

Thanks again

[babupaul]

One of the best travelogue I have ever read! In a way its also had a rejuvenating effect on me. The pics were well captured and the narration complemented the piccs or should I say vice versa. Congratulations once again and please pass on our wishes to your mom for sucessfully undertaking this extremely challenging journey!

[architect]

Engrossing, detailed and packed with excellent pictures!... all the makings of a good travelogue. I really liked your personal touch and the way you describe your respect for the sherpas and the experience with the Chinese-Tibetan relationship.

I must say that Mansarover lake looks more like a painting, no doubt enhanced by your photography skills.

[deky]

@ Niks14 / anupmathur / gd1418 / rajesh1868 / raj1008 / tortoiseNhare / ASHISHPALLOD / raju2512 / babypaul / architect :-

Thank you all for the appreciation and the Best wishes for Mom

Originally Posted by Niks14

Does the Travel Agent arrange for the Chinese Visa or one has to get it stamped in India? What about the cost?

The visa is not stamped on the passport. It is a group visa for religious purpose (some kind of arrangement India has with the Chinese govt) attained by the travel agent. Only thing we had to do was to send our passport to the travel agent's man in Delhi for verification purposes at the Chinese embassy. The visa fees is included in the tour cost.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

There have been a couple of articles in The New Indian Express within the past six weeks or so on making this trip; some of the stuff I read was not very complimentary towards the private agents and organisers, and was especially critical of the lack of medical facilities. You might be interested to search their site and check out what they have to say. I have no idea if it was balanced, or if they had unfair expectations. Whilst the facilities you had seem to have been basic, perhaps that is only reasonable expectation of what is still s trip into the wild mountains. You seem to have been pretty impressed with the attention that you received; you certainly give a good impression of it.

My views in this trip log are totally based on my experiences on the trip. I had no expectations before starting this trip so whatever extra I got was a bonus. Hence I am very happy.

The group of sherpas we got were very hard working and with whatever limited resources available with them they made sure to make our 15 days very very comfortable and enjoyable. Plus how can we forget the help I got from them when Mom and I required them the most. I am sure the rest of the 23 in our group also share the same sentiments as mine.

I believe the key here is a small group. As mentioned earlier our sherpa to yatri ratio was 1:4, which was very good. In another group of 155 there were only 15 sherpas, which meant a ration of 1:10. Hence in that group, paying attention to each and every yatri could not have been possible. Plus with big groups chances of delays, of change in programmes due to health issues, of conflicts of egos amongst yatris, conflicts in food preferences etc etc go higher.

So if someone plans to go for this trip, I would strongly suggest that they should make sure to check the size of the group in advance and try to get themselves accomodated in a reasonably sized group.

[suman]

I sat & read through it in one go. A truly outstanding trip, an excellent travelogue & awesome pics !!!

Hats off to your mother for having gone through with it. Wish her a speedy recovery!

[adc]

Thats a great journey and fantastic travelogue, surely hope to make such a trip once later on.

Amazing photography and absolutely detailed narration - and of course wishing your mother on speedy recovery.

Again absolutely stunning travelogue and I don't tire myself saying it over and over again!

[phamilyman]

Amazingly awesome triplog. Without a doubt, one of the most fantastic I have ever read - and simply the best considering your mom's spirit - Salute!

as an aside, PLEASE watermark all your pics. They are liable to be filched off by content thieves.

Pity I can't give this triplog more than 5 stars!

[vensum]

Hey,

a great thread which i could remember for many days.

I have always been thinking of making this trip. But a tragedy at the family (my father in law died just after completeing the parikrama, he finished it and came back, sat in the jeep and instantly died, a great soul i guess) has put me in a tricky situation. Wife and other relatives just not allowing me to take it.

However I have decided that i will do this trip during next may/june. What I am planning is a bit different. Instead of taking the trip from Kathmandu to Kathmandu, i am planning to go to Lhasa, travel through the other side of the mountain to Kailash Parvat and return to Kathmandu. I was told that it is simply fantastic.

I would be too happy to take the lead and organise everything if around 40 of us are interested. The cost could go up a bit as couple of more flights would be involved. But after all we are all going to do this only once (unlike the uncle who has done it seven times, really great and hats off to him).

Kindly send across your initial responses (willingness) to me by mail at vensum@yahoo.com

I shall try and post a bit more details sometime later say in November / December. I have already started the groundwork on this.

[sudev]

Question: Can a group from India drive up in their own vehicles?