Marathon at Mt. Annapurna to start from Thursday

By A Staff Reporter

The first ever marathon at the height of above 5,000 meters participated in by twenty-eight athletes — 25 from France and three from Nepal — is kicking off from tomorrow (Thursday) morning. The programme, jointly organized by France’s Himalaya Racers Association and Nepal’s Mandala Trekking, is scheduled at the time of golden jubilee celebration of ascent of Mt. Annapurna by a human being.

In March 1950, French climber Maurice Herzog first successfully climbed Mt. Annapurna, 8000 meters in height.

The first ever “Annapurna Mandala Trail”, the highest stage race in the world along the famous Annapurna circuit trekking route, is taking place between March 16-24, 2000, a press release said.

“Running around the Annapurna, in the very heart of the Nepalese Himalaya, with the assistance of only one’s own backpack is, in short, the definition of the Annapurna Mandala Trail,” said the Frenchman Bruno Poirier, the founder of the Himalaya’s Racer Association and one of the precursors of these trails.

Since 1983, teams from various countries have been informally participating in such trails through the Himalayas.

The Annapurna Mandala Trail, in other words, is a stage race ‘around’ the Annapurna range. Scheduled to start on March 16 from Besi Sahar, this will end after nine days of continuous race on March 24, when the athletes will reach Birethanti. During the marathon, the athletes will cross Thorang Pass, the famous 5,400 meters high peak.

The trail will cover ten stages in nine days, a distance of more than 270 kilometers between 800 to 5,400 meters in altitude with the variation of temperature between 20 to 30 degree celcuis.

“To cover this distance an ordinary trekker needs almost 17 days,” said Padam Ghaley, Technical Co-ordinator of the Trail. “This trail will be a kind of a trail testing the physical capacity of human beings,” he further added.

Among twenty-eight runners, there will be two women athletes. The three Nepalese participants were selected on the basis of recommendations made by Nepal’s famous marathoner Baikuntha Manandhar. Co-host Mandala Trekking has sponsored all three Nepalese participants.

“We have good runners in our country but financial reasons are very often a barrier for them to participate in international competitions. We want to promote Nepalese runners and expose them,” said Akal Tuladhar, Managing Director of Mandala Trekking.

The spirit of a mountain trail will be preserved in its simplest form: “Running from one place to another without assistance,” even though a technical team and a light medical assistance will be provided by Himalan Rescue Association in collaboration with Fishtail Air. Other sponsorers of the programme are France-based Mont. Blacs Expedition, a trekking agency; Adidas, a sports company and Endurance, a magazine.

Finally, RA to buy a plane

By A Staff Reporter

At long last the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) will be buying an aircraft.

The government last week gave permission to the Corporation to go ahead with the lease-purchase of a wide bodied Boeing 767-300 ER plane.

RNAC had sought the permission to buy the aircraft four months ago after the airlines board decided to go for a lease-purchase of an aircraft directly from the manufacturer — the Boeing Company.                  The government, however, will not sit as guarantee for the Corporation and the airline will have to find its source of funding. Still, it is the best news to come from the country’s flag-carrier, which has been reeling under controversy and accusations of corruptions and kick-backs in each of its dealings to lease aircraft in the last seven years.

The aircraft has been depending upon the leased aircraft, since its sold its two B-727s in 1993 allegedly at a throw-away price, to meet its international flights. The Airlines has two jets of its own, and it needs at least one more plane to meet its international schedules.

Meanwhile, the airline will get its plane only after 21 months of the placement of the order and till then it will have to carry on with the leased aircraft.

But the flag-carrier is finding it difficult to find an aircraft. According to its specification. The airline on Saturday also cancelled the second tender for a  B767-300 ER aircraft after none of the four bidders met the requirements of the airline.

The airline is making a third attempt to find an aircraft for 18 months (i.e. till the airlines get its own plane) with some changed specifications. According to the third 35-day tender, the airline has decided to accept aircraft of 10 years of age and with a bid bond of US$ 25,000.

The previous tenders had specified the aircraft of not more than five years of age and a bid bond of 2.5 per cent of the bidded amount.

The airlines expects the whole process to take three months. To meet the stop gap period it has already began procedure to extend the lease of the China Southwest Airlines plane, it is currently leasing. The one-year lease of the China Southwest Airlines plane is expiring on March 27.

The latest decision of the government and the Corporation’s pursuance augers well for the airlines which has been under severe criticism and a gross example of political foul play.

According to a senior official at the RNAC, the airline is also seriously contemplating to buy two short-haul planes for the domestic sector

However, one official at the airline fears if the country’s politics takes a new twist and what has been done so far is dismantled. The Corporation may again fall into the chaos from which it is trying so hard to come out.

Stop making it an unholy affair

By A Staff Reporter

Nationality no bar to the festival of colours.

Holi, the festival of colours, that marks the advent of spring is around the corner. The festival originally meant to be celebrated with natural colorful powders, Attars (perfumes) and sweets among friends and families with mutual consent only; has sadly degenerated into a mock festival that draws more frowns and worries than joy. Depraved and uneducated males use this event as an excuse to harrass women. When the festival approaches, girls are afraid to go out lest they be hit by water balloons that seem to come from nowhere, spoil their clothes and cause much humiliation. Even kids, influenced by this trend have taken to indulging in this irresponsible activity.

On the day of the festival, weird  sights of boys smeared in silver paints, blackened face, exhibiting their excess hormones in vehicles with music blaring out loud do their rounds. Eve teasing and harassment take place under the cover of the occasion.  For the sensitive lot, the festival is best spent within the confines of their homes. Is it not time we collectively protest all the undesirable activities that are taking place in the name of Holi, that is making it a very unholy affair? We need to preserve the essence of this festival and learn to celebrate it in a civilised and educated manner.

THAI eyes for regional crew training centre

By A Staff Reporter

THAI Cabin Crew Training was chosen for training flight attendants. THAI’s Cabin Crew Training Centre is anticipated to become the future regional crew training centre for Airlines Serving Asia.

Captain Suradech Nabhindhakara, THAI’s Director, Flight Deck Crew Training Department revealed that a group of 60 Lufthansa Flight Attendants had been enrolled in and sent to Thailand to attend the Emergency Training Course at THAI’s Crew Training Centre. The course included a range of both practical and theoretical training to ensure maximum standard of safety on-board such as attending to passengers during emergency situations and in-flight services. The practical training will be conducted through the use of highly advanced equipment and machinery such as aircraft door trainers that have been installed to simulate various emergency evacuation trainer (CEET), has also been installed to enhance training techniques. The (CEET) is one of the world’s most advanced cabin training equipment which enables nearly all emergency situations to be simulated.

Construction of the centre was completed in April 1999. The main objective for establishing the centre are to promote and enhance the training of cabin attendants, those employed by THAI as well as customer airlines, accommodating rapid rise in service provision and training demands. The training will help ensure the highest standard of safety and service on board. Flight attendants from Angel Airlines and THAI flying company limited have received training from Thai’s Crew Training Centre.

Langtang Opark a tourist spot

By A Staff Reporter

A total of 116,384 foreign tourists visited the Langtang National Park as of last year.

According to chief conservation officer at the National Park Office Jhamak Bahadur Karki, a total of Rs 54,526,000 has been realised as revenue so far through fees charged to tourists visiting Langtang and Gosainkunda areas since the commencement of tourist registration in fiscal year 2035/36.

Some 8.808 foreign tourists came here during the Visit Nepal Year 1998 and the number rose to 16,076 in 1999.

The tourists start their journey on foot after reaching Dhunche by bus 120 kilometres from Kathmandu or Syaphrubainsi which is 233 kilometres.

Picturesque mountains ranges and natural beauty can be viewed from Langtang. It takes 4 days to reach there from Dhunche and 3 days from Syaphrubainsi.

Poor people here have been able to manage their livelihood to some extent with the wages of Rs. 150-300 they get per day for guiding or pottering.

It is estimated that the turnover of the local hotels exceeds by Rs. 10 million per year. An average amount of Rs. 1,000 is spent daily by a tourist who normally stay 8-10 days.

Tourists now have better services from 52 hotels following the classification of hotels introduced by the government.

Some 24 hotels here are under operation under ‘A’ grade, 11 under ‘B’ grade and 8 under ‘C’ grade under a 5 year contract period. There are also 9 curio outlets.

Fifty percent of the revenue amount of Rs. 343.55 is being realised from the hotels has been utilized in a community development programme for local people under the national park central area development programme.

Hotels for the tourists have also been contracted on private land at Chandanbari, Thulosyaphru, Syaphrubainsi, Langtang and Kangien.

Kerosene has been made available for hotels outside the park areas to reduce the consumption of wood within the park.

Some persons belonging to other districts also have found employment in cooking and cleaning after undergoing training being conducted by the tropical mountain institute, an INGO, and the park itself.

A variety of birds and butterflies and other wildlife such as deer, snow leopard and bear are added attractions in the national park for visiting tourists, the chief officer said.

In case tourists fall ill in the park area, a helicopter can be sent for by the telephone at Chandanbari or by wireless. Helicopters can be booked at Dhunche. The local people could hardly eke out a living for three months in the year by cultivating crops like potato and barley on land in the lap of the Langtang Massif. But with the advent of the tourists living standards have risen. Some people in the hotel business can even afford to reserve a helicopter should the need become necessary.

If camping sites can be arranged for tourists who come in groups, it would be an added attraction, and local people could find employment as guides after undergoing training.