SPRING IN NEPAL

NEPAL 09
SPRING
GUIDES :-INDRA RANA & DARREN CLARKSON-KING

With wide eyes the bus set off from the airport and took you to the base at the hotel in Thamel, in Kathmandu Nepal. Following a day of seeing the sights buying clothes and getting into the Nepal vibe we set off from Kathmandu towards Pokhara but first a stop was called for and an introduction to Himalayan white water with a long day on the Trisuli river.
Following our night camp we set off again for the joy of the Trisuli, in the afternoon we set off for the Seti and our first taste of carrying camp gear in our kayaks. With heavy loads we camped and cooked on star fires. Filling our belly with yogi stew. Another day on the water followed and an early afternoon camp. Where we swan in the warm water and managed some quick roll drills. We ate our first taste of dhall bhat in the village before sleeping under the Himalayan night. Following a breakfast cooked on a star fire we settled into the river again and our journey to join the coffee pot mayhem at the Trisuli confluence. Quickly we were off to Pokhara and our hotel but we did not have time to waste. In the morning we set off with haste, taking down a power line on our way to the Modi Khola and hence forth the Kali GandakI. The Modi gave use some fun eddy scouting and some enjoyable low volume river running whilst the Kali open our eyes to must make moves with Big and Little Brother rapids taking a hit from the off. Our three days in this journey of discovery ended with a small party in the baking sun at the takeout. Up next, whilst some rested, was the quick play run of the upper Seti. A relaxed afternoon at lakeside followed before our morning ride to the Marsyandi .The dirt road bounced our bones as we drove to Bhule Bhule and our first taste of read and run class 4+ rapids. Time and again they hit us head on. At night we camped at Khude awaiting the second day of fun. The second day with rapid after rapid took us past the small samosa shack and the funeral ghats as we paddled towards Paundi. Waves crashed left and right but we held on well, our dreams will be forever filled with these memories. Paundi with the small tea house treated us well as we camped next to the Shiva temple.
Our final day on the Marsy saw some nice under cuts and some large holes, pushing all the way to our take out at Tuture. With some swims and some scouting our paddling would never be the same again. The journey back was full of sing song madness with a fuel of Red Bull and Vodka. Following our time in the chaotic capital we set off towards the Bhote Kosi, but this was not to be. Our final goal would be denied due to a road blockade just outside Dhulikel. After working through the options we drove to Fishling. We had come full circle and enjoyed the waves and stoppers that the Trisuli river offered us. Our final night saw a feast of Yogi Stew and fresh goat cooked over an open fire. Egg butties and filter coffee in the morning and we were back in Kathmandu quicker than expected. Tired we told tales of terror as we said goodbye to our new friends and got set to fly home.

TEVA

As a pro boater Darren often has to fill in profile reports, below are his answers to the questions that TEVA sent him for Athlete profiles. He just cannot wait to get to grips with the new line of shoes that arrive just before he goes to Nepal. The Himalayas are a great testing ground.

SPORT:Kayaking.

Do you have any rituals or superstitions with your sport? What are they? I dont have any rituals with my sport, but I make sure that I am always in the right mental state to perform.

What do you have love most about your sport? The freedom that kayaking offers.

What part of being on Team Teva do you like the most? I get to use the best footwear day to day to enhance my performance.

How old were you when you first started your sport? 12

If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow for your sport, where would it be? Asia, I spend a great deal of time in Asia and would love to live in Kathmandu the Himalayan rivers are dream locations.

When’s the last time you got absolutely worked in your sport? Ive have a few close calls and I remember damaging my rib a few years ago...I also got a major pin under a tree this last season.

How do you get psyched up to compete? What gives you the best adrenaline rush? I dont compete but I get the best rushes from the horizon line of a big rapid, running into the unknown. I dont like the word psyched. I prefer to be in complete focus and control.

What’s your take on the progression of your sport? I love the fact that people are looking to the past to design things for the future. Kayaking is growing and this is opening many doors for many people.

If you could do your sport with anyone in the world, who would it be? Walt Blackader or Mike Jones kayakers who were lost on the river.

What’s the first thing you do after a session? I take on fluids and a nice meal, curry yum yum.

What’s your favorite video section for your sport? The early kayaking videos always rock my world.

What’s the sketchiest move you’ve done, or place you’ve done your sport? Ive made some hellish moves in Pakistan but I think the sketchiest move was running from some Maoists on on the eve of a terror regime.

What’s your training regime? Do you have any training or competition tricks? I eat well, drink flluids and get out in a boat as much as I can. I use protein suppliment to complete my diet.

LIFE:
Who is your hero? Anyone who pushes the envelope, from Woody Guthrie to the Buddhist monks of Burma. I admire those that follow the dreams of the heart.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Bad Sitcoms

Do you have any nicknames? DAZ, Sasquatch

What’s a little known fact about you? Im lsdyexic

What’s your biggest pet peeve? People kayaking in low low rivers. Worst habit? Taking the p***.

What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? The bank balance.

What are you afraid of? I am afraid the most of loosing the feeling of freedom. I am afraid of loosing my free will.

Describe an embarrassing moment? It was back in 2004 we were walking up to a 1st descent river in Nepal, no one had been paddling hear before. I reached over to get some stuff out of my boat and lost all control of by bowel...

Where have you been in the world? India, Pakistan, Tibet, Morocco, Europe, Alaska, Canada, Tunisia, USA, Thailand and Norway.

What bones have you broken, stitches you’ve gotten, and battle wounds have you earned? Ribs have taken a beating, back is screwed, feet ache and bleed, fingers broken, stitches on my face from a boomerang...

What’s your personal website? http://www.purelandexpeditions.com/

INTERESTS:
Music lyrics to live by, and why: Gram Parson just check out the music or any Jimmy Buffett and hey you've gotta love Rev Hammer " With a breakfast at Dils Dinner and a camera and Swallows Falls, the Slate Caverns of Blaenau Ffestiniog..." these are my play ground.

What’s the ring tone on your cell phone right now? factory standard.

What’s your obsession, and what else do you spend money on, other than your sport? I spend a lot on fuel, and PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS is my obsession.

What CD is in your car right now? no CD player, radio 2 my friends.

What organizations or outdoors conservation groups have you worked with? I work with kids in the care system and support refugees from Tibet. Pure Land Expeditions is also eco aware and funds the growth of trees in a private woodland to off set our carbon footprint.

SELF SUPPORT KAYAK ADVENTURE

KAYAK-Gear list

Most rivers on our 'Nepal Self Support Kayak Trips' are warm water and the sun is very hot during the day, rain and wind although unlikely are possible.

PADDLE GEAR

Kayak, NOT playboat
PFD, we suggest one with a pocket
Paddle
Spare paddle/take apart paddle?
Paddle Jacket l/s s/s
Thermal top/s
Throw line / Rescue gear
Spray Skirt
Helmet
Wetsuit/Board shorts/Thermal bottoms?
Dry bags /and/or/ Air bags / Various sizes
River shoes

CAMP, GROUP AND TRAVEL GEAR

Personal Medication/First Aid
Knife?
Duct Tape
Rope/Kayak Straps
Wash Kit inc wet wipes/cutica solution, Paclite Towel
Large Mug or Wide mouth water bottle, Spoon/Spork/lhoon (option)
Sun glasses and strap, Sun Block, Sun Hat
Wool Hat?
Flash light/head torch
Pen, Book/Note Book?
Spare Clothes, inc warm top (such as a fleece or sweat top), trousers/skirt/shorts, socks, (T)shirt(s), thermal
top/bottoms? Underwear, Sport sandals/trainers? Flip-flops? Trek shoes?
Sleeping mat, Sleeping bag, 2/3 season, Bivvy bag?
Camera
mp3?
batteries?
Money/ATM card/Credit Card
Passport, visa info, copy of passport and air ticket info, passport size photographs x4
Day pack/dry pack/bum bag for city use?
Water bottle/bladder system,** note all group water is filtered with iodine or via a Katadyn filter**.
Sense of adventure

PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS-Tested Products/Suppliers

During all our years in the Himalaya on expedition trips, we have come to trust the products we use, from solo descents to large all inclusive trips.

Below is a list of the products that have been proven in the field not just by Daz but also by all our guides.

TEVA

For the last 8 years Daz has been wearing Teva footwear on all the Rivers in both Nepal
and India. Raft guides on both the Sun Kosi and Zanskar also wear TEVA out of choice.
They work well for both treks and river days. At the moment our choice is the Karnali or
Sun Kosi product, although we are aware other products are on the market. The Chaco
version is also praised on rivers around the globe.

PFD

Due to the nature of the rivers in Asia a PFD does not need to have a rescue harness since
its use is minimal. Pockets are important for storage of food etc. We suggest the Astral
Tempo due to its none restrictive design although some of our guides wear the Langer
AKC due to its large 'passport' pocket.

DRY BAGS

Dry bags need to be both strong and light, they need to fit well in the stern of the kayak
and be able to hold your gear. All PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS staff use HF, Watershed and
ALPKIT products when possible. The Watershed products with the padded liner are great
for fragile items like cameras, we use one for our laptop whilst in transit! ALPKIT do
drybags that pack small and are suitable as day packs but also for putting in the stern of
the kayak. The 20ltr Goudon is used daily. For stern kayak gear we use 12/20ltr HF sacks.

PADDLES

Paddles that break in the wilderness can cause major problems. Daz has used Werner
paddles off and on since 1995 and has never broken a set. Werner is also the paddle of
choice for all our kayak team. It is also suggested that the spare/take apart paddles are of
the same standard as your regular paddles. We use Werner take apart paddles and can
also hire high quality take apart paddles to the group. It is suggested that the group has a
spare set of paddles between every four members. Although your guide will also carry a
set.

CAMP GEAR

A self inflating mat is a great way to settle for the night, we use the THERMAREST,ALPKIT
or EXPED range depending upon trip length. We are very wary of down filled sleeping bags
as they are damaged when wet, we use synthetic products with Gore-Tex or Pertex outer
when possible. Our down bags are only used in Alaska and North India. During the spring
Nepal season one of our guides sleeps in his thermals and no sleeping bag! Tarps make
nice shelters but take up alot of space. They can be nice and cheap or expensive with all
bells and whistles, bivvy bags are suitable for this type of trip.

DISCOUNTS

SPRING IN NEPAL

We all know that the credit crunch is hitting our wallets hard. So here at PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS we are offering cash back on selected trips to Nepal in the spring, 2009.

That’s right, book 4 people on any of the dates and trips below and we will give £50 pocket money to each of you in Nepali rupees when you arrive.

These trips are experiences you will remember forever.

13th, March- Self Support KAYAK, Nepal. 16 Days, £600
This trip is designed for kayakers to develop skills in expedition kayaking. We run the trip as a bespoke package suitable for all ability levels from class 3 boaters to those that want to push the limits. This is true adventure kayaking, each night staying in local villages or camping alongside the river. Groups carry food and sleeping equipment in the backs of the kayaks so a strong class 3 roll is a must. This is a KAYAK only trip and schedules may include descents of the Bhote Kosi, Seti, Modi Khola please see www.purelandexpeditions.com for more details.

We are also able to offer bespoke expeditions to Tibet/Bhutan/Burma/Pakistan and multi-river raft supported packages.

13th, March- Sun Kosi, Nepal. **New Date** Kayak £750 Raft £850
20th april- Sun Kosi, Nepal. Kayak £750 Raft £850

This 16 day trip includes time in Kathmandu to marvel at the ancient temples and culture before descending the Sun Kosi river. We spend our days on this all time classic river. Voted in the top 10 raft runs in the world. The vista is beautiful and as we drift past villages time stands still. We camp each night on white sand beaches. Sitting around the camp fire with a drink in our hands we are miles away from stress. We awake each morning to face another perfect day on the river.
This trip features class 4 rapids along with flat sections. It is suitable for both rafters and intermediate kayakers. Please consult http://www.purelandexpeditions.com/ for more details.

Additional booking conditions for pocket money special promotion.
Bookings must be made for 4 or more people.
Deposit for all bookings must be paid before the 1st Feb 2009.
See website, http://www.purelandexpeditions.com/, for further booking conditions.

See you on the river
DAZ

DATES

HEY HEY, dates below for trips and river days. they will also appear on http://www.purelandexpeditions.com/ along with all details of INDIA, NEPAL and ALASKA trips.

SCHEDULE DATES 2008-2009


2008

NOV
22 Guided River Day Wales
23 Guided River Day Wales

DEC
6 Guided River Day Wales
7 Guided River Day Wales
20 Guided River Day Wales
21 Guided River Day Wales
27 Guided River Day Wales
28 Guided River Day Wales

2009

JAN
1 New Year Creek Special Guided River Day Wales
2 New Year Creek Special Guided River Day Wales
3 New Year Creek Special Guided River Day Wales
4 Guided River Day Wales
10 Guided River Day Wales
11 Guided River Day Wales

FEB
14 Annapurna Trek -Moderate- Nepal

MAR
7 Annapurna Trek – Hard- Nepal
7 Everest Base Camp Nepal
13 Self Support KAYAK Nepal
28 Sun Kosi Nepal

APR
4 Self Support KAYAK Nepal
20 Sun Kosi Nepal

MAY
Bespoke Nepal Trips / UK Guided River Trips

JUN
Bespoke Alps Trips
Bespoke Thailand Trips

JUL
Bespoke Alps Trips
Bespoke Thailand Trips

AUG
Zanskar – Raft and Kayak – India dates tbc
Bespoke-Zanskar-India-tbc

SEP
Tatenshinshi Kayak – Alaska tbc
Alaska bespoke Tat trip.

OCT
3 Sun Kosi Nepal
24 Everest Trek Nepal
24 Self Support Nepal

NOV
14 Karnali Nepal

DEC
5 Annapurna Trek –Moderate- Nepal

Bespoke departures are possible
Email: bookings@purelandexpeditions.com for further details.

TRIP START DATES LISTED.
CONSULT TRIP SCHEDULE AT http://www.purelandexpeditions.com .

For those that are having issues with down loading the Booking form from www.purelandexpeditions.com Please find a document below to cut and paste then send in an email.


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2 CAMFAR LLEINIAU
GELLILYDAN
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For bookings on expedition trips a deposit of £200 is required at the time of booking.
Final payment must be made 6(SIX) weeks prior to departure. This is not refundable unless the trip is cancelled prior to departure, by PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS/DARREN CLARKSON-KING.
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How I experience the river.

Calm before the storm, cliched mind games for sure. Lifing the kayaks onto the shoulder; portage on the side of reason without looking, without turning back to look at the fall so often portaged.

A glance is all that is needed, a line, fine but definite. No definition of thought- the process is far from clinical. It cannot be broken into aspects, into reason without end.

The mind witnesses the window of opportunity the glimpse of a chance and the grasp of the elusive. It is a hit to the heart that is searched for, a hit willing to be taken. Pulling all that is pure into the single moment of time. A capsule of stillness, a perfect moment.

The rapid is run, no dreams lay to rest in that moment it is all open to the elements; the driven form of this illusion we all face. It is open to what we represent in our thoughts as adrenaline. A thought form, a feeling that we cling to. Within the clinging the damage is done. Bravado diverts us from our true goal from the 'pure' form we search.

Only seekers understand the processes. The seeker in search of the truth who abandons all thoughts, feelings, mental illusions and perceptions for the perfect 'pure' moment in time. A moment when time slips from the realms of the rational thought. Where the mind once filled with images of reason and doubt is cast still. This is the reason to run rapids to go inside the disillusion of the masses to witness a 'pure' understanding of the moment between reality and the truth of the real.

The heart now still resting after the rapid run. The exaggerated chatter has subsided, stories told over a pint of 'best' relive the tender excitement of the run.

It is a river I have run so, so many times - each time a new experience. Each time a fresh page. On this occasion I am guiding two friends who have dreamed of this river for an age. In their minds they have built the river into a mystical place. Having never seen it they expect the worse. They perhaps, without knowing, place the rapids on a golden plinth they look on in awe. Does this attach too much to the perceived experience? does it divert too greatly from the here and now.

At the end after the dust had settled, after the run out rapid away from the walls that have bordered the experience - it is only then that a conclusion can be drawn. My friends solid boaters and great companions were pushed in this landscape, the mind map perhaps not understood. Visions of a tossed and torn windswept plateau seemed to embrace them.

Questions are always asked; conversations for whatever reason always resonate with the 'what grade is this' mantra. These that seek recognition change the grades. they say I am a class 5 boater. they think the world owes them the next big hit, it is this bravado this boasting of pushing the limits that lead to destruction. It is for these that chase the grade - the praise of peers and internalization of 'one up man ship' that the 'truth' of the 'real' experience will forever be out of reach.

We can all have the same fix for thrills if we push our limits. Although this seems not to be the be all and end all. For me like many others the river, sea, still lakes of the earth offer more. Sure even now I run hard whitewater but it is not the heart pounding thrill and adrenaline that I chase. It is the battle within to find the 'pure' aspect of the event. This 'pure'- the magic of stillness- of a perfect moment in time. This is all that matters and it can happen any time/any place.

Personally, it is this must make canyon or the lip of a drop, perhaps the ocean swell or the gentle caress of the paddle against the smooth water that is only and forever a catalyst. Yes it is a required catalyst but it is not the 'pure' 'truth' as the end game.

No matter what you paddle, be it flat calm lazy days or the heart thumping and raging rapids the truth of the pure-real experience is forever available to you.

SELF SUPPORT

OK gang just figured that you would love to see what adventures fuel our lives...just imagine what can we do for you...

Now we are looking forward to out self support trips in Nepal. We alreadyhave a 'closed' expedition in April Arriving in Kathmandu on 4th for 16 days. Althjough we have availability before and after this date. contact info@purelandexpeditions.com for dates and schedules.













This trip is going to be a blast. Running rivers, buying from local communities and running wild Himalayan rivers. The trip cost is £600 with an additional 'kitty' allowance during the trip. A sample of the schedule is below;













1 Arrive in kathmandu - stay Hotel






2 Trip overview, expedition planning-stay Hotel






3 Leave Kathmandu, Kayak Trisuli-stay tea house






4 Arrive Seti river and start descent-Camp






5 Seti River-Camp






6 Seti river take out and then Pokhara-Hotel






7 Relaxed Breakfast then drive to Birthithanti-tea house






8 Lower Modi to Kumsa - tea house






9 Kali Gandaki-camp






10 Kali Gandaki-camp






11 Kali Gandaki-Hotel in Pokhara






12 Trek to Madi Khola-camp/tea house






13 Madi Khola-Camp






14 Madi Khola-Camp






15 Madi Khola reft to Kathmandu






16 Leave for host country













hope you enjoy.













be safe- PURE LAND EXPEDITIONS TEAM