More kids at Kenja, Everest trek
19 April 1986
The sherpa kids all had necklaces bearing the Dalai Lama.
Thai soldier
7 March 1986
The army were around in force in northern Thailand. This is waiting for a bus headed to Fang near the Elephant training school north of Chiang Mai.
South-east Asian backpackers – 1985
Around 21 December 1985
Typical mix of nationalities you’d meet on the road, L to R: Caroline (Australia), Mike (NZ – at that time), Chris (Aus – with Burmese ancestry), Alain (France/Israel), Evi (USA), Ian (UK). I travelled through Bali, Java and Sumatra for 2 months with Alain & Evi.
This is at the Kota hotel in Solo, or Surakarta in central Java. We had 2 triple rooms for 5000 rupiah ($4.50 at the time).
Bridge washed away
23 April 1986: Day 6 – Everest trek
“On 4 August 1985 Dig Tsho, a moraine-dammed glacial lake in the Khumbu area of eastern Nepal, burst above Thame. For the region close to the origin of the outbreak the consequences were catastrophic. The destruction of a newly built hydroelectric power plant, 14 bridges, about 30 houses, and many hectares of valuable arable land, as well as a heavily damaged trail network, resulted from 5 million m3 of water plummeting down the Bhote Kosi and Dudh Kosi valleys. The breaching of the moraine was triggered by wave action following an ice avalanche of 150,000 m3 into the lake”.
The 1985 Catastrophic Drainage of a Moraine-Dammed Lake, Khumbu Himal, Nepal: Cause and Consequences. Daniel Vuichard and Markus Zimmermann
Mountain Research and Development Vol. 7, No. 2 (May, 1987), pp. 91-110
Left Nuntale at 6.45am heading down to the Dudh (milk) Kosi (river) in 75 mins. Crossed it on a precarious ‘bridge’ made out of branches, stones and the like.
Sirdar and guides on a World Expeditions trek – with two women from Melbourne only.
First day in Rangoon, Burma
Gilded Buddha at the Sule Pagoda – 1 April 1986
Walked from the Garden Guesthouse to the Sule Pagoda.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sule_Pagoda
The golden pagoda is surrounded by an almost carnival array of gaudy, kitsch architecture, statues, wishing wells, places where you throw coins into revolving buckets…
Sule Pagoda
Then walked to the Botataung Pagoda by the waterfront.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botataung_Pagoda
You can walk inside it amongst a glittering maze of tiny mirrored glass. A gold buddha is housed in a separate building. The British returned it in 1950 after 40 years.
Had a delicious yogurt for 4.5k and a slice of watermelon for 1/4k [US$10 exchange rate at the time = 70 kyats]. A rickshaw back into town. Teamed up with a couple headed for the Shwedagon Pagoda. We caught a jam-packed bus for 1/2 k. Prue is a Silverstream school [NZ] alumni, five years before me, now living in Wellington; Joseph, an Aussie.
At the Shwedagon we wandered around in the midday heat, barefoot on the marble.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwedagon_Pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda – renovations under the rattan weaving
It’s a fabulous structure with many smaller pagodas clustered around. All an unusual blend of architectural styles that left an impression of gaudiness rather than beauty and harmony. Had lunch there.
Shwedagon pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda
Met up with three others there on the way back – taxi. One is Rick who I saw at the airport last night – last saw him in Koh Samui. Walked around town. Looked through the British colonial splendiferous hotel ‘The Strand’. Met Lorna and a German & British guy – had a bottle of beer. Lorna had $80 stolen today. Headed for the train station for a 6.15 pm departure up country.