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K2, the second highest peak on the planet (28,268’) is a lonely place right now. It straddles the border between Pakistan and the Xinjian Uygur Autonomous Region in China, both fraught with riots, ethnic upheavals and terrorist attacks. Nonetheless it’s as beautiful from China as it was from Pakistan where I first saw it in ’98. I and my team of three Kyrgyz, one Uygur and three camels experienced bluebird conditions in base camp and not another soul the entire time. Our little family–Shiite, Sunni and kara bura (black camels)–celebrated the end of Ramadan, the Lunar New Year and the 60th Anniversary of Communism in China. Mostly we shared a common goal: to reach K2. A good time was had by all.Visit author’s website: Ruth Anne Kocour.

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Pemyangtse Monastery, West Sikkim

Sikkim’s original inhabitants, the Lepchas, call their land Nyemael , “Paradise.” Though one of the legendary “bayul” or Shangri-la valleys that refer to a handful of remote valleys of the Himalayas was said to be only behind the mighty Kanchenjunga, rather than implying the entire former Kingdom, Sikkim, now the 22nd state of India, has very much the same characteristics as the other fairy tale kingdoms of the Himalayas.

Lepcha girl

The Buddhist patron-saint of Sikkim is Guru Rinpoche who is said to have passed through the land in the 9th century and introduced Buddhism to Sikkim. As a result landscape is studded with many picturesque monasteries, much like Bhutan further to the east. Though most monasteries extol Padma Sambhawa and follow the Nyingmapa order, or Red Hat school of Buddhism, since 1959 when the 16th Karmapa arrived in Sikkim after Tibet was overrun by the Chinese, Rumtek, a large monastery near Gangtok, has become the seat of the Tibetan Karma Kagyu lineage.

Gompa near Yuksom

Same as its neighbors, Sikkim too was a monarchy, presumably since the 13th century though the first king, or Chogyal, of Sikkim was not consecrated until 1642 in Yuksom, in West Sikkim. The end of Sikkim’s monarchy came on April 6, 1975 when the Indian army subdued the palace guards, placed the king under house arrest and Sikkim ceased to exist as an independent kingdom, its sovereignty lost. It is said that Sikkim’s merger with India was necessary for India’s national security since India’s first cross border skirmishes with the Chinese in the 1960s. China claimed Sikkim to be part of Tibet, hence part of China and India feared vulnerable to an attack should Sikkim succumb to China. Though the eventual annexation of Sikkim to India was years in the making, perhaps as far as back as 1947 when India gained independence from the British, fact is also that India played dirty in the process, staging referendum vote whether the people wanted to become part of the union, all to pave the road to justification of the eventual annexation. Hailed as expression of democracy, those that remember the voting and events of those days well recall India hauling in masses of poor folks from the plains, some said to have been brought from as far south as Bihar to vote, all to show the wish of the majority was to join the Indian Union. No foreign press was allowed into Sikkim for a long time and even as late as 1980s number of those that used to be close the former Chogyal and agitated against India’s rule lingered off and on in Indinan prisons.

Preparing for a ceremony, Pemyangtse

Today, most Sikkimese know they lost their independence in 1975, and the plains-bound passengers from the hills still say they are “going to India” despite that indeed they are in India. The pride of the Lepchas and being Sikkimese carries on and it is good to see that the young generation has not lost their identity, quite the contrary. Although India has always been hailed as the largest democracy and praised for its practices, it seems the spirit of democracy it sowed in Sikkim is a far cry from its otherwise fine track record.

To learn more about the events of 1970s when India annexed Sikkim, read Smash and Grab: Annexation of Sikkim, by Sunanda K Datta-Ray.

Fitz Roy

How best to visit Argentina obviously depends on how much time you have available to travel. Most visitors will arrive in Buenos Aires and begin their trip from there. It seems although many profess wanting to tour Argentina one of the first places they wish to visit is Torres del Paine National Park. There is no question that Torres del Paine is a spectacular park, but the fact is it is in Chile and not Argentina.

Though to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, in the heart of Argentine Patagonia, and overland from there, is geographically straight and shortest way to get to Torres del Paine, the transportation to the park is not exactly overabundant. There is public bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas one can catch and hop off it at the park’s entry, and private transfers are available as well though not plentiful nor cheap.

Hanging glaciers in Torres del Paine

Without a doubt the best access to Torres del Paine is from Punta Arenas, the focal point of Chilean Patagonia. Of course this poses a bit of a dilemma if starting from Buenos Aires. To get to Punta Arenas can be done either by flight via Santiago de Chile or by going to Bariloche in the heart of Argentine Andes first and from there overland across the Andes Lakes District to Puerto Montt and fly to Punta Arenas from there.

If going to Punta Arenas via Santiago may seem like a cumbersome detour, then add a stop and break up the trip by visiting Mendoza first. Mendoza is an easy flight from Buenos Aires and on the way to Santiago. In Mendoza you can tour the best wineries of the region, sample local dishes, lodge at some wonderful hotels, and after three or four days continue on to Santiago.

Another alternative is to forget Torres del Paine altogether, tailor it into your itinerary on a future trip focusing on Chile only, and instead proceed from El Calafate to El Chalten, a base town for treks into the wilds of the incredible Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. If you may be on a limited time, from El Chalten you can head back to El Calafate and return to Buenos Aires from there. With two weeks to spare you can visit both Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine and you can even add Southern Patagonia, Argentina’s legendary Tierra del Fuego.

Following are the very best three options for experiencing Best of Argentina on 15-days, starting from Buenos Aires.

Option one is to fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, overland to El Chaltén, then to Ushuaia and finish with Iguazu Falls. This Best of Argentina itinerary allows for tango in Buenos Aires, seeing the spectacular glaciers, hiking in Fitz Roy National Park, sailing the Beagle Channel, and in the end marvel at the impressive Iguazu Falls.

Another Best of Argentina itinerary on 15 days is a variation of the above with the inclusion of a visit to Mendoza, so in summary the itinerary packs in Tango, Wineries, Glaciers, Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Channel, and Iguazu Falls.

And one more Best of Argentina tour on 15 days can be designed to include Peninsula Valdes, in other words, Buenos Aires, Whales & Penguins, Glaciers, Ushuaia, and Iguazu Falls.

Some would argue I left out Salta and the northwest of Argentina but for logistical reasons best to leave that part for another trip.

Trekking in Torres del Paine

Lamanai is offering 50% off the Natural History Package price for the 2nd person! Offer is valid until 31st of October 2009.

The package includes:
• Accommodations in a Superior Garden View Cabana
• Meals (at the lodge)
• Standard Retour Combination Road/River Transfers Belize International to Lodge
• 2x - Standard Activities per night’s stay (3 N Pkg. = 6 activities over entire stay)
o Early Morning: Sunrise Canoeing ~ Jungle Dawn
o Morning: Lamanai Maya Ruins ~ Maya Jungle Medicine Walk
o Afternoon: Sunset Cocktail Cruise ~ Nature Walk
o After Dinner: Spotlight River Safari ~ Night Walk (with 4N Pkg)
• Use of canoes
• Taxes

“A La Carte”
Guests stay 3 nights and pay for 2 but the second person gets 50% off meals and activities!

Lamanai Lodge is situated on the banks of Lamania Lagoon and just yards from the famous Lamanai Archaeology Site. Access to the lodge is normally by a tranquil river boat ride where guests can enjoy viewing the local wildlife as they travel. The lodge has 18 cabanas of different categories and a restaurant and bar. The lodge operates and all inclusive system where guests can choose and sign up for the tours they wish to go on each day. Specialist bird watching tours are available. This is a great lodge for couples, families and small groups interested in nature and wildlife.

These offers are valid until 31st of October 2009.
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Pooks Hill is a true jungle lodge situated at the foothills of the Maya Mountains in the Cayo District of Belize, bordering the Roaring River and Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. The lodge is situated within a 300 acre Private Reserve encompassing the site of an ancient Maya Plazeula Group. A mid range and rustic lodge it is a unique and comfortable place to stay for people looking for a real jungle lodge experience. Perfect for couples, families and small groups.
From the Lodge guests have options to various adventure and cultural tours.

30% off offer is valid when guests travel between the 15th of August till the 31st of October 2009.

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