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Everest spring climbing season is closed for second year
Mount Everest from the south: Wikepedia commons licence
Bloomberg discusses the situation with regards to Nepal eathquake and tourism. I didn’t realize that Nepal was Asia’s second poorest country but I did know it’s economy was heavily dependent on tourism. The earthquake is a double punch.
What the article points out is that Everest will be closed for the second season in row now. Last year it was the Blizzard and avalanches that killed many climbers and sherpas.
American expedition companies that employ Nepali sherpas charge $50,000 to partipate in group trips to the top of Everest. That rippled down to sherpa’s wages of about 9x per capita income.
Our thoughts for Nepal
Flag of Nepal
It is a few days after the 7.8 earthquake around Kathmandu and the death toll has climbed to over 4,000. It is likely to go higher.
It is Nepal’s worst earthquake in 80 years where the source of the quake was very near to the earths surface, which amplified its impact.
I am sure most have you have seen that it caused avalanches on Everest and destruction in the towns and villages.Phone lines are down, roads and blocked and food and water supplies are disrupted.
The airport of Katmandu is overloaded by aid coming in and people wanting to get out.
The New York Times has more information for those wishing to read on.
However, Roads-2-Roam is asking for you to give generously to aid relief of Nepal. Today Facebook was offering to match your donation so if you see it, please take advantage of this.
In the meantime, those impacted are in our thoughts. Remember..There but for the grace of God go I.
Augustus
Postscript: I’ve included a picture from Nepal on better days. Let’s be sure to support Nepal by traveling there when things get settled.
The Beauty of Nepal – photo from trekkingtoursnepal.com
Hole lotta lurve
Stick this in your pipe(Photo: Manchester Evening News)
It’s great to see the plebs fight back !
In Manchester, (In Eng-er-land), a campaigner called “Wanksy” has taken to highlight pot holes by drawing Phalli around them. The council is not amused where ‘town hall bosses slam him for exposing youngsters to obscene images’. [Manchester evening news].
Obscene images eh? Have they seen the internet?
Good old Wanksy I say. We need to give kids an education in the important ‘fings in life like drawing phallic objects in public.
But it got the results didn’it? The pot holes were filled in within 48 hours.
Oii !!! Councils: Fix your pot holes arse holes!
Cali.
Let there be flight… Preferably a G650
Gulfstream G650: Doing God’s work in Comfort
Today’s reading is from from the Book of Genesis.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkeness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be flight: and there was flight.
Wait a minute, I thought it was light not flight.
Not according to Reverend Ceflo Dollar of World Changers Church International (WCCI), who wants to raise $65million to buy a Gulfstream G650 as reported in Christianpost.com which quoted from Dollar’s appeal:
Ruff guide to driving
Kids today . Shesh, can’t take ’em anywhere eh?
It was a normal day in Abingdon, Scotland and Farmer Tom Hamilton was tending to his flock of sheep with his trusty faithful sheepdog, Don.
However, Don was no ordinary sheepdog. Farmer Hamilton knew that Don had Lassie like powers of perception.
As Farmer Hamilton was driving around their hills in their John Deere Gator farm vehicle, Don sat in the passenger seat eagerly looking out for adventure.
“Woof Woof Woof” barked Don suddenly.
Farmer Hamilton then spotted his favorite sheep, Flossy. “I see her Don, she doesn’t look her normal happy self. Just listen to her. Her ‘Baa’s’ are more like ‘Bhaaaa’ “. I wonder what could be up?”.
Don responded “Woof. Woof. Woof”
“Ach lad. I think one of her kin might have fallen down a well” agreed Farmer Hamilton. Continue reading..
Weather or not
I know the British just love talking about the weather but this was the BBC news’ recommendations:
Proof that the Brits love talking about the weather
Fast track to a ticket
This is something to cheer you up: a lane hogger who refuses to pull over for the car behind who flashes him. He even brakes.
Little did he know the car behind is a cop.
Enjoy the trucker’s commentary! Warning : Not for the easily offended.
The pen in mightier than the snored
Dahlings, I am sure most of us Roamans have taken a nap on a plane or a train. That nap, is not without it’s perils.
One of my dear friends, Whittikus, would regularly fall to sleep on the train when coming back from Londinium. While asleep, a fellow passenger relieved him of his laptop bag. Twice this happened and while his company was understanding, he did acquire a new nickname: Napkin.
I am sure also, that some of you have snored. Another of my dear friends, Bax Britania, fell asleep on a Portugal beach. When he woke up, the people around him burst into a round of applause and cheering. His snoring was legendary.
However, nobody expects to be stabbed awake which is exactly what happened to Lenny Madarski, 68 who nodded off while still on the runway of a Southwest flight from Chicago Midway to New Hampshire. Continue reading..
Bali Booze Ban Bamboozles Bogans
Don’t Bogan that joint my friend..
Dahlings, It’s a double whammy to the stereotype Australian lifestyle.
First Quantas enforces a Business Smart dress code for it’s lounges and now Indonesian Politicians are looking at banning beverages that contain more than 1% alcohol. [What’s Indonesia got to do with Australia, Cleo?] The answer is the island of Bali, dahlings.
You see, Bali is THE party place for Australians and not too far from the mainland.
However, the latest news is that the version of party island is going to be the Islamic Party island.
This will be a disaster for Bali who rely and tourism and Aussies are their #1 tourist base. Not only that by Bali is about 84% Hindu.
While the fate of the Bali nine (two are Australians) who will be executed is a bit of a downer to most visitors it has no noticeable boycott. On the other hand, ‘roos can’t booze’ will be major reason not to come.
Still I learned a new word today on the discussion boards where an Aussie mentioned that the only ones who go to Bali are “Bogans”. Bogans?
The term bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/[1]) is an Australian and New Zealander slang word that can be used to describe a person with a lower working class background, or whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplify a gratified working class mentality and depending on the context, can be pejorative or self-deprecating.[2] The bogan person will generally lack sophistication and refinement.
Well I never. You learn something new everyday.
Look like they are intended to be an Antipodean cousin to a British Chav or a US Redneck. Is Bali then an Asian Maguluf with perhaps better sunsets?
Just as I was about to finish up this post, I mentioned “Bogan” to Augustus and he looked puzzled. I read from “Stuff Bogans Like” where amongst other things, Bogans like “Contiki tours” and as soon as I mentioned this, Augustus spat out his drink out laughing.
Augustus recited a story about when he roamed around Europe, the summer after his graduation. He and companions had stayed in a campsite in Heidelburg, Germany. It was around 10:30 pm mid week and nothing was happening in the campsite bar (Yes campsite with a bar : It is Germany afterall) and was going to call it a night when 2 Contiki coaches turned up. All these young Aussies pilled out and they all hit the bar. Instant party, music changed with people dancing. 10 minutes later, the first Contiki guest wanted to fight with him !
Ciao for now,
Cleo.
oh lordy…time for bed
France : A Land of Striking Beauty. A Land of Striking Workers.
Beware of French Unions : it may impact your travel
Il est avril en France, Le soleil brille / It is April in France and the sun shines brightly.
The flowers are blooming, lovers are walking hand in hand. What a better way to take in Paris, than go up in the Eiffel Tower.
Except you can’t.
Why you ask, because the workers of the Eiffel Tower have gone out on sympathy strike. That’s why.
Oui, mes amis, L’Eiffel workers are showing their fraternity with the Air traffic controls who have shut down French Air Space.
And what are the ATC striking over? The answer is delaying retirement from 57 years to 59 years and restructuring.
Of course this causes chaos for the airlines and passengers but the Trade Unionists don’t care as they face no financial penalties for the problems it causes.
Not only that but this is not the first time France ATC have gone on strike. Just look at this – see a pattern?
This gets old.
Is the European Union doing anything about the enforcement of the Freedom of good and services? No, they are too cowardly.
Anyone planning on going to or through France needs to consider the probability of some strike disrupting your plans or at worst, leaving you stranded. Latest we heard is that they are threatening a 4 day strike over the May bank holiday.
Maybe Bobby Jindahl was right afterall, about Paris being a “No go” Zone but for a different reason.
The Roaman Emperor’s verdict on French Unions: “FEED THEM TO THE LIONS” and since a picture paint a thousand words, this is our message to them:
