Such Heavenly Pursuits:

Alan Ingram could be forgiven for feeling entitled to a quiet and relaxing festive period. After all he had just returned from a three month trek through the Himalayas, which saw him swelter
through sub-tropical days and, at night, huddle for warmth in sub-zero temperatures around a yak dung fire. In between he managed to distribute £125 to needy communities, money which
had been raised from local people after we published an appeal in the Herald last year.

Back home in Bearsden’s North Grange Road, Alan said that the trip had gone according to plan and gave the Herald a copy of a report he has written of his three treks along
the rooftop of the world.
“It went well in that I managed all three treks and came back when I had planned to,” he said.
“And I also managed to spend some time in Kathmandu which I enjoyed.”

Langtang Valley:-

His first trek took him to ‘The North of Kathmandu’. A trip which started with a plane journey into the city courtesy of a Royal Nepalese ﬂight, through a lightning storm.
Once there he made contact with the Highland Sherpa Trekking Agency and received the necessary permit for the 12-day trek to the Langtang Valley on the
Tibetan borders and back over high passes. He was also fortunate in obtaining the same guide, Ang Jangbu Sherpa who took him on his previous trek on a circuit of the Annapurna Himal.

Alan then spent two days enjoying the sights and spectacles of Kathmandu before a crowded local bus took him and his party on a ten hour journey to Dhumche and the start of the trek.
After collecting more permits and an entrance ticket to the Langtang National Park, where all visitors have to be self sufficient in food and fuel, they bedded down.
“The first night was spent in a rude lodge, grandly titled ‘Hotel’, offering spartan facilities,” he recorded.
“These lodges are used by some for ‘Tea Shop Treks’ and, although inexpensive, are not generally to be recommended because of the high probability of contracting stomach or bed bugs."

For the ﬁrst few days of the trek, he was walking through the remnants of the monsoon, but the weather cleared as they reached the village of Langtang with its 11,500 feet yak pastures.
They moved on to Yala peak at 16,500 feet before returning to the village where Alan distributed 600 rupees to both the medical station and school.
"Although that is only about £15, it represents almost a full month’s salary for a teacher,” Alan explained.

Camp in Langtang Valley

Their journey continued through damp, leech-infested forests by day and hail and snow by night, enlivened by a visit to a local festival in the village of Sybru.
Through the ups and downs of the path, Alan was grateful for the help of his guides and porters. “During the trek I was constantly amazed at the load bearing ability of
Nima and Pirim Bahadur who, although small, only about 5ft 6in and not particularly well built, carried up to 35kg / 90lbs and still skipped nimbly down the steep paths and
scarcely slowed on the ascents."

Everest Trek:-

For his next trek, Alan was to undergo a stomach churning trip on his way to Everest, “Goddess Mother of the World”.
“The plane climbed steadily over high terraced hillsides, everywhere strewn with scattered houses. To the north the giant snow scapped peaks of the Himalayas formed a
massive barrier with Tibet.
“Approaching from below, the plane bumped wildly up the sloping unsurfaced runway then swung sharply through 270 degrees to come to rest on a small ﬂat area at the top end.
The passengers burst into spontaneous applause in sheer relief.”

This trek involved a great ascent to acclimitise Alan to the altitude before the rewarding glimpse of Everest could be seen. Alan's trip was enlivened by unusual
sights including Yak caravans; an injured trekker being carried downhill on the back of a perspiring porter and the Mani Rimbu Buddhist festival in Thengboche.
Ritnalistic dances, in weird and colourful costumes and elaborate masks to the accompaniment of cymbals, drums and huge Tibetan ‘alpine homs’ lasted all morning and
afternoon concludingin the evening with traditional Sherpa dancing.”

Everest from Kala Pattar

The group continued, through the alleged habitat of the mythical Yeti, to their highest campsite at Lobuche ( 16,200 feet ) where they warmed themselves over
a surprisingly effective yak dung fire.
The next day they climbed to Kala Pattar at 18,200 feet for an awe-inspiring sight of Everest in high spirits. These, however, were lessened at the news that a group leader of
another trekking party had succumbed to altitude sicknes and a Sirdar of a climbing group had slipped from a path to disappear without trace. A timely
reminder of the danger of trekking in the Himalayas.

Annapurna Sanctuary:-

The third trek took the party along the beautiful but treacherous route to the Annapurnas.
After several days difficult journey, Alan and his group reached the snow ﬁelds of Annapurna l where an ice axe and crampons were necessary
to make further progress.
“From our vantage points high in the centre of the Sanctuary the immensity of the surrounding mountains was awe-inspiring. The profound silence was
violated on occasion by the reverberating roar of an avalanche as huge blocks of snow and ice broke off and crashed, amidst billowing plumes
of spindrift, to the glaciers below.

Annapurna I from Rakshi Peak

“On the ﬁnal day of the trek, a viewpoint from the ridgetop above Pokhara provided a superb Himalayan panorama extending from
Dhaulagiri (8l70m) in the West, through the Annapurnas and Maccapucchare, to Manaslu (8l60m) in the East. A fitting ﬁnale to a
spectacular l4 days.

During his three months stay, Alan distributed all of the £125 donated by Bearsden residents and explained that, in a country which
is still largely illiterate, they were well received.
“To see someone walk in from nowhere and hand them money, it knocked them flat on their backs,” he said.
The money went largely to schools and medical centres as well as to the Annapurna Conservation Project and the Cystal Club, self-help group.

Through meeting a large and varied number of fellow trekkers on the trip and hearing their tales, Alan’s appetite was whetted to go back but not for some time yet.
As he explained beore his most recent trip trekking can be an expensive business, and even now he had on occasion, to be thankful that even in the foothills
of the Himalayas, a Barclaycard will do very nicely.

Milngavie & Bearsden Herald, January 1989