Land of Great Cathedrals

 Review by Ariadne Gallardo Figueroa

This work recounts the two trips made to Nepal facilitated by KE Aventures Travel, undertaken in autumn 2001 and October 2004; the second alongside Tim Scott, an enthusiastic hiker and personal friend of the writer. Soon we will see a more extensive work titled 'Travels in Time and Space' that the writer Clive Simpson is currently preparing. Four decades of travel and writing must be recounted in it.
                    
With an interesting dedication, I have received the book by the renowned author and writer Clive Simpson: “Ariadne, The mountains of your mind, call”. It is therefore the author's central idea when faced with the immensity of the Himalayas. 

Later, his work highlights from the outset the recognition of his parents who urged him from a young age to recognise the power of travel and their enigmatic way of teaching customs and
landscapes that were not. They are common every day.

The back cover surprises with a beautiful epigraph, it is as if the author decided to place a
ribbon around the work before presenting it to the reader subtly and elegantly. It is the also

British John Ruskin who declares: “And of these great cathedrals of the earth, with doors of rocks, pavements of clouds, choirs of steam and stone, altars of snow and a purple vault crossed by the continuous stars.”

I then realize that it is his cultural background and what he learned from his ancestors who have given that mystical and religious character to the adjective that he has given in his title to the large masses of rock that have not been manufactured by human hands but as part of the geological process where orogenesis allows two huge plates of Earth to rise and remain stable for thousands of years.

Many films and books have been written about the Himalayas, each with a different vision. The most revealing thing about each author is that he shows us his vision through words and we are left meditating on the experience that transmits to each of us.

Clive Simpson, who bears in his name the courageous sign of the great mountain crags, points
out that a group had to return to Spain without achieving the objective due to the difficulties in reaching the summit; then he describes the paraphernalia of all the little coloured flags that are moved by the gusts of wind, pointing out that they are still there, that the achievement is possible and that you just have to know when to climb.

Pages later describe in detail the health problems of a young Scotsman who, despite being 19
years old, is under the influence of mountain sickness that causes so much discomfort in those who suffer from it.

The Nepalese slope of Khumbu rises 5,486 meters above sea level, being in front of it must be
an invaluable experience, Clive mentions it, but does not give much information about its
characteristics, perhaps surprised by its majesty, initially points out that it is a sunny day in
November, the mere idea sticks in the mind of the reader and makes us recognize that that
section will not be crossed during the midday thaw.

Before the immeasurable expression of the landscape, Clive Simpson takes a tour of the travel
experience from London airport to the different landscapes and culinary smells that will bring
you closer to a new and different territory, where curry is served regardless of the time of day.
day or night, in the same way, and if dwelling on too many details describes the aviator's ability to achieve manoeuvres that would seem crazy and reckless to the most sensible person.

Kathmandu at 1,400 meters above sea level becomes for them as visitors the threshold to the
mountainous space of the Himalayas, the author describes the artistic nature of its buildings and I imagine that being there arises within their being a hunch of hope and excitement of the
moment of inhaling the icy breath of the ice colossus.

The dense fog southeast of Dhaka in Bangladesh leaves me thinking about those who accompany him, since I only spell “We” at various times, the privacy of the group seems important or the landscape is more captivating than any human being surrounding their path. Without a doubt, the selective vision of the landscape is one of the amazing moments of the experience.

I discover that there are approximately 20 people in addition to the pilot, Clive describes them as 'Virgins of Everest', the phrase seems surprising, placing confidence in the skill of the Yeti Airlines pilot, all of them unknown to the mountain peaks that receive them indifferently.
On the left side of his window, Clive describes the frozen peaks almost touching the aircraft. It
must be a unique sensation to be in the flight of the metallic bird, recognizing the close touch of the imposing cliffs.

The description is so faithful that I feel the hum of the aero motor in my mind, slowly and calmly travelling through that new and surprising space. Changes of ice and cold are carried by hanging notes where in the distance you can hear the thundering water guessing in a gorge and the Sherpa hike leader who gives instructions that just imagining the way he describes them has made me nervous.

For Clive, adrenaline is everything, imagining himself rising with the group to the top
encourages him, and every detail is a new adventure. “Everest” is not everyone a recognized name for the mountain group, among the Nepalese, its name is Sagarmatha and when they get there, they discover a national park protected since 1976, where it is necessary to use Yak dung to heat food. It must be protected as a world heritage site and for this it is necessary to establish ecological care that all hikers should respect.

Sagarmatha is the name in Nepal for this imposing peak. It means “mother of the universe” in
Sanskrit. Along the way we found a pine forest and the 150-meter ascent through the colourful Namche, everything seemed to indicate that life provides enough strength to move forward, but the discomfort arrived and found us in its camp, a painful head with seized some of the hikers, the height subdues the most reckless.

During a journey that seems worthy of the most courageous humans capable of acting in the
face of tremendous cliffs and climatic extremes, David's illness contrasts with the name of the
one who prevailed against Goliath; making a comparison in those latitudes, when it is necessary to take him to a hospital, to receive a second opinion due to the deterioration of his health. The contrast shows the reality of a world that is not made for everyone, regardless of age and vitality.

Something stuck in my mind in a particular way, the moment in which the writer worries about the state of health of the young man who is finally taken to a hospital in Kathmandu, and another detail that seems irrelevant but that shows me Clive's strength when he points out that at a certain height, he decides to use a second pair of socks, I remember my climb to the Nevado de Toluca in my own country and the need to wear mountain boots with three pairs of socks that did not fulfil their purpose and there, I realize that the Himalayas are not for everyone.

It is a feat that deserves patience at every step of the way. Tengboche is a monastery set against the backdrop of the Khunde Canyon. It is located directly adjacent to Khumjung, in the valley at the foot of Khumbu Yül-Lha, the mountain sacred to the Sherpas. The Khumjung Valley is between 3,800 m and 4,000 m above sea level. Khunde is located in the western part of the valley and slightly higher than Khumjung.

Carrying a heavy backpack on your back causes pain in the lower part of the neck, headaches
are a general trigger among hikers who need to hydrate with something that contains sugar, and crossing a raging river over a bridge has to be one of the experiences more powerful, and Clive discovers it in detail, the guide decides, given the group's stomach ailments and headaches, to spend the night in Dingboche.

The encounter with their settlement at 4,267 meters high (approximately 14,000 feet high) leaves many of us readers wanting to see that crescent moon on the shoulders of the mountain, there is no photograph of that fascinating event that remains reserved for the eyes. of hikers, a clear, starry night that perhaps becomes the setting for a peaceful night in the small settlement of stone huts at Ama Dablam.

Ama Dablam is affectionately known as the "Mother's Necklace" among the Sherpas, a term
loaded with cultural meaning. This name is derived from the Sherpa language, where "Ama"
translates as "mother", and "Dablam" refers to a double pendant worn by Sherpa women that
holds images of gods. Without a doubt, the stars fulfil a beautiful image among visitors and this fascinating and traditional necklace.

Approaching the autonomous region of Labouche urges me to imagine that peak recognized as the 93rd mountain peak that has not yet been able to be climbed by humans due to the dangers it implies, being able to see it from the front must have been one of the most impressive events for a British visitor.

The Kala Patthar climb is very popular among trekkers in the Mount Everest region as it offers the clearest view of Everest. Kala Patthar, meaning “black rock” in Nepali and Hindi, is a mountain in the Nepalese Himalayas.

Then the usual breakfast of sweet potatoes and cabbage dwindles to tea and biscuits, and the
climbers' stomachs can't handle it anymore, each journey is a physical effort and an admirable moment for each of them. Just thinking that this path was crossed by the most renowned climbers in the world made the journey full of enthusiasm.

The mere idea of imagining the Sherpas, willing, happy, and accustomed to doing this work
continuously to accompany the intrepid visitors. It is interesting, that Clive discovers it as a sign of humility for each of them. Reaching 5,638 meters, approximately 18 thousand feet high is not something that is told to be left in the memory, documenting it and sharing it is the most fascinating thing that Clive has made us part of a unique event, even though I will always miss the shot of the crescent moon.

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This is an un-edited review auto-translated from Spanish and originally published on ‘Letras Creativas con Ariadne Gallardo Figueroa’ blog (April 2024) under the heading “Tierra de Grandes Catedrales”, Reseña a la obra de Clive Simpson.

Click on link to order a limited edition, signed copy of Land of Great Cathedrals

In praise of Sherpas

Photo: Clive Simpson

The world it seems is always full of tragedies - the recent loss of a Malaysian aircraft with all its passengers and crew, the South Korean ferry disaster and, a few days ago, a deadly avalanche on the slopes of Mount Everest in Nepal.

They are different in scale but on the human level all have unique and very individual impacts on families, friends and communities.

Tragedies on the world’s highest mountain are nothing new and are almost expected at this time of year, which is deemed the most ‘favourable’ time for commercial expeditions to guide fee-paying clients to the summit.

As rescuers abandoned their search for three Sherpas believed to have been killed along with 13 others last Friday, the Nepalese government is still considering cancelling all expeditions to climb Everest this year.

The avalanche happened at about 5,800 m (19,000 ft) - some 500 m above Base Camp - as Sherpa guides were hauling gear through the Khumbu icefall, a treacherous terrain of crevasses and enormous chunks of ice.

The men were near an area known to climbers as the ‘popcorn field’ - because of its bulging ice - when an enormous piece broke away from a high glacier and crashed down the mountain, setting off an avalanche of ice and rock.

This latest incident has raised concerns in Nepal about the scale of the climbing business and the inherent dangers to the Sherpa guides - as well as the low levels of compensation paid to families by the Nepalese government.

For 2014, some 334 climbers from around the world have permits - costing almost £6,000 each - to climb Everest. Filming rights and other fees bring in more money to the government and if the expeditions are cancelled fees will have to be refunded.

For the Sherpas themselves - a once-obscure mountain people whose name has become synonymous with Everest and whose entire culture has been changed by decades of working as guides and porters for wealthy foreigners - it was a brutal reminder of the risks they face.

On well-travelled, high-prestige climbs like Everest, the Sherpas are the ones who go up first, breaking deep snow, laying fixed ropes and carrying heavy equipment and supplies. Avalanches, altitude sickness, lack of oxygen and brutal cold are part of the deal.

A year ago British climber Jon Griffith and two colleagues abandoned an attempt to climb Everest by a new route after a dispute about the treatment of Sherpa guides.

"There's an underlying feeling among the Sherpas that they've been treated quite badly by westerners and that clients don't have any respect for them," he said afterwards.

"If you look around at how incredibly luxurious some base camps are, you can see their point."

Sherpas are an ethnic group in Nepal and have helped foreigners climb the country's towering peaks since before Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Sir Edmund Hilary became the first to reach the top in 1953.

But in the muti-million pound business of summiting Everest they have all too often been treated as the poor relation and only time will tell if this latest and worst single tragedy on the slopes of the world's highest mountain will address the imbalance.

In my own experience of trekking to Everest base camp, Sherpas have always been friendly, helpful and very supportive. And, as I wrote in ‘Postcard from Namche’, their cheery demeanour and willingness to serve is a lesson to us all.


The Lighthouse Keeper is written by Clive Simpson - for more information or to get in touch click here

Land of great cathedrals

The ‘circus’ at Everest Basecamp was non-existent on this bright and sunny morning in early November in the heart of the Himalayas. The still air was crisp and cool, and the midday sun pierced the iridescent sky, rays of warmth feeling good on the face.

No tents, no people, no cameras – the buzz of expedition fever had dissipated along with the changing weather. Just a few tattered prayer flags every now and then, breaking the ground-level monotony of grey rock and Khumbu ice. You can’t even glimpse the summit of Everest from this fabled ‘launchpad’, and so I wondered...

In the days approaching Basecamp we had learnt from other trekkers along the way that it was now ‘empty’, the last and unsuccessful summit expedition of the year having returned to Spain three weeks earlier.

For a trek that was billed ‘Everest Basecamp’ it was now something of a dilemma – it had been our big chance to fleetingly rub shoulders with those taking on the highest mountain on Earth. But the circus and its paraphernalia had left town.

Several hours back from Basecamp along a tortuous, zig zag route of rock and ice is the remote settlement of Gorak Shep, in the shadow of Nuptse. Here the trappings of Everest expeditions past and to come can be seen – neatly stacked aluminium ladders lashed behind huts for self-keeping and a compound of empty ‘gas’ bottles.

But we jump ahead. Back in September, the Lighthouse Keeper asked ‘How high is Everest?’ and promised to enliven the dark winter nights by marking the tenth anniversary a first visit to Nepal with a retrospective blog, re-living the journey in words and pictures – from the excitement and heat of Kathmandu to the extreme cold and wilderness of the lower reaches of Everest.

So, in the words of John Ruskin, our journey to these ‘great cathedrals of the earth, with their gates of rock, pavements of cloud, choirs of stream and stone, altars of snow, and vaults of purple traversed by the continual stars’, starts here.