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I Am Looking at Her

I just saw Her. The Mountain. She looks enthralling and she really is the tallest. It only took another fourteen hundred feet climbing up from Namche and She was there. She is there. She has two summits, North and south, the Northern is the higher one. To the right of Her are Lhotse and Lhotse Shar, also damn high, and then Amadablam, very pointy rock. I never thought I would see this.

written by  ac on October 31, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Zoe je z Nového Zélandu. Je to asi nějaká kamarádka Wendy, která je taky odtamtud. Často si spolu špitají. Odkud jsou, se pozná, hned jak promluví. Když jsem kdysi přiletěl do Aucklandu, chtěl jsem od jedné uniformované paní vyzvědět, kde si mám vyzvednout zavazadla. „Lift!“ křikla na mě a ukázala vlevo. Marně jsem se ohlížel po výtahu, posílala mě jenom doleva.

A takhle mluví Wendy a Zoe. „Tid!“ zavolají a Ted se kupodivu otočí. A dneska už máme „Novimber“, jak ráno konstatovala Zoe. Je to jako říkat třeba „lístopad“.

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Novimber

Zoe is from New Zealand. She seems to be a friend of Wendy who is also from there. They often sit together and chat. You can tell where they are from at the moment they start to speak. When I once arrived to Auckland, I wanted a woman in uniform to tell me where is the baggage claim area. "Lift!" she barked and waved her hand to the left. I looked for a lift which was not there, she was just directing me to the left.

And this is how Wendy and Zoe speak. "Tid!" they call, and surprisingly, Ted turns to them. And today, we have the month of "Novimber", as Zoe stated at breakfast. It is as if Czechs called this month "lístopad".

written by  ac on October 31, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Letěla se mnou Wendy, aby natočila, jak padám. Udělal jsem trochu ostudu, byl to můj první skok z vrtulníku a vypadl jsem do kotrmelce. Ale ona to zvládla i tak natočit, ona je dobrá, možná nejlepší.

Celou dobu jsem měl respekt z přistání v tom řídkém vzduchu. Málokdy je příležitost přistávat v nějakých čtyřech kilometrech nad mořem, takže bych teď všem mohl tvrdit, že je to fakt náročná věc a že to chce opravdu velké umění a statečné srdce. Ale ono bude asi lepší říct pravdu: nic to nebylo. Přistávalo se na mírném, ale opravdu mírném svahu směrem s kopce. To mi taky nejdřív připadalo jako komplikace. Jenže pak to bylo všechno jinak. Dali mi vrchlík Navigator 280 a tohle monstrum vůbec nechtělo klesat. V poslední fázi jsem udělal snad půl tuctu esíček, abych se zkrátil, a stejně jsem byl tak o třicet metrů delší, než jsem původně chtěl. Ale místa byla přemíra. A pak se to prostě samo posadilo, tahal jsem za to úplně normálně, stoupnul jsem si a odešel. Brnkačka. Zítra jdeme zas.

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The Jump

So, today we did it. We did what we came here for. We got on the B3 Squirrel helicopter, took a ride little closer to the Mountain, then flew back over the airstrip and we jumped out.

I jumped with Wendy who was there to shoot a movie of me falling. It was my little shame, this was my first helicopter jump and I fell into several somersaults. She filmed it, anyway, she is good, probably the best.

All the time, I had a big respect of landing in the thin air. It is very rare occassion to land in the altitude of some thirteen thousand feet, so I could easily claim that it is really difficult stuff to deal with and it needs high skills and brave heart. However, it is better to be honest: it was nothing. The landing area was a moderate, very moderate slope and landing direction was downhill. That also concerned me a bit. But in the end, everything was different from expectations. They gave me Navigator 280 canopy and this monster would not descent. In the last phase of landing I did maybe half dozen of S-turns to be shorter and still I was like hundred feet longer than I originally wanted. But there was plethora of room. And then it landed like nothing, I pulled as always, I stood and walked away. Easy job. We go again tomorrow.

written by  ac on November 1, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Amadablam je vysoká špičatá mrcha a cestou nahoru jsme letěli tak blízko, že jsme ji lechtali vrtulí. Proto se možná při pohledu z dálky směje. Bylo to „hop&pop“, padák se otevírá hned po výskoku. V helikoptéře jsem si u otevřených dveří na chvíli odtáhnul kyslíkovou masku a dýchal jsem už docela ztěžka.

Pilot nám ukázal, že teď, a Travis si vystoupil. Dal jsem mu deset vteřin náskok a vypadl jsem taky. Napřed jsem si říkal, že to pilot nějak popletl, pode mnou a kolem mě byly jenom skály. Ale pak jsem ten tábor našel. No jasně, byl dole. A tentokrát to padalo a jak! Zůstal jsem na brzdách co nejdéle, protože na tohle by i věčnost byla krátká. Bylo tam fakt krásně. Nakonec jsem se dostal pod subtilního Travise a musel jsem rychle přistát. A to ani nemyslím tak, že byl spěch, myslím to tak, že to bylo dost vysokorychlostní přistání. Od žádné jsem ještě neutíkal tak rychle jako dneska od Amadablam. Ale nějak jsem to uběhl. Vůbec nejlepší skok.

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Best Jump Ever

This morning we decided to try something never done before. We will fly to the camp from which people climb to mountain with unprobable name Amadablam. The camp is 16500 feet above sea level. We will look around there, walk through the place, and then we will jump there. And that is what we did.

Amadablam is tall and pointy bitch and on our way up we flew so close we were tickling her with our propeller. That may be why she smiles when you look at her from distance. It was "hop&pop", you deploy your parachute right after the exit. In the chopter, by the open door, I tried to pull the oxygen mask off my face and breathing was really hard.

The pilot gave us "good to jump" and Travis took off. I gave him ten seconds head start and off I went. First I thought the pilot muddled it up, there was only rocks under and around. In the end I found the camp. It was down there, ofcourse. This time the parachute did go down, and oh, so fast! I stayed on brakes as long as I could, because even the eternity would be short for this. It was really beautiful up there. Finally I got under subtle Travis and I had to land fast. And I do not mean there was any rush, I mean it was a high speed landing. No gal made me run away as fast as Amadablam made me today. But somehow I made it. Best jump ever.

written by  ac on November 2, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Nechtělo se mi končit, otevřel jsem padák nízko a přistál jsem dřív než kameraman. Nezlobil se na mě, říkal, že byla zábava mě honit, i když věděl, že nemá šanci, dali mi na poslední skok o něco menší padák, že prý to zvládnu. A šlo to zvládnout, zase trochu fofrovačka, ale zábava.

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Two-way with Travis

Now, when Travis and I were fine with each other, we took Derek for the third jump. Derek is member of the crew and went with us to shoot a movie. We put a plan together. Devilish plan how we exit the chopter, fly into formation, get a grip, find the Sun, and turn into it. And there will be Derek, hovering between us and the Sun, filming it and taking pictures. There will be us in the take, Travis and me holding each other by hand like kids in a kindergarten (a kindergarten where kids fly), and the Mountain in the back. The plan worked. Derek said he would send the pictures to us after some time, but I saw some and it is really there.

I did not want it to end, I opened quite low and I landed before the cameraman. He was not angry, he said it was fun to Chase me, even though he knew there was not a chance. For the last jump they gave me somewhat smaller parachute, they said I would handle it. I did. It was a running race, again, but fun.

written by  ac on November 2, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Pro účely svých výprav a k užitku nám všem Ted zjednodušil vysokohorský kyslíkový přístroj. Takové zařízení může fungovat buď na principu „on demand“ - nasajete vzduch, ono to pozná a přifoukne vám to tam kyslík z tlakové lahve - nebo na principu „constant flow“ - kyslík z lahve pořád trochu utíká, takže kdykoli se nadechnete, je ho v masce dost. Když dýcháte „on demand“, musíte o ten kyslík trochu bojovat a silou ho vycucávat. Když používáte „constant flow“, vyprázdňujete láhev, i když nedýcháte. Je tu ovšem ještě Tedův způsob, při němž se kyslík, který nedýcháte, nenechá utíkat, ale zachytává se a schraňuje pro další použití. Kdybych to vymyslel sám, byl bych na sebe pyšný, takle jsem pyšný alespoň na Teda.

Jednu Tedovu historku pustím, ale jenom tuhle jednu: na začátku svých pokusů používal Ted pro zachycování kyslíku kondom, který normálně koupil. Když se po čase musel přestěhovat ze své rodné Británie do Francie, kde v pokusech pokračoval, narazil na nečekanou potíž - i ty největší kondomy prodávané ve Francii byly pro jeho zařízení nedostatečné. To ho přimělo upravit přístroj do podoby, jakou má dnes.

Na dýchání jsem vůbec nemyslel. Měl jsem masku na obličeji a prostě jsem normálně dýchal. To, že je tam někde kondom, nebo co to vlastně dneska je, mi vůbec nepřišlo na mysl.

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Ted Is Our Oxygenius

Now when we all jumped ourselves out and off, it may be the time to reveal what is Ted's use to us all. Ted is inventor, he invents things. And he climbs mountains, the tallest ones. He has number of stories to tell, it appears he was at least several times dead in essence. However, it is his stories, I cannot tell them for him. I have enough of my own stories, anyway...

For the purpose of his expeditions and for the sake of us all, Ted simplyfied alpine oxygen supplying device. Such a device can work on one of two principles. It can give you oxygen "on demand" - you suck air in, it recognises it and spits a portion of oxygen from pressurized tank - or you can use "constant flow" - the oxygen leaks from the cylinder at all times, so when you breathe in from your mask, it is always there. When you breathe "on demand", you have to fight for oxygen and use power to open the valve and suck oxygen in. If you use "constant flow" you lose oxygen even if you do not breathe. But there is also Ted's way. Ted's aparatus puts the oxygen you do not breathe aside for later use. If I engineered this, I would be proud of myself, now atleast I am proud of Ted.

I will release one of Ted's stories, but only this very one: in the beginning of his experiments, Ted used condom for saving the excessive oxygen. Ordinary condom that he purchased in a store. Later on, when he had to leave his motherland, Britain, and he moved to France, where he went on with his experiments, he came accross an unexpected complication - even extra large condoms sold in France were not sufficient for his device. That made him modify the technology to the form it has now.

I did not think of breathing at all. I had the mask on my face and I just breathed normally. The fact that there is a condom somewhere inside (or whatever it is now) did not come to my mind.

written by  ac on November 2, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Sherpa Is Not a Porter

I used to think that Sherpa was an occupation, a job description. That it was the one who carries things up and down the Mountains. It is not true. Sherpas are ethnic group. It is a nation that lives on the Mountain slopes. They have their own history, habits, typical clothing, traditional names and food. They climb the Mountains as if it was nothing, so when the white men came, they offered them they would carry burdens for them, because there was no one else to handle it. But it does not make them servants. In fact, they are the only masters of Himalayas.

written by  ac on November 3, 2012 from Namche Bazar, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Zkusil jsem si na chvíli obléct takový ten tibetský kabát. Je to vlna, která je z yaka, a zavírá se to vepředu takovou obří klopou se třemi knoflíky. Není v tom k vydržení, strašně to hřeje, yakovlnná trouba.

Pak se tu dělají věci z materiálu, kterému se říká Marina. Je to vlna, co se bere kamzíkům zpod Brady. Když z ní utkají šátek, je tak jemný, že ho hladce protáhnete snubním prstenem, přestože je půl metru široký. Tak se to na trhu opravdu zkouší - když to jde protáhnout, je to Marina. Marina je lehká a voda po ní stéká, místo aby se vsákla.

Dokážou taky různé druhy vlny míchat, čímž dosahují různých stupňů pevnosti, váhy a ohebnosti. Těm směsím pak dávají názvy. Připomíná to obchodování s kořením.

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Fully Wooled

It is close to unbelievable how many types of wool they use in Nepal.

I tried to put on the Tibetan coat made of yak wool. It closes with a giant front lapel with buttons. It was hardly bearable to wear it, it was so warm. Microwool oven.

Then they make fabrics they call Marina. It is made of wool they get from under Mountain goat's chin. When they weave a scarf of it, you can pull it smoothly through a Wedding ring, even though the scarf is twenty inches wide. They really test it like this in the market - if it goes through smoothly, it is Marina. Marina is light and water flows over its surface instead of soaking into it.

They also mix different types of wool getting various degrees of firmness, heaviness, and elasticity. Then they give the mixtures brand names. It is pretty much similar to spice and seasoning business.

written by  ac on November 4, 2012 from Kathmandu, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Nenapíšu, jak jsem se po první noci v hotelu zpátky v Kathmandu probudil se ztuhlým a bolavým ramenem. Nenapíšu, jak mě celý den, co jsem se toulal úzkými uličkami města, honili prodavači tygří masti, abych si od nich aspoň jednu koupil, a já jsem je zaháněl, abych se pak v noci probudil bolestí a s vědomím, že jsem zaháněl své strážné anděly, protože tygří mast je přesně to, co by mi na to rameno pomohlo.

Nenapíšu, jak mi Zoe přiběhla nadšeně oznámit, že v hotelu prý je bazén, a já jsem se s ní vsadil o lahev červeného vína, že tam nebude voda nebo to bude nějakým jiným způsobem nepoužitelné, a tu sázku jsem prohrál.

Nenapíšu, jak jsem v centru města potkal skupinku vysmátých Budějovičáků a dal jsem si s nimi kafe.

A nenapíšu, že na cestě domů mi samozřejmě ztratili zavazadlo a slíbili, že ho do večera zase najdou...

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It is over

It is finished I am not writing any more.

I won't write how I woke after the first night back in Kathmandu with blocked and hurting shoulder. I won't write how I wandered the narow alleys of the city all day, chased by street sellers who persuaded me to buy at least one tiger balm, and I kept sending them away, to find myself later in the middle of the night awoken by shoulder pain and realizing that I was sending away my guardian angels, because tiger balm is the only thing that could have helped me.

I won't write how Zoe ran to me all excited to tell me that there is supposed to be a swimming pool in the hotel and how I bet her for a bottle of red wine that there would be no water or some other catch that would make the pool nonfunctional, and I lost the bet.

I won't write how I met a group of merry people from Czech Budejovice in the city Center and I had a coffee with them.

And I won't write how the airlines lost my bag on my way home but promised they would find it by the evening...

written by  ac on November 6, 2012 from Kathmandu, Nepal
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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Ama Dablam Base Camp Skydive: http://youtu.be/_xknhtzCmIg

Two-way over Everest: http://youtu.be/WlhfU3m31JU

written by  ac on November 12, 2012 from Praha, Czech Republic
from the travel blog: BeMyNepal
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