A writer's imaginative eye

IT WAS an ordinary autumn weekend afternoon spent wandering the streets of Milan ahead of the start of my attending an international space conference in the city. 

After vying with the crowds in several bustling tourist areas, it was with much relief that I turned into a quieter street away from the hordes. 

The buildings, compared to the majesty of the Duomo Cathedral nearby, were plainer though still exuded an under-stated Italian style. 

Then, rounding a corner, I took an unexpected and sudden leap into the future! Above a deep shop window were three captivating words - ‘The Longevity Suite’.

Bullet points etched into the sign beneath listed a ‘Cryosuite’ and the services of ‘Advanced Bio-hacking’, each of which only exercised my fertile imagination further. 

Behind the semi-obscured glass were two female receptionists, identically dressed and each with long, dark hair, chatting across the counter to a potential new client.

For a few moments ‘The Longevity Suite’ and its setting in the back streets of Milan spun a tale of the future where the dream of extending the natural lifespan of humans had become reality.

In the dimming light of late afternoon, I realised the sign was really nothing more than over-hyped marketing cleverly designed to give the wealthy something to spend their money on.

But in this writer’s mind my short Italian sojourn had, if nothing else, sown the seeds for a futuristic story of morality, a doorway in time perhaps through which the Holy Grail of eternal life beckoned.    

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.

*          *          *

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

Evening observation

 

Across the darkened waves - inspiration for a short piece of descriptive prose.

THE sea is talking loudly this evening as a strong northerly wind whips in, mysteriously summoned by the rising dusk to herald an end to the tranquillity and heat of the day.

Wind and sea together - like a rogue orchestra’s out-of-control percussionists, one drumming relentlessly and the other crashing wave upon wave on the outlying rocks of the sandy cove.

Gone was the gentle nature of a bright and warm sunny day. The quickly fading light had drained the sea of its shimmering daytime blue and turned it to the colour of darkest ink, aside from grey flecks of curling white foam from the breaking waves.

A few miles across the ocean on the near horizon the mountains of Albania formed a grey silhouette, all definition of daylight gone save for the outline of peaks and valleys, neatly framing the edge of sea and sky, and leading the eye to a fading red-orange glow in the west.

On the roadside path above Saint Spiridon cove in the north of Corfu, there seemed no respite from the relentless, discomforting disturbance these twin forces of nature had connived to deliver on this first September evening of the year.

There was no relaxed promenading tonight by lovers hand-in-hand, young or old, and the neatly organised chairs and tables overlooking the beach area and normally packed by day, were devoid of occupation.

Above, the wind whipped the finger-like leaves of palm trees into a frenzy of straight lines, seemingly all intent on pursuing a single direction of pointless travel. 

And the blowsy sun umbrellas of the day were now tightly belted at the waist, rocking and billowing in windy gusts, like solo dancers performing on the edge of night.

Corfu, September 2021

A year of reading dangerously

BOOKS it seems have been more popular than ever during 2020 as many people re-discovered reading during the lockdown and restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic of the year. And so here is my own top ten of the year just past.

I haven’t rated them in any order, other than alphabetically by author surname, as that would seem a bit unfair because they are quite a disparate collection and I have enjoyed them all equally but for different reasons.

It is, however, appropriate that Sir David Attenborough’s A Life on Our Planet heads the list as this is probably the most important statement about our future if we are to do anything to avoid a catastrophic future.

I’d also like to point out that, part from those I received direct from publishers for review purposes as part of my work, the others were purchased from  local independent bookstores.

For each of the books listed below I’ve given a brief summary taken from a longer review and, if there is one, a link to the online review.

A Life on Our Planet - David Attenborough
The fascinating life- journey of  Sir David Attenborough unfolds chapter by chapter in ‘A Life on Our Planet'. It's an accessible, timely nicely written book, full of the wisdom and optimism for both now and the future against the backdrop of his own life adventures.

Dark Skies  -Tiffany Francis
Francis explores nocturnal landscapes and investigates how our experiences of the night-time world have permeated our history, folklore, science, geography, art and literature. I love the fact too that she brings to life many familiar and beautiful parts of the UK, not least when she writes about Buster Hill in Hampshire, still one of my favourite walking locations.   

The Mission of a Lifetime - Basil Hero
A thought-provoking book chronicling the lives and lessons of the 12 Apollo astronauts whom Hero calls ‘The Eagles’. In sharing their wisdom he urges us to reframe our view of Earth: no identifiable nations, borders or races. Each chapter begins with key life lessons that readers can gain from the moon walkers, from overcoming fear to finding gratitude and practising humility in all that you do.“What all Eagles agree on is that, when viewed from the deadness of the Moon, life on Earth is a miracle, a living paradise that much of humanity has failed to respect and care for.”

The Wall - John Lancaster
A middle England dystopia for our fractured and uncertain times, and the only novel in my top ten. A thrillingly apposite allegory of broken Britain that asks key questions about the choice between personal freedom and national interest. A hypnotic work about a broken world you might recognise and about what might be found when all is lost. 

Incandescent - Anne Levin
The thrust of Levin’s book is that natural light (and dark) is fundamental to almost every aspect of life on Earth, interacting with humans and animals in profound yet subtle ways. “We mess with the eternal rhythm of dawn-day-dusk-night at our peril,” she writes. “But mess with it we have, and we still don't truly understand the consequences.” Click here for my longer review.

Our Final Warning - Mark Lynas
Along with Attenborough and Wallis-Wells, this was my third book of the year looking at different aspects of climate change and how we might deal with it if not already too late. In essence, it is a digest version of enormous amounts of climate science papers published in the world’s best journals over recent years. Lynas tries to be hopeful at the end, arguing that everyone should now be fighting against climate change, much like we have done for Covid-19.
    
Limitless - Tim Peake
As a journalist writing about space, I've been fortunate enough to have followed closely his rise into the world of astronauts and space stations, so I was unsure what I might make of this latest astronaut tome. But I need not have worried. A captivating read and eloquently told. It also turned out that for six months or so in the late 1990s I actually worked alongside Tim Peake’s Dad, Nigel, who was Features Editor at the Portsmouth Evening News. Such a small world, isn't it?

The Fens - Francis Pryor
A fascinating account of a complex landscape by archaeologist Francis Pryor who has dug and worked its soil for almost 40 years. Weaving together strands of archaeology, history and personal experience, he paints an intimate portrait of the East of England's marshy and mysterious Fenland. Particularly interesting for someone who grew up in The Fens and now lives along the western edge close to Roman King Street.   

The Uninhabitable Earth - David Wallis-Wells  
A grim book which expands on a viral article of the same name, published in New York in the summer of 2017 and which frightened the life out of everyone who read it. It’s essentially about the harsh realities and impacts of climate change and, as Wallace-Wells points out, the bigger problem is the vast number of people (and governments) who acknowledge the true scale of the problem but continue to act as if it’s not happening.

The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
An honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways. I enjoyed every page of this remarkable and very human journey around the coast of Cornwall. 

Happy reading!

PS - by late 2023, the Lighthouse Keeper plans to have completed and published his own first novel - for a sneak preview see the webpage Flood Waters Down