Asia Travel News Commentary, Reviews, and Insights

This year’s benefit climb of Mt. Rainier in Washington State is scheduled for July 14th to 16th.

The Climb for Himalaya Children raises money to support the Mitrata Orphanage and the Centre for Child Studies and Development in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The participants will climb the 14,411-foot-high Mt. Rainier, one of the highest and most glaciated mountains in the lower United States, to help ensure that the children of Mitrata have access to food, shelter, clothing, and education in a country where orphans are constantly subjected to the dangers of malnutrition, child labor, and prostitution.

This year, Red Lantern Journeys and their trekking agency partner in Nepal, Himalayan Holidays, will award of an all-inclusive trek to Mt. Everest Basecamp in Nepal to the biggest fundraiser!

Please consider supporting one of the climbers or teams by making a donation and helping them achieve their fundraising goals on this web site.

 

The University of Washington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship feature Red Lantern Journeys (and myself) in an article in their latest newsletter. I’m an MBA alum from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and it’s nice to be recognized by my alma mater! Check out the article here:
 

News agencies are reporting that China officials have verbally ordered Tibetan tour agencies not to accept foreign tourists beginning in advance of the March 14 anniversary of the 2008 pre-Olympic crackdown during which Chinese government forces killed. Read the article in the UK’s Gaurdian here:

Guardian Article on the Closure of Tibet

This closure marks the fourth year in a row that China has closed the country to foreign tourists in March to avoid witnesses to any demonstrations that may occur during this time. These closures are never announced in advance or even to foreign agencies who arrange travel to China and Tibet. They seem to be symptoms of China’s political paranoia over it’s occupation of Tibet.

Myanmar has quit issuing visas-on-arrival in advance of it’s November elections. They had implemented the visa on arrival policy on May 1st of 2010, so to have it suspened just a few months later indcates that they are probably concerned about people taking advantage of it to enter the country in order to observe events during the elections.

For more details, see the article in the Winnepeg Free Press.
 

During the last year, 18 people took on a dual challenge to help orphaned and needy children in Nepal. They challenged themselves to get in shape to climb Mt. Rainier in Washington State and to raise a minimum of $1000 for the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children. Those 18 participants and 4 climb leaders ended up raising over $30,000.

Of the 22 participants and climb leaders, 18 of them started out from their high camps on two different routes at just after midnight on the 17th of July. They climbed through the night roped together, with crampons on their boots for traction in the frozen snow, and with headlamps on their helmets lighting their way. They successfully negotiated the crevasses and steep slopes and all of them summited the 14,411-foot Mt. Rainier in cold, but beautiful weather and light winds between 6:30 and 8:30 am–and more importantly, descended safely after the long and grueling day.

The Mt. Rainier Climb for Himalaya Children is organized annually by Seattle-based Red Lantern Journeys to raise money for the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children, a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the Mitrata Orphanage and children’s education in Kathmandu.

Please join us next year for the climb. Visit the Red Lantern Journeys web site for more information about the climb, signing up, and important dates.

Please join me this September for my inaugural Red Lantern Journeys’ President’s Tour. This year, I’m going to Northern Pakistan to raise money for the Central Asia Institute. This tour is a unique opportunity to visit the cultures and landscapes made famous in the book Three Cups of Tea and to raise money for the local schools in the area we’ll be visiting.

My annual President’s Tour is your opportunity to travel with me to visit an off-the-beaten-path destination in a small group of travelers who are equally inspired to explore and understand some of the remote parts of our world.

Greg Mortenson founder of the Central Asia Institute and author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, has inspired me to visit the cultures and mountains of Northern Pakistan. We’re proud to be working directly with the CAI as one of their official fundraisers and will donate $300 per person on this tour. Personal donations by participants are also highly encouraged and will be collected and forwarded to the CAI by Red Lantern Journeys.

Also traveling with us will be photojournalist Beb C. Reynol. Beb has traveled extensively in Pakistan over the last ten years and his experience will be invaluable for exploring the sights and local cultures. He will also advise us on the best travel photography techniques and conduct daily reviews of our photos during the trip.

Despite what you’re hearing in the media, the regions in Northern Pakistan that we will be visiting are safe, and the people are very welcoming. The small size of our group, between 6 and 10, will help ensure we don’t disrupt or intrude on the cultures and villages we visit.

Tour Highlights:

• Driving over the Shandur Pass, site of the world’s highest polo tournament
• Visiting local families in small villages with ancient cultural histories
• Spectacular mountain scenery
• The famous Gilgit Suspension bridge – the longest in Asia
• Travel photography instruction and advice from a seasoned Pakistan traveler and photojournalist, Beb C. Reynol
• A chance to travel with Red Lantern Journeys CEO and adventurer, Ambrose Bittner

15 Days: September 25 to October 9, 2010

Rate: $6,850 per person (based on double occupancy)

For more information about the itinerary please visit our web site : www.redlanternjourneys.com
Or, call me toll-free directly at the Red Lantern Journeys Office: 1-877-362-2793

The Central Asia Institute name is used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, of any product, service, company, or individual.

Last month, the Cabinet of the Government of Nepal approved the re-opening of the seven jungle lodges located within Chitwan National Park. The lodges had been ordered closed by the government after their lease expired. The lodges were forced to cancel all bookings and move guests to lodges outside the Park. After five months of closure, the lodges have been allowed to reopen, but the lease is still yet to be negotiated. Two of the most prominent lodges affected were the Tiger Tops Lodge and Machan Lodge. Signs are that all stakeholders (the lodges, employees, government, local communities, and the national park) are all getting involved. So, let’s hope for a good outcome for everyone.

We’re ready  to go with next year”s Climb for Himalaya Children of Mt. Rainier. The climb will take place from July 15th to 17 in 2010. Please visit the Red Lantern Journeys web site for complete details about participating and how to register for the climb. As of January 1st, we have 10 people registered. That means only 10 more spots are available, so if you’re interested, sign up soon!

If you’re looking for a little motivation, check out this short video of last year’s climb:

Click to Watch!

In an article by Charlie Norton dated August 14, 2009 in the Daily Telegraph, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar opposition leader, has dropped her opposition to tourism in Myanmar.  Burma was renamed Myanmar by the ruling military dictatorship, but the new name has never been recognized by the United States and other Western countries. In a BBC interview in 2002, Suu Kyi was quoted as saying: “We have not yet come to the point where we encourage people to come to Burma as tourists.” The article says that her new views on the subject came from a close acquaintance and former member of her party, the National League for Democracy. According to article, “she now believes it can be encouraged, provided it is run through private operations and not through the government, and that visitors might help draw attention to the oppression of the people by the military junta.”

Read the full article here.

I have incredible respect for Aung San Suu Kyi, a winner of the Nobel Peace Price in 1991, and have always tried to be responsible in promoting tourism in Myanmar. In fact, we speak about her and her opposition to tourism as well as the military dictatorship there on our Red Lantern Journeys Myanmar web page. We want all visitors to Myanmar  to be well informed of the issues in Myanmar and to understand the ramifications of traveling there. However, we also believe it is one of the most magical countries in SE Asia and well worth visiting…especially in a manner that is respectful to the population and uses privately owned tour operators, hotels, and shops.

I’d personally like to thank REI for providing our tents, and free rental gear for the participants. I’d also like to thank Richmoore Foods for providing freeze-dried meals for participants. And, a special thanks to Dan Ansbaugh, who worked diligently to find our sponsors and promote the climb.