Insider Tips : Kathmandu - An Exclusive with Deepak

Get magnificent views of Mount Everest without trekking. Then take in the temples or shop for local arts and crafts.

By Tan Yi Hui
ST Life! Travel 1 Dec 09

When it comes to Kathmandu, Nepal, Mr Narayan Bahadur Shrestha knows it like the back of his weather-beaten Sherpa hand.

Not only does the 36-year-old Nepalese run a trekking agency based in Kathmandu and Singapore, he is also an Honorary Public Relations Representative from the Nepal Tourism Board.

“Kathmandu is much more than just a transit point for trekkers. You could shop there for exotic spices, authentic Nepalese tea and carpets,” says the Singapore permanent resident who is married to a Singaporean.

Kathmandu, situated about 1,400m above sea level, is the capital and largest metropolitan area of Nepal. The country’s history dates as far back as the 12th century and the cradle is the Kathmandu Valley, with the rich heritage of the Newari indigenous people from the region.

Here are his tips on touring the spiritual city.

CULTURAL IMMERSION
Pashupatinath Temple is the biggest Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva on the banks of the Bagmati river in the eastern part of Kathmandu. A taxi ride from the city centre to the temple takes half an hour and costs about $4. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, it is renowned as one of the sacred places to observe cremations. Only Hindus, however, are allowed to enter its premises. Non-Hindu visitors can view the temple only from the other bank of the Bagmati river.

About 15km south of Kathmandu is Bungamati Village. It is a pleasant traditional Newari village dating back to the 16th century. Manay master wood carvers and sculptors live there.

Mr Shrestha says:“I would recommend this village to visitors who are interested in photography or painting.”

EXOTIC SHOPPING
Thamel, the city centre of Kathmandu, has excellent variety of shops offering items from traditional Nepalese arts and crafts, handmade clothes and pottery to jewellery and antiques. A pashmina shawl, made of fine cashmere wool, costs between $6 and $20. Carpets are a big business in Nepal and carpet weaving is a beautiful traditional art. For carpet shopping, head to Jawlakhel, located in the neighbouring Patan city, south of Kathmandu, a 45-minute drive away. Mr Shrestha says: “Nepal presents an exciting shopping opportunity for all those who love non-conventional stuff.”

MOUNTAIN VIEWS
Swayambhunath, or Monkey Temple, is a 20-minute drive from the city centre. It offers a glorious sunset view of the whole Kathmandu Valley and Langtang mountain range on a clear day. The complex consists of shrines and temples and is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. For an even more majestic view without having to trek, check out Nagarkot, a popular area with hill resorts boasting magnificent scenery of the eastern Himalayan range, including Mount Everest, says Mr Shrestha. It is a two-hour scenic drive from Kathmandu with lots of lovely quaint houses and paddy fields along the way.

BITES AND SIPS
Bhanchha Ghar Restaurant is a Nepalese restaurant in a traditional three-storey Newari house in Kamaladi, next to a Garnesh temple. There is an upstairs loft bar where you can stretch out on handmade carpets and cushions for a drink, snacks and a cultural show. He says: “ Try to arrive before 7pm. After the show, go downstairs for an excellent set menu of traditional Nepali dishes and delicacies. When I host dinner for my guests here, we usually go for the set Nepali Thali consisting of curry chicken, bitter vegetable, wild boar meat, dhal, rice, momo, fried potato and dessert. A meal for two, including drinks and alcohol, may cost about $40.” And finally, to unwind, head down to the Himalayan Java Café in Thamel. The place offers about 100 varieties of coffee and other beverages, according to Mr Shrestha. A cup of good coffee costs around $4. He adds: “ Its range of ice-blended coffee is one the best in town.”

Bhutan : A Trekker’s Paradise

The majesty of the snow-laden Himalayan mountains, rising abruptly from the plains of the Indian subcontinent is a sight beyond comparison.

Bhutan is situated in the Eastern Himalayas to the east of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim and to the south of the autonomous region of Tibet. When you fly into Bhutan on a clear day from Delhi and Kathmandu, you will see 8 of the 14 highest mountains of the world, including Mt Everest, as well as a range of impressive Bhutanese peaks to the east. Silence besets the passengers on the Druk Air flight as they experience the awe-inspiring approach to Paro airport.

On a Bhutan trek, views of mountain ranges soaring to above 7000m are enjoyed in all their splendor – the lofty Jumolhari (7314m), the pointed Jichu Drakey (6794m), Thsering-Gang (6789m), Masang-Gang (7149m), Gangkhar Puensum (7239m) and many others.

Most of the trekking routes in Bhutan are in the central and northern areas, known as the Higher Himalaya. Trekkers start from altitudes of around 2400m and cross passes as high as 6000m. The lower altitude winter trekking routes that range between 1300m and 1800m enable the less hardy trekker to enjoy the beauty of a semi-tropical and tropical climate.

All the treks are a paradise for lovers of flora, fauna and photography. Bhutan has close to 700 species of birds. Of these, 24 are registered as endangered species. There are 46 species of rhododendron with at least 4 found only in Bhutan. The Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep, Golden Langur and Takin are some of the rare animals that can be found in Bhutan.

The trekker will often feel transported a hundred years or more back into the past. The way of life in the countryside has changed little: subsistence farming is the norm in Bhutan and the culture is strongly influenced by Mahayana Buddhism and the rigours of living in the mountains. However, there are many anachronisms that pleasantly remind us of the present, one of them being the eloquent English skills of even the smallest primary school children who will greet you with “Hello sir, hello madam” as you approach their village.

We have a range of trekking routes suitable for the first timers, the adventurous and the hard core trekkers. Take your pick!

Best Season: Nov - Feb Low Altitude Treks (Grade 1 – 2)

11 Days Bhutan Samtegang Trek & Cultural Tour

14 Days Punakha Winter Trek

Best Season: Mar - Jun (for alpine flowers) & Sep - Nov Medium Altitude Trek (Grade 2 - 3)

15 Days Bumthang Cultural Trek10 Days Gasa Hot Spring Trek & Cultural Tour (Nov - Feb)

10 Days Bumdrak Trek with Cultural Tour

12 Days Chelila Nature Trek with Cultural Tour

Best Season: Mar - Jun and Sep - OctHigh Altitude Treks (Grade 4)

12 Days Druk Path Trek with Cultural Tour

12 Days Drakey Pangtso Trek with Cultural Tour
14 Days Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek

For more info, visit www.nepalexplore.com.

Romance in the rough

Straits Times 13 Oct 2009

Romance in the rough

By Tan Yi Hui

For some newlyweds, honeymoons are all about having an adrenalin rush in a rugged environment.

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Introduction

When climbing a mountain in Nepal last year, Ms Alice Giam was floored by altitude sickness. A ruggedly handsome Nepalese man who was on the same trekking team carried her on their two-hour journey back to the safety of the base camp.

She was so moved that she would have married him right there and then if he had asked. Only thing was, she was already married to him. Ms Giam and Mr Narayan Shrestha was on their honeymoon.

For most people, honeymoons mean romance and relaxation but there are adventurous couples who literally venture off the beaten path, looking for an adrenalin rush or a rugged experience to mark their marriage.

So why do some newlyweds rough it out? Mostly, it is because they share a love for the outdoors.

Mr Shrestha runs a trekking agency in his country and met Ms Giam when she signed up for one of his tours.

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Story

On a misty mountain path more than 4000m above sea level, Ms Giam is decked out in trekking gear as she stands firm in the chilly wind. It is her third day waiting for her husband to return from Island Peak, a 6190m summit in the Himalayas in Nepal.

Finally, familiar shapes appear through the mist. She strains to see if he is among the trekkers and spots him in his red jacket. She runs to embrace him, almost tripping over rocks in sheer relief and joy.This reunion scene straight out of a Hollywood movie was the highlight of the couple’s honeymoon last year.

They met two years ago on a trekking trip in Nepal. Ms Giam, a Singaporean, was a first-time mountain climber and her guide was her future husband.

Mr Shrestha, a Singaporean permanent resident, runs a trekking agency based in Nepal and Singapore.They got married last year and went on an 18-day trip to scale Island Peak. Such a trip costs about $3600 a person, including airfare from Singapore, but the couple paid only a fraction of the price because they went with their own agency.

Ms Giam quit her events planning job to join her husband’s company after the wedding.She says:” We went on a few trekking trips when we were dating, but I’m not as strong as he is and I do get altitude sickness. Two weeks before the honeymoon, I had nightmares about it. But he had been wanting to tackle the peak and since we were married, we thought, why not do it together? If I had backed out, it would have spoilt the mood.”

Sure enough, at 5000m above sea level, altitude sickness hit her. She could have descended to safety of the base camp with escorts, but Mr Shrestha insisted on carrying her down himself – a two-hour trek – before resuming his journey towards the summit.

Chuckling fondly at the memory, Ms Giam says:” Somehow, I felt like, oh, I chose the right husband.”She waited anxiously for three days for his return.

As his birthday fell on one of those days, she had prepared an apple pie for him. Laid out in candy on the pie were the words “Happy Birthday, Deepak”.

Accommodation throughout consisted of Spartan trekkers’ lodgings with “wooden walls so thin you could hear the person next door snoring””.

But Ms Giam says:” Romance doesn’t have to be about lying on the beach. It’s about the little things that you do for each other on a trip.”

She and Mr Shrestha are not done yet. They intend to hit a new high when they have children one day.

Says Ms Giam:” We’ll take our kids to Everest.”

Message from Kagbeni

Kagbeni

An sms appeared on Deepak's handphone 2 nights ago :

"Namaste Deepak and Alice from Kagbeni. We have had a fabulous trek. Hard sometimes but worth every minute. The crew is what makes all the hard parts easier. Thank you both for making such thorough arrangements. See you in Singapore. Don can bring anything you need to send to Nepal. Regards, Angie"

What wonderful news, Angie, to know that you are at the tailend of your Mustang trek(after almost a year of planning???). Today, Dhruba said you are on the way back to Kathmandu. We're sure Tin and Khrisna did a great job looking after you ladies. Can't wait to see you both and the gorgeous photos (and maybe some behind the scene stuff..keke).

Take a Moment

"Stars for a Cause" on Channel U showcased Taiwanese Linda doing volunteer teaching in Nepal. Deepak and I caught this episode together at home. Linda's experience tugged my heartstrings towards the end of the show, simply because I was watching this with a living example of village kid beside me.

Watching this episode reminds me yet again that no matter how many years we have brought individuals and schools to help the village schools and communities, there is so little we can do to help them each time. Over the years, although we have seen some results, it is still so minute when I step back to look at the whole picture.

And then I looked at Deepak.

At a tender age, he understood that his family could not afford for him to further his education even though he was able to enter Secondary stage. He heard his first English word from an English trekker in the village. He decided to move to Kathmandu city to seek a future and not burden his family financially. He seeked various jobs and finally landed as an office boy in a travel agent and worked his way up - no one can imagine the extreme hard work he put in, including sleepness nights around the clock. And then he went on to learn English, Mandarin, computer, business etc. Today, he is Managing Director of Divine International.

I am so proud of him.

I thought : What if he had never left the village and continued to herd cattles and work in the plantation?

I cried.

Tibet Adventure

Horsemen around Lake Namtso

Chih Lin, Siang Yu, Ethan and Leonard embarked on their graduation trip to Nepal and Tibet in May this year. They had intended to do a long trip to Tibet until they saw what we have on trekking in Nepal.

Deepak put together a 19-day Ghorepani Trek and Central Tibet Tour for the bubbly group. For their Central Tibet Tour, the excitement includes crossing Nyalamu pass (3800m) and Lalung La pass (5082m), Tashilunpo Monastery, Lake Namtso Drepung, Sera Monastery, Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Bazaar, crossing the Karo La (5010m) and Kamba La (4794m) Pass, Lake Yamdrok Tso (Turquoise Lake), Khumbum Stupa and Phalkot Monastery.

Over a KFC dinner last week, we were happy to learn that they are out in the working world now and reminiscing the trip has brought back wonderful memories and lots of laughter!

Looking through their trip photos, we could literally felt their excitement along the trip. I was most impressed by the shots taken at Lake Namtso and the sun tanning yaks along the beautiful shores against the backdrop of snow peaks.

Their customized itinerary is as follow while all photos featured are copyrighted with compliments from the group.


Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu
Day 2: Kathmandu – Pokhara - Birethanti
Day 3: Birethanti- Ulleri
Day 4: Ulleri - Ghorepani
Day 5: Ghorepani – Poonhill - Tikhedhungga
Day 6: Tikhedhungga – Birethanti - Pokhara
Day 7: Pokhara - Kathmandu
Day 8: Kathmandu - Zhangmu
Day 9: Zhangmu - Nayalam
Day 10: Nayalam - Tingri - Latze
Day 11: Latze - Shigatse
Day 12: Shigaste - Gyantse (3950m)
Day 13: Gyantse - Lhasa (3650m)
Day 14: Lhasa - sightseeing
Day 15: Lhasa - sightseeing
Day 16: Lhasa-Lake Nam Tso-Lhasa
Day 17: Lhasa – full day free and easy
Day 18: Lhasa – Kathmandu - Nagarkot
Day 19: Nagarkot- Kathmandu- Singapore

Click here to view photos their Tibet journey.

Click here to view other info on Tibet

Trekking Jomsom (Noreen & Aden)

Trekking the classic Jomsom route

Noreen and Aden approached us earlier this year for their trek to Jomsom, Nepal. At their request, Deepak put together a 19-day program covering the classic Jomsom route, whitewater rafting in the famous Kali Gandaki River and Chitwan National Park for a safari experience.

The Kali Gandaki River is one of the major rivers of Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. The headwaters of the river are formed at an altitude of 3,900 m in the Mustang region of Nepal, which borders Tibet. The river is notable for the deep gorge through which it flows and for a large hydroelectric facility in Nepal.

Deepak happened to be in Nepal while they were there so they met up for meals. It was unfortunate that the rafting at Kali Gandaki (Grade 4-5) did not happen due to transport strike. However, we managed to turn the situation around and arranged for rafting at Trishuli River (Grade 2) – well, not a total loss after all.

Rinji was their chief guide for this trek and apparently a joy to have around. Though a senior guide, Rinji still comes across as rather shy and can be quite stiff around strangers. That said, he is one real popular guy among our trekking groups!

Their customized itinerary is as follow while all photos featured are with compliments from Noreen and Aiden.

Day 1: Arrive - Kathmandu
Day 2: Kathmandu – Pokhara - Birethanti
Day 3: Birethanti - Ulleri
Day 4: Ulleri - Ghorepani
Day 5: Ghorepani – Poonhill - Tatopani
Day 6: Tadapani - Ghasa
Day 7: Ghasa - Tukche
Day 8: Tukche - Marpha-Jomsom-Kagbeni
Day 9: Kagbeni - Muktinath
Day 10: Muktinath - Jomsom
Day 11: Jomsom - Pokhara
Day 12: Pokhara - Kali Gandaki Rafting
Day 13: Kali Gandaki Rafting
Day 14: Kali Gandaki Rafting - Pokhara
Day 15: Pokhara - Chitwan National Park
Day 16: Chitwan National Park
Day 17: Chitwan National Park - Kathmandu
Day 18: Kathmandu
Day 19: Kathmandu - Departure

Click here to view their trek photos.
Click here to view other Jomsom or lower Mustang itineraries.

Post Everest Catch Up

Front Row (L-R)
Priscilla, Yuki, Cherry, Kim Boon, Wenting, Xin Fang,

Back Row (L-R)
Mui King, Yvonne, Mrs Ang, Yihui, Peh Gee, Jane, Esther, Lihui, Alice, Joanne

Last Saturday (4 Jul), I had the pleasure to be invited to the "Post Everest Gathering" with the SWET and the Christ Church Sec Team at Mui Kiang's house. It was informal yet nice as we are able to catch up with one another more intimately on one of their most adventurous gig in Nepal.

The ladies of SWET looked good after weeks since their return and the Christ Church girls seemed to have recovered from their withdrawal syndrome (Well, I suffered that for a month when I returned from my first Nepal trip).

As much as I have read about climbing Everest, I could not resist chatting with Jane and Lihui about the reality of overcoming the Hillary Step. What was it really like trying to cross the final hurdle to reach the Summit? Were their oxygen tanks at the Balcony when they descend?

Hearing from the horse's mouth, it was indeed a challenge at the Hillary Step, mainly you need to use all your might to pull yourself up the rocks and the slipperyness did not help. By the time you were done, you would have been extremely exhausted. And thank God, the replacement oxygen tanks WERE at the Balcony waiting for them. We had all read horror stories about the tanks being stolen upon descend. If so, one can hardly last till Camp 4 from Summit.

*Shudder*

I finally got to chat with the CCSS girls on their sentiments of the journey to EBC. Though 2 of them did not make it there, I sensed they understood a lot more about their own fitness, teamwork, overcoming difficult times and what really matter in their own journey.

And of course, everyone was asking for their handsome Uncle Deepak who was still in Nepal. Well, it will not be the last time we are all going to see one another - for our friendship will still go a long way.

A phone call from Kathmandu

Last night while I was having my dinner, I received a phone call from Kathmandu. It was a man's voice on the other end and he kept saying Hello to me and repeating his name. I literally took 10 seconds before I started to exclaim: "Omg, you're JB!".

It was really warm to hear from JB who was my ex-colleague from my exhibition days almost 8 years ago. I made some good buddies during my tradeshow stint in Korea and JB was one of them. We had some good fun, talked about life and future and they bring me for Korean food.

JB got my contact through another Korean buddy Dean who has since settled in the States with his family. He casually mentioned about his trip to Nepal just the day before departure to Dean and was shocked to learn that I had married a handsome Nepalese guy and living in Kathmandu.

Interestingly, JB called up Deepak in Kathmandu and introduced himself to get my contact. And more interestingly he requested for Deepak's help to arrange for a helicopter tour to Everest.

I had a short catch up over the phone with this long lost buddy and was equally excited that he had settled down and was in Kathmandu to visit his in-laws who live in Kathmandu and own a business. By the end of our conversation, I was hopeful we would meet in Kathmandu the next time, since we are likely to travel in and out of Nepal due to family ties.

Deepak managed to arrange the flight for him and his family and they had arranged to meet in town for a quick discussion on the logistics. It all felt so surreal but the episode really took place. My Nepalese husband get to meet my long-lost Korean friend in Kathmandu discussing about helicopter flight while I sat in Singapore, missed the chance of meeting and wondered how their meeting would be like.

Amazing.

Christ Church Secondary Girls Team at Everest Base Camp

Christ Church EBC Girls with SWET at Everest Base Camp

The EBC Girls were back!

Known as the Centre of Interest in Outdoor Education, Christ Church Secondary School started planning for an 18 day trek to Everest Base Camp since last year. Emulating after the Singapore Women Everest Team, this adventure team was made up of 3 female teachers (Ms Puah, Mrs Ang, Ms Tay), 6 girls (Cherry, Wenting, Yuki, Xin Fang, Priscilla & Cheryl) and a female trip leader from YMCA. They have only one goal – to trek to Everest Base Camp (5360m) and meet up with the Singapore Women Everest Team (perhaps).

It was an honor for Divine to be given the opportunity to collaborate with the school again for the third time in their outdoor adventures. We were very excited about bringing the girls to the Everest Base Camp and back safely.

During the trip briefing at the beginning of the year, many parents were listening intently what to expect for their daughters who were training rigorously then. Deepak, being the representative official from Nepal Tourism Board, gave parents more insights to Nepal and its mountains. No questions went unanswered, we were glad we gained their support and understanding by the end of the session. Thereafter, our efforts were focused on making all arrangements to ensure the girls’ successful journey to the Base Camp.

In March, Deepak and I were back in Kathmandu for work and home visit. We met the team upon their arrival. Not leaving anything to chance, we conducted yet another detailed briefing over lunch and made sure everyone absorbed the information and was well-prepared. Everyone was excited about the impending journey even though they had seen photo slides and were briefed by their teachers. I should have videoed their little ‘Diamox* Ceremony’ over dinner. I have not seen anything as hilarious as what they did – must ‘yum seng’ with the Diamox pill* before swallowing!
(*Note: Diamox is the most tried and tested drug for altitude sickness prevention.)

The EBC Trek we had planned for the group was a well-paced one including acclimatization days and buffer for possible flight delay. As the altitude got higher, the more challenging it got for them. We were back in Singapore during the course of their trek but monitored the journey everyday. Their chief guide Tin would call us from various phone points to report safety.

After almost trekking for almost 10 days, 6 of them made it to the Everest Base Camp (5360m) and met up with the Singapore Women Everest Team. The experience of having made it there and meeting up with their mentors was exhilarating! For these teenagers who grew up in the tropics, I would say it was no mean feat.

They had seen for themselves how a Base Camp dotted with expedition tents looked like, experienced the wonders of standing triumph at the foothill of Mount Everest and understood in this journey that nothing is impossible if they set their hearts to it. It was truly an experience of a lifetime for them.

It must have felt surreal upon return to the city. The team was back in Singapore on 13 April. Guess what? They are now known as the ‘EBC Girls’ in school and I believe whom many regard as role models because of what they achieved.

With the victorious return of our very own Singapore Women Everest Team and the inspiring journey made by the Christ Church team, I wondered, what would our very own Everest be?

Perhaps we can take a moment, think about a seemingly impossible task for ourselves and set our mind (or heart) to achieve it? I am sure the achievement will impact and change the way we live.

For now, these amazing EBC Girls seem to be aiming for Island or Mera Peak next.

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Click here to see the girls’ gorgeous album of their Everest journey.

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What The EBC Team Says

The overall organization is good. I enjoyed being able to meet up with Tin & Khrisna, working with them again in the trek and seeing the smiles and satisfaction in my girls. Divine provided excellent service. Both the guide, assistant guide and even support staff like Dhruba, Pasang & yourself doing the administration and hotel arrangement has been great in adding value to the whole trip!! Thks. I would like to explore Mustang, Green Lake (Sikkim) and Tibet next with Divine.

Ms Phua Mui Kiang, Teacher


The guides are very friendly and helpful. I will travel with Divine again and explore Nepal again because of this experience.

Mrs Ang – Lim Li Hoon, Teacher


The trip organization is excellent! Very friendly, effective. Divine’s staff and services exceeded my expectations.

Yvonne Tay, Teacher


The trip organization is excellent. Very responsive and attentive team. Very at ease knowing that my guide is well prepared.

Melissa Mak, Trip Leader


I enjoyed the nature, the beauty of the mountains. Divine staff were efficient. Great job and keep up the best work! :) It was the best trip I ever had. Definitely I’d recommend to everyone. I would like to explore water rafting and Mera Peak next in Nepal.

Cherry Fan Li Wen, Student


The trip was well organized and I enjoyed having our guides with us. Excellent service and awesome staff. I would want the same guide on the next trip that I am going. Would like to explore Island Peak.

Noriyuki, Student


I enjoyed the snow fight and treks the most in the trip. Excellent and awesome guides. I want the same guide for every of my trip (Uncle Tin!). I would travel with Divine again and explore ABC and Island Peak.

Tan Wen Ting, Student


The trip was fun! Learning and trekking together with the teram and guides. They are very nice people and the service is good.

Ng Xin Fang, Student


The trip is very good. I enjoy dinner time most. I would like the same guides on my next trip. I would like to explore Island Peak.

Priscilla Yau, Student


The trip was very good. Enjoyed the company of the team and the guides along the trek. Very good service. I would like to explore Mera Peak.

Cheryl Koh Tian Yi, Student

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IN THE MEDIA

Singapore women reach Everest Base Camp
Posted: 09 April 2009 1036 hrs

Nepal: The team of Singapore women climbers have reached Everest Base Camp, bringing them closer in their attempt to scale Everest. In an update emailed from the camp which stands at 5300 metres above sea-level the women said they were spending time getting acclimatised.

"After close to five years of preparation, we're finally here!" said a member of the NATAS SWET team in an email sent through a communication platform set up with support from Singapore telecommunications firm SingTel. The six-member team ascended Everest Base Camp (EBC) from Lobuche high camp (5,200m) climbing over rocks and boulders in the darkness.

Although the team's EBC 'home' for the next two months is at a height of 5,300m which is higher than most mountains in the European Alps, it didn't prevent visitors from dropping by.

Giving the women a pleasant surprise were students and teachers from Singapore's Christ Church Secondary School. They had treked hills to pay the visit which saw the students leaving littles notes written on song sheets while the teens made their journey to meet the Everest team.

"This journey was meant to inspire and instill confidence in the students and as a gesture of encouragement to the team" said a member of Singapore's first women Everest team.

"We were immensely touched and inspired by their visit... We were very encouraged by this and impressed by the strength and perseverance they have displayed in making their way here. They said that this was their little way of reminding us of Singapore, but to us, their presence have already brought 'home' to us, right here in the Himalayas."

The team of led by student development officer Jane Lee, 24; training facilitator Sim Yihui, 26; copywriter Esther Tan, 26; pharmaceutical-product specialist Lee Lihui, 27; business owner Joanne Soo, 38; and army officer Lee Peh Gee,32; embarked on their historic climb on March 21.

Click here to read original post on Channel News Asia online.

Fairfield Methodist School - Service Learning in Sikkim March 2009

Audrey learning knitting from Sikkimese students

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) embarked on a Service Learning Trip in Sikkim recently in March. As long time partner with the school for programs in Nepal, it was exciting as we ventured together into Sikkim - one of the most beautiful states in India. Some of the breathtaking highlights of Sikkim includes its mountains (Mt Kangchendzonga – the world’s third highest mountain), lakes (Tsomgo Lake), monasteries (Rumtek Monastery) and scenic villages (Lachung). Popular with travellers seeking the road less travelled, Sikkim is also a trekking paradise tucked away in North India.

Peter, who is a very experienced trip leader and a dear friend led the trip. We had to transit overnight in Kolkotta before proceeding to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

For this trip, we had chosen to partner with Bojogari Junior High School for our program. On the first day in school, the assembly made a deep impression on all of us. Everyone was punctual and gathered at the assembly ground. All the students from the junior classes to the higher levels sang the prayer and anthem with pride and emotion. Looking back, I wondered if I ever sang our national anthem with the same pride. Our group was given a warm welcome by the school and was treated to a dance performance by the students.

In the few days that we were there, our students were tasked to complete 2 sets of painting jobs. The majority gave a new coat of paint to an independent block donated by the Rotary Club. The creative ones (surprisingly most of them boys) drew wall paintings in the nursery class. Interestingly they did have ‘hidden talents’ and were able to work very well together to complete the wall murals. I must say the end result was commendable. Together, teachers and students created life-like images of Bugs Bunny, Tasmania Devil, Mickey Mouse, Tweety Bird etc for the nursery class! Even the local teachers and students were impressed.

We had specifically arranged for teacher and students to learn not only one but three languages – Hindi, Bhutia and Lepcha, in the lesson exchange segment. It was obvious the local students enjoyed learning Mandarin from our students. All of them enjoyed having time to interact with one another learning the local handicrafts and playing games in the outdoors.It was indeed both touching and encouraging to witness the bonding of the students from both schools irregardless of race, language or background.

Singapore students are fortunate to be born in a developed country with a developed educational system to pave their learning journey. However they always have much to learn about humility, contentment and priorities and needs in life when they visit the developing countries or states. For this trip to Sikkim, they have definitely brought back very unique experiences and yearning to do more in community service in their own capacity.

From the Divine team, we certainly would like to give a vote of thanks to the school organizing team who worked hard to make the trip possible, the teachers on the trip who shared our passion and complemented our efforts in leading the programs. And to all you boys and girls, for the wonderful friendship that will last for a long time to come. (Yes, we will still meet when we next come by school)

And to Peter, a great job done, yet again!

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Click here to view the trip photo album.

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Click here to view feature article of the trip by Sikkim newspaper Now!

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What Some of Our Students Says

It was an enriching experience that touches my heart not only the activites but the people, I came back a changed person. Divine staff have exceeded my expectations. They were caring about our needs, they shared experiences that enriched my life and they were friendly even though sometimes strict. I learnt that I am fortunate that I was born in Singapore, to have family that I have and all the things around me are put into my life to mould me.

Jonathan Fong

The program was good and it was orderly and well organised. Divine’s staff had met my expectations especially Mr Peter Soon who ensures our safety. The students were participating at all times and he also keep us in order at all times. I learnt to cherish what I have and also treat everyone equal and with respect. I also learnt humility. I wish we could go trekking to know more about Sikkim. I would like to explore the mountains in Sikkim.

Jason Yeo

The overall program was well planned. Mr Peter Soon was always welcoming and being the one there to guide us. I learnt about humility and the attitude for learning. I would suggest a longer duration for interaction with the kids. Many of us just started to bond with them but now we are leaving. I would definitely want to visit Sikkim again and Mt Kanchendzonga, the world’s third highest mountain. More hiking!

Russell Ng

The program is very beneficial and the organisation very efficient. The trip was very well planned and execution smooth. Divine’s staff are also very friendly and sociable, making the trip very enjoyable. I learnt to be appreciative of what you have even though no matter how small. Also I’ve realised that we are very fortunate to be born in Singapore. The trip duration can be extended so we have more time to interact with the local children. This would help us learn more of their culture. I would want to visit Sikkim again and if possible I would love to trek and have school exchange program too.

Vincent Tan

I’ve learnt all the things I would never have learnt in Singapore. Material wants and superficiality are absent here in Sikkim. Instead, humility and simplicity of life is evident. It teaches me that you don’t need material wants to make you happy but just appreciate the simple things in life.

Prasanna Lynelle Chua

Face to Face with Youngest Nepalese Everest Climber

Left to Right : Deepak, Tempa, Tshering & daughter

A dear friend of ours, Tshering, informed us before the Chinese New Year that his younger brother Tempa was in town recently. We agreed to meet up for dinner after our Sabah trip.

Although I have long heard of Tempa (his full name is Tempa Tsheri Sherpa) who is the youngest Nepalese climber to summit the Mt Everest in May 2001, I have never met him personally.Face to face, Tempa exudes warmth and was really nice to talk to. He spoke really good mandarin and we could converse with this common language.

He is currently pursuing his Degree in Business Management in Wuhan, China. Interestingly I found out there is a huge cohort of Nepalese who are pursuing their Medical Degree at Wuhan University.Tempa showed me his five fingers which he had to part with due to frost bite. It was just too cold up there at the South Summit. It is a real pity for a smart lad like him but he showed a lot of courage and nonchalance.

I asked Tempa “Did you ever regret overcoming Everest but losing your fingers?”He answered: “No, I do not regret. I am a Sherpa, my father climbed, my brother climbed. Climbing is in our blood.”

Kent Ridge Secondary - Service Learning in Nepal 2008

Kent Ridge Students at Nagarkot, Nepal

We organised Kent Ridge’s service learning trip to Nepal in November 2008.

We first met Sujeetha and Ms Lim in August for a trip discussion in August. It was the school’s first trip to Nepal and no one knew what to expect. When the trip was confirmed, everyone - teachers, students and even ourselves were really excited.

In the following couple of weeks, the Kent Ridge team went into an exciting phase of trip preparation from interaction programs to cultural showcase. We had also nailed down the project work for the trip, which was to reconstruct the volleyball court for a village school in Nepal. Sujeetha, Ms Lim and Ms Chua did a great job of leading the team and keeping them in line with the trip’s objectives.

Parents were equally enthusiastic when they learnt more about Nepal and the trip at the briefing session.

The trip turned out to be an amazing one for Deepak who personally led the trip. Everyone was very involved in their given tasks and gave their best in showcasing our ethnic culture through costume dress-ups. Our Nepalese kids were taught teeth-brushing techniques, oragami, art and craft which was a real eye-opener for them. The 2 huge beach balls which was brought over from Singapore certainly kept everyone happily occupied during break time!

The Kent Ridge team donated books, t-shirts, stationary, brushes and toothpaste sets to the school. Mr Pitam, the school principal, was really moved to receive such generous supplies on behalf of the school.

Towards the end of their service learning days, the team put up a collage made up of instant photo prints - all the very memorable times spent at the school, for everyone to view. Every Nepalese kids were also given their very own piece of printed t-shirt which made them really exctited!

By the end of the trip, it was a paradigm shift for everyone in their perception of Nepal. The visit to the country and the days of interaction with the locals helped deepen their understanding of the country which they previously knew only as a ‘third world country’ through the media. The harshness of life in Nepal had not only taught our students not to take things for granted but also to learn to appreciate what their parents was able to provide them.

Deepak and I are looking forward to their next trip and working with all the friendly and wonderful teachers who made the trip possible.

To view photos of the trip, please click Photos.

To view behind-the-scenes shots, see Previous Post.

To read the Thank You card that touched us, see Previous Post.

You can contact us if you wish to find out more about our trips or to organise a school trip.

Second Singapore women team reaches Everest summit

938 Live l 22 May 2009 l 1011 hrs

SINGAPORE: Two more members of the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team have reached the summit of Mt Everest, 8,850 metres above sea level.

39-year-old Joanne Soo and 32-year-old Lee Peh Gee reached the summit of Mount Everest at 7.41am and 8.11am Singapore time respectively. The two women are currently making their way back to Camp 4.

The women from the first Singapore team - Jane Lee, Lee Li Hui and Esther Tan - are back at Everest Base Camp.

Team leader Jane Lee said: "All of us are very pleased and very happy, and I'm extremely proud of the team. Having stood on the peak of Mt Everest is like a dream come true. "The sense of fulfilment was extremely strong after finally being able to step on top of Mt Everest - after waiting, planning and training for the last five years."

The sixth climber, Sim Yi Hui, who had to turn back after experiencing chest pains, has recovered and is doing well. The 27-year-old training facilitator at Raffles Junior College suffered an inflammation of her sternum and ribs due to heavy breathing at high altitudes. She said: "At that point, it was very difficult for me to make a decision because I knew... it might be my final chance to go for the summit. But yet I knew that if I had gone on, my condition might deteriorate because at high altitudes, you never know what could go wrong. "It's very difficult to perform any rescue situation. I didn't want to put my other teammates and climbing sherpa at risk as well."

Her two team mates Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee are scheduled to reach base camp on Sunday afternoon.

The women's trainer and base camp manager, Lim Kim Boon, said: "I'm very proud of them. They are very determined. They set a goal and after so many years, they still stick to it, so... when they saw their dreams come true, we're really glad."

When asked about the future, Jane Lee said: "Well, I'm hoping that Mt Everest would open more doors for the team. Although Mt Everest is sort of our final climb, I'm hoping that together as a team, this will bring us more opportunities because we've met so many more people here, people who have climbed other places and people with much more experience. "We're hoping that after this, we will get our chance to continue our climbing as there are so many other mountains in the world. So, this will not be the end of our women's Everest team."

PM Lee congratulates Singapore Women's Everest Team

Channel NewsAsia
23 May 2009 0940 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated the members of the Singapore Women's Everest Team on their successful attempt to reach the highest peak in the world.

In a congratulatory message released Saturday, Mr Lee described it as a major milestone for Singaporean women and the local sporting fraternity.

He added he was deeply impressed by their meticulous preparation, determination, courage and tenacity. Mr Lee also noted it took more than five years of hard work, in physical training, team building and fund raising in order for the team to make it to the top of the world's tallest mountain, 8,850 metres above sea level.

Two more members of the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team, 39-year-old Joanne Soo and 32-year-old Lee Peh Gee, scaled the summit of Mount Everest on Friday at 7.41am and 8.11am Singapore time respectively. T

he women from the first Singapore team - Jane Lee, Lee Li Hui and Esther Tan - reached the peak on Wednesday and are currently back at Everest Base Camp.

Team leader Jane Lee said: "All of us are very pleased and very happy, and I'm extremely proud of the team. Having stood on the peak of Mt Everest is like a dream come true."

Singapore's first ladies on Everest 2009

TODAY Online.com
Thursday May 21, 2009
By Low Lin Fhoong

ARMED with a banner and placards, Republic Polytechnic students Atiqah Zaini and Renuka Singh were 3,519km away from Nepal, home to the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

But that didn’t stop the 19-year-olds from sharing the joy - and the thrill - felt by the first Singaporean women to conquer Everest.At 3.45am yesterday (6am, Singapore time), Ms Jane Lee, Ms Esther Tan and Ms Lee Li Hui became the first Singaporean women to summit the 8,850 metre peak, located on the Nepal-China border.

The trio are part of the six-member National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) Singapore Women’s Everest Team.Ms Lee Li Hui, 27, was the first to reach the summit at 3.45am; followed by Ms Tan, 26, at 3.54am; and team co-leader Jane Lee, 25, at 4.43am.

The three women could not be contacted yesterday as they were still descending the mountain. They were scheduled to reach the Everest base camp tomorrow.

But their trainer, Mr Lim Kim Boon, who is also their base camp manager, offered a glimpse of how the women felt to be on top of the world, literally.“They are very excited except that the scenery is not as good as they had expected. And they all were very, very happy and very thrilled,” Mr Lim told Channel NewsAsia.

News of the three women’s Everest feat spread quickly among the 30-strong Mountaineering Alps Club at Republic Polytechnic, where Ms Jane Lee works as an experiential education officer and Ms Lee Li Hui, an academic associate.

By 1pm, about 80 students and staff had gathered at the Republic Polytechnic Centre to celebrate the women’s triumph.“They’ve made the school proud, and the country proud by being the first women’s team here to summit Everest,” said Ms Singh, who is one of the 10 female members of the mountaineering club started by Ms Jane Lee last September.Added Ms Atiqah, a second-year business computing student: “Jane’s our role model ... I want to be in her shoes one day, and conquer Everest.”

THE LONG JOURNEY

The Everest team left for Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 21. They had spent two months acclimatising and preparing for their summit attempt.It had been a tough journey for the women, who witnessed avalanches on the Khumbu Icefall during their third acclimatisation cycle.

The team were also forced to postpone their first summit attempt on May 11 and 12 due to weather changes. Last Friday, Ms Jane Lee’s team left the Everest Base Camp (5,300m)and began their push for the summit from Camp 4 (7,950m) at about 8.on Tuesday, before reaching the top yesterday morning.

The second team of Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee are scheduled to leave Camp 4 tonight for their summit attempt.Co-leader Sim Yi Hui, 27, who is having chest pains, will not be making the attempt.The team’s Everest success comes just five days short of the 11th anniversary of the first Singaporean ascent by Khoo Swee Chiow and Edwin Siew, who planted the flag in 1998.

The women’s triumph has been hailed as “another historic achievement” by their patron, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan.“They have once again demonstrated what our people can do against all odds when we set our minds to it ... I hope it will inspire many more Singaporeans to go forth and pursue their passions and achieve their goals,” Dr Balakrishnan said.

At the homes of the three women, the mood was not just one of joy but also relief.Ms Jane Lee’s father, Mr Lee Hua Nam, told 938LIVE: “I was very emotional when I heard the news, because I feel that mountain climbing is too strenuous and difficult… At least (now), she has a good result from it.”Ms Tan’s elder sister, Alice, said: ““My first thought when I heard the news was, thank God! ... We’re all elated and grateful that the training and hard work has paid off.”

The six women are expected to return to Singapore by June 15.

Cellphones to ring on Everest Summit

Nepal Telecom (NT) is planning to expand its cellular mobile service in the Everest region, enabling climbers to make and receive calls at the summit of Mt Everest (8,848m).

The NT plans to install a V-SAT station at Gorak Shep, a plateau near Everest Base Camp, which will be linked to Kathmandu. NT hopes that it will help people make and receive calls from the summit of the tallest peak in the world."

The installation of V-SAT will help bring the majority of the Khumbu region into NT's cellular mobile coverage. It will be completed by July," an official of the NT claimed. NT already has BTS at Lukla and Namchebazaar.

Until now, climbers have been using expensive satellite phones to communicate with their friends and relatives from the summit. The expansion of NT's service is expected to help thousands of trekkers and mountaineers who visit the Everest Region every year.

TAAN news

Dinner with Singapore Women Everest Team in Nepal

A rare kodak moment for Nepal and Singapore Women Everest Team

Everyone enjoying themselves in the traditional Nepalese dinner setting

Two Everest team exchanging mountaineering tips and experience

Deepak with NTB officials

Non-stop conversation among the climbers

Deepak with Kim Boon, the SWET's coach

A toast to Summit Success!

A wonderful demonstration of the Nepalese dance

Dancing with popular Nepalese folklore Resham Firiri

Group photo with NTB officials, Nepalese & Singapore Women Everest Team

The amazing ladies

Joanne, Esther, Lihui, Alice, Deepak, Jane, Yihui, Peigee, Kim Boon

The Singapore Women Everest Team (SWET) made their way to Nepal on 21 March. While in Kathmandu, the team was busy with preparation for their camp supplies and trip arrangements. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) hosted a welcome dinner for the team the next day at Bhojan Ghar, a restaurant which serves traditional Nepalese cuisine with cultural performance. That evening, Deepak and I met up SWET. The six ladies looked good and were looking forward to the dinner. Kim Boon – their beloved coach and the seventh member of the team, was present as well. We had one more Singaporean guest – Tse Liang, an NTU student on internship with The Nepali Times, was invited as well. It felt more like a Singaporean gathering in Kathmandu!

The dinner was really happening. The NTB had invited some mystery guests to the dinner. Guess who turned up? It was the members of the Nepal Women Everest Team who had summited Mt Everest in June 2008. (See previous post)We were honoured to have them join us for dinner. No prizes for guessing what happened next : the ladies from the two teams were happy to meet one another and could not stop talking about their experiences. All of us had a hearty time over dinner and the cultural show was a great hit with everyone. The ladies really had a good time dancing with one another and I guessed it was the first time they had sampled traditional Nepalese cuisine in such an environment. They were always busy with trainings when they were in Nepal previously.

When it was time to leave, there was a hint of nostalgy in the air. Over the dinner, new friendships were forged and the team would be leaving for Everest soon. We ended the session with the essential group photo for momento and had them sent back safely to their hotel.

Click here to track the SWET’s journey to Mount Everest.

Jane, Yihui, Joanne, Lihui, Esther, Pei Gee:
All the very best in your summit bid and most importantly, return safe and sound.

Training Chung Cheng High Yishun at Bt Timah

Taking a water break after 20 mins into the training session

The 2nd water break in the forest trail

Staircase climbing

The Summit!

The guys having fun before heading down from the Summit

The final round of staircase

Just one more...........

It was an exciting morning as we all gathered at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve for our training session with Chung Cheng High Yishun. They will be leaving for Nepal on 11 March to trek Ghorepani and do some service learning after their trek. Everyone was in good shape after weeks of training in the school ground. We all did the forest trail and stair climbing and ventured all the way to the summit. Being with the students always reminds me of my own school days. We were not that lucky to have overseas trips and what more trekking in Nepal! It was an ungorgettable experience for me to trek Ghorepani and I hope it will be so too for Chung Cheng. Kudos to the teachers that made all these possible for them!

R&R in Sabah, Borneo

The local coffeeshop which we tried different kinds of noodles

The exterior of the coffeeshop

Chendol at Baba and Nonya

Peranakan food at Baba and Nonya

Zen Garden room exterior

Grounds of Zen Garden Resort, outside Kinabalu Park

Restaurant managed by the Sutera chain in Kinabalu Park

Lounge besides the restaurant

What a gorgeous fried rice

Sumptous lunch in Kinabalu Park

Kinabalu Park as the backdrop (reminds me of the Amazon!)

Stairways into the park and off to Mt Kinabalu

Deepak posing before heading to the Botanical Garden

View of Mt K from Zen Garden Resort

Breakfast at Zen Garden Resort

Finally, we saw the Rafflesia sign along the road

On the way to the Rafflesia spot

The Rafflesia bud

Not allowed to climb in so...

We were away in Sabah over the Chinese New Year. it was the first time Deepak was visiting Sabah as a tourist and not a trip leader for our annual Mt Kinabalu expedition with schools and organisations. This photo series is a makan showcase more than anything else.

You can view the main album here.