#- we get to however many seasons it takes to get to jaya so i can see live action doffy + sengoku + tsuru | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cboffshore · 8 months

Note

daily anon asks because anon likes hearing you ramble about your fics and i encourage them like the little analysis rambling - gremlin that i am.

regarding your new fic, which was beautifully written by the way! to what extent would you say the skybound events still affect jay & nya even after crystallised? are they small little triggers, nightmares after all the years passed? what’s your insight with that?

Hey there! Looks like I might have to start calling you the Enabler or something if this keeps up ;)

Anyway: yes, I'll take you up on the ramble chance offer, and I'm doing it in a single shot so I don't forget. And it's going to get long, so. You know.

Under the cut we go!

Post-Crystalized, I do think the events of Skybound still affect Jay and Nya, but realistically not much more than any other character-specific events affect any of their teammates. It's not a timeline that gets explored a lot, either - most Skybound angst that I see either happens during the season, immediately after, or within the context of very specific events, like the pirate genie joke from season eight. Granted, that's about as much as the show is willing to acknowledge it, so it's sort of tricky to figure out how strongly it would affect them.

Ultimately, I settled on a little bit of projection - I have some specific emotional trauma from a few years ago that I like to think I've gotten over, but sometimes I find myself thinking about it after the smallest little thing. For instance, I discovered a while ago that when I put my retainer in for the night and then smile at myself in the mirror, the retainer moves my lips and exposes my teeth just enough that my smile looks pretty close to the perpetrator's.

Weird, right?

It's been years since I've seen or spoken to that particular person. I can barely remember their face, so I have no idea what really set THAT memory off. And yet: there I was in my bathroom thinking of them. I didn't have any kind of major reaction beyond some discomfort and feeling kind of weird about myself in the moment, but, you know.. still happened. Anyway, that's the angle I go for when writing post-Skybound Jaya, because it's the one that makes the most sense to me and that I find easiest to write. The common trope of huge, overblown speeches about self worth and guilt and everything being okay that crop up in so many Skybound fix it fics has never sat right with me, because that's not how I approached my own recovery. I think I'm pretty healed and that I've processed it pretty well, but every so often, something minor just takes me back.

When I was first outlining this fic, I set it right after the Dark Island Trilogy, because that's something that I've NEVER seen addressed. If you haven't read it yet, I won't spoil anything for you, but the important bits are that it is canon and that it actually involves the Sky Pirates (minus Nadakhan). While they don't remember any of the timeline, Jay and Nya sure do, and they mention it a few times in the trilogy in that classic secretive way people have headcanoned for years now. Had I gone this route, it would have made the wound a bit more raw, which would've been nice. However, Jay having that flashback THEN would have been too obvious. (Also: they didn't have the Monastery. I wanted them to be seriously stable for this.) I then tried pushing it back to right after MOTO to be a companion piece for Small Cuts, but ultimately, I decided that loading Jay and Nya up with all the events of the Wildbrain era would give me the most ammunition to choose from. So: Post-Crystalized. They're still getting used to each other. Chapter two of A Little Annihilation will basically just be them on their own, bonding more as they embark on the world's most sentimental Home Depot run.

We don't have any decent information on how Jay and Nya process Skybound now. We ALMOST did, believe it or not, but the creators chickened out of putting Nadakhan on the Council of the Crystal King. Beyond the teapot gag, we haven't had any solid acknowledgement since SOG.

However! We did get a scrap of it in Dragons Rising season one, but only from Nya's angle, and it's VERY minor. I drew from e14 of DRs1 for both IICT and Annihilation, because that episode gives us two tiny, telling moments: the tinge of bitterness in Nya's voice when she tells Sora about the djinn and their showmanship, and the way she steps in front of Sora when all she sees of Arrakore is his silhouette and can't rule out that he's not dangerous. I've seen a lot of criticism towards this episode for not giving her a more dramatic or emotional reaction, which I find WILDLY unfair, because let's be real: at this point, Skybound is no longer the worst or craziest thing she's seen.

Whether or not those tiny reactions were intentional on the writer's part (and the writers' room for DR id so thorough that I believe it was intentional), they're IMPORTANT. It's been years! The Merge has happened, she's been the ocean, Jay's gone MIA, she's helping mentor the next generation and stop reality from caving in on itself. Dying in a wedding gown Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge style (and all its associated trauma) isn't necessarily top of mind, but having to use a djinn spell and tell Sora who they were would probably remind her of all that. To say NOTHING of the absolute curveball of meeting Arrakore! I stand at my mirror, put my retainer in, and see my bully's face; Nya steps into a cave and sees a four-armed, ponytailed silhouette rising and threatening her. Of COURSE that's startling, but enough has changed that she wouldn't collapse into a sniveling mess in front of Sora. For Jay, we know nothing, so I'm making him up as I go and taking a similar approach.

I got a little carried away there, but the point is: yes, it probably still affects them; no, it's not as drastic as people probably expect, and I can't bring myself to write it that way, because Nya's reaction matches my own so closely that I can't imagine writing anything else. Obviously I'm not working from the knowledge Nya has in Dragons Rising, but I'm letting her reaction there retroactively color her post-Crystalized experience (as well as Jay's, because I think they're similar like that).

Anyway, thanks for the ask! I'm hoping that that "daily" there isn't just hyperbole - you know I'm always down for this.

#lila speaks #reclamation rambles #enabler anon tag

1 note · View note

vedj-f-bekuesu · 4 years

Text

Change of plan, decided to get season 1 out of the way, so I can really get some groundwork. So technically, this is the first true experience of Ninjago.

-Right off the bat, 13 episodes felt too much. I’m glad that future seasons after S2 go down to maximum 10 for the most part. -Honestly the plot is all over the place. The first six episodes are kinda moral episodes, then apparently someone writing Tick Tock said “Actually, I have this kickass angst idea for Zane and I want to use” and the show decided now would be the time to drop the original approach. -Speaking of which, how many fetch quests can you squeeze in one season where there’s just absolute failure on the protagonists’ part? They couldn’t stop the five tribes getting together, and they did not stop one Fangblade being taken by Pythor. It got ridiculous. -That said, the Serpentine are way better than the Skeleton Army, or at least Pythor and Skales are. Pythor is just so hammy it’s fun, and Skales has some real neat setup in the first episodes to establish his moral root (and his eventual heel-face in later seasons, I’m aware of that one). -Some surprising character debuts. The mailman isn’t, but Mystake is already here which I wasn’t expecting for a few seasons yet. -In terms of main characters, Wu and Garmadon are weird. Wu spends half his time in the same bitchy sensei mode as the pilots, but then he has this side story in the underworld and it becomes a story of him trying to save his nephew and he gets all fatherly and it’s like what. Meanwhile, the story keeps drilling in your head that Garmadon is this evil dude yet his evil acts can be counted on one hand. He eventually steps up his game right at the end so I guess that was all S2 set-up (meaning the OG Garmadon was a central villain for one season. He had more evil time after his SoG resurrection!). The family bonding was nice to see after he was so bland in the pilots though. -Nya is more active in S1 which is nice, but it’s still moonlighting as Samurai X as I mentioned. I did not realise that the mystery lasted for all of one episode, so at least there’s not lengthy periods of time where Nya is pretending to be on the sidelines when out as Samurai X. Still really weird that they chose to do it this way until S5 but hey. -Lloyd is fantastic. He’s amusing as a brat and as the green Ninja, and my heart just sorrows at the pain is about to be put through. Weirdly enough, even ignoring the foreshadowing, Lloyd was always the perfect candidate to be the green Ninja. Think about it; he’s adaptable, cunning, determined, persevering, trusting, reflexive, agile, and this all traits from before he even turned good. He was gifted for a 10-12 year old. -Zane is a sweetheart who only had minor fumbles with the green Ninja thing, but he should still be protected at all costs. -Jay’s character is shaky at times, but overall comes out pretty good. The Jaya moments he has in S1 are sweet, and both Nya and Jay drive it naturally (which is good, because the way it was started in the pilot was really clunky). -Worst characters by far in S1 are Kai and Cole. They spend 90% of the time are meathead bullies, and some of it dips so cruelly I can’t root for them. They try to clear it up once we get to the full potential stuff, but too little too late man. Just let me punt these bitches off a cliff and let their S12 selves take over. -The choreography is still pretty piss poor. I didn’t mention it before but now you know. -The Great Devourer ain’t that great. Giant generic snake, woo. -That being said;

Ed: *Trying to start his jalopy* Oh, boy. Oh, gosh. Oh, golly. Oh, gosh. *Meanwhile Harumi’s parents lie dead under a building collapse while the child is scarred for life*

-Worst episode by a country mile is “Home”. What were they thinking, making a whole episode where all the ninja bully Zane for being different, regardless of how much Zane does not deserve that and how little sense it makes for Jay and Cole to do that with their history prior to Kai. And it wasn’t a special episode, it was set-up for a different twist. -Best episode...my heart wants to say “The Royal Blacksmiths” because it comes so out of left field in terms of how Cole and Kai are characterised, plays out like a near-legit coming out story (how did they do it this way by accident??) and has so much homoerotic tension between said Ninja. But the correct answer has to be “Tick Tock”. I know Zane is a robot (it’s a central point in S11 and S12), but I was expecting the reveal in S3. So when I realised where the episode was going it was a gut punch all the same, and Zane getting his memories back is legit heartbreaking. -The season also has one of the better first episodes. -Also yeah this entire season is pretty good for Lava, although Jay and Zane do get plenty to do this time.

As it’s own thing, S1 is generally decent. However, there are some big lows in this season (mostly near the start), and I think some characters just can’t get through it without mud on their face.

As part of the wider Ninjago story, it’s made something apparent that kinda more depressing; the writers have lots of ideas for where Jay and Zane’s characters can go, even if the direction isn’t always met with enthusiasm. Even Nya and Lloyd have had strong stories to run off from the start. Kai and Cole feel like the writers don’t know what to do with them. They had to throw some drama for Cole, so they shoved in the dance thing, Kai needed more conflict, so they tacked on him being more obsessed with the green Ninja power than anyone else even though this was equal for all four at the start of the season. Outside of S1, they either get no arcs, get shunted into other arcs thus wrecking them (Jaya...:( ), repeat arcs that were done with seasons prior or just the most cliche, uninspired stories you could make.

With the last two seasons going back to roots, I wonder if they have looked at S1 again and realised that this is something that should be examined again, what with the spoilers for S12 and S13. Only time will tell.

I won’t review seasons over the weekend, that time is reserved for Prime Empire, and I know I’ll enjoy that more.

#VEDJ-F talks #a lot #vedj-f reviews #ninjago #ns1

11 notes · View notes

ninja-go-to-therapy · 5 years

Text

Meet the Fancreator

So I’m a little late I think but I’ve been sick okay

Also I apologize in advance for how long this is, I like oversharing.

And a big thanks to @lloyd-is-precious for hosting such a fun event!

Hi! I’m Kat.

I’m a female with brown hair and brown eyes (exciting I know). I have really long, straight hair and all of my friends are apparently jealous of it (which I wasn’t aware of until recently). However, combating anyone’s jealousy of my hair, I have bangs that have been described as “very 2001 emo”. You cut your bangs sideways and suddenly you’re emo ig 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve been told I’m short, but I’ve also been told I’m tall, so I’m either average height, or everyone I know is either a tree or a dwarf.

I’m pretty shy and awkward around new people, I have a terrible sense of humor (I made a meme of Sensei Wu telling the viewer to be gay and do crimes, that should tell you enough), and the thing I’m notorious for with most of my friends is the fact that I take forever in the bathroom (I don’t take that long guys all my friends just like to bully me).

I’m cynophobic, which means I’m phobic of dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I actually really love dogs, and from afar they are the cutest things ever. But when a dog is near me I kind of just flip my shit, unfortunately. Nothing ever happened with a dog in my past that would have caused this phobia that I can remember. Luckily, I’m in therapy for it and am very slowly getting better.

I’ve never dated anyone, though I’d very much like to. I’m a hopeless romantic, not gonna lie. One day I will get my dramatic kiss in the rain.

I’ve been in the Ninjago fandom since about 2016, but wasn’t an active member until 2019. I tried to stop watching the show from somewhere around 2017-2019, but as you can see that didn’t work out for me (good thing, too, this show is fricken amazing!).

My favorite characters are Cole and Kai (though I love all of the characters dearly). For a long time I had a very, very strong hatred of Lloyd, but now I don’t mind him, he’s cool. At this point I don’t really hate any characters that I can think of.

This is gonna sound cringe but remember it’s 2020, cringe culture has been officially cancelled. Anyway my favorite villain is Morro (though I much prefer him in fanfictions with good redemption arcs).

Something I find important to let you know is that Day of the Departed will continue to bother me forever for one reason: the trashy redemption for Yang. Straight up he was just like “I JUST WANT ATTENTION!” And Cole was like “oh okay sure that makes all the horrible things you’ve done including ruining my life and kidnapping me totally okay!” And it makes me SAD. (Also I hate how the writers treat Cole and if he doesn’t get a season soon I will riot).

Personally, I don’t really ship anything other than the canon ships such as Jaya and Pixane (I don’t really like Kailor because I feel like they have no chemistry and it’s all a little forced but eh). I have no problems with most of the fanon ships such as lava or opposite and such, I just personally don’t ship those. The few fanon ships I feel really, really strongly about is any ships concerning Lloyd. Sure, Lloyrumi and Lloykita (hollyshipping?) are okay because they actually happened in canon I guess (I still don’t like them), but when people go around shipping Lloyd with anyone else, I do not support it.

I don’t think I have an absolute favorite episode, and I love all of the seasons, so. A fun fact is that the first episode I ever saw was S3E1 (the surge) after my friend made me give the show a chance at a sleepover. Following that episode, we watched the singular clip of Kai with Chen’s staff because yes. At some point that day, we also watched a series of videos called Ninjago Song Cracks by GreyStormNinja on YouTube (and they will forever remain as iconic to me as the show as a whole is).

The villains I like the least are the skulkin and the time twins. I don’t hate them or anything, they’re just… eh, in my opinion. Also, I didn’t love that they brought Garmadon back during the whole SoG ordeal, because he’s been used so many times and it just doesn’t feel like good storytelling at this point (that being said, I did end up liking all that went down after he was brought back, so, what do I know lmao).

Though most of the content I write is whump, I literally do not do injuries in real life. If I saw someone break a bone I think I would throw up. I like fictional pain, not real pain.

I have way too many OCs but they are my children and I love them. Hopefully you’ll get to meet them soon, because I’m working on a story involving them and as soon as I can prewrite enough, I’ll start posting it (the story doesn’t completely revolve around whump, so you won’t be wanting to kill me the whole time, you’re welcome).

Ninjago is my main fandom, but I also enjoy things like Marvel and Anne With an E (go stream on Netflix please we need to get viewership up).

And to bless your soul I leave you with two fic recommendations. Go read Lost Soul on ffn by DietCokeisLife, and then when you’re done with that, go read Return to the Cursed Realm (also on ffn) by FirstFandomFangirl. You’re welcome.

#I'm sorry this is so long #but as I said I have this need to overshare my life with absolutely everyone #meet the ninjago fancreator 2020 #fanfiction #writing #ninjago

13 notes · View notes

sapphired17 · 4 years

Text

It feels surreal to me that we have passed the 2010s already. Time went ahead like an express train without a single stop. What’s more shocking, the first half of 2020 hasn’t even come to an end but the hassles have been getting out of hand. It was peaked with the news of corona virus (COVID-19) outbreak since the beginning of January 2020 and is still an ongoing issue up to the present time, albeit, thankfully, we have also seen a lot of recovered cases. One of the biggest aftermaths of the outbreak is in the tourism department, in which most governments would put a temporary travel ban as a means of preventive measures.

And have I told you about my yearn of traveling, haven’t I? I wrote a post about my first-time-backpacking-experience in Singapore last year, and my journey didn’t stop there. I’m making my itineraries for my upcoming trips to Japan and South Korea already just to showcase my utmost excitement upon discovering brand new things. Unfortunately, the trip schedules are still on hold as I’m waiting until the whole pandemic comes to an end. As an self-comforting attempt, I decided to write about my previous one-week vacation in Malaysia last December 2019 so that I could reminisce a bit about the lingering feelings.

Day 1: Mind-cleansing and peace-making attempts

By the time one enters the pit of adulthood, there are endless things to do, and I really mean my words. Working earnestly, either to fulfill your or your parents’ desire; adjusting with the workplace and making sure to get along well with everyone; getting the work done without skipping meals or sleeps; socializing with friends even if it requires you to be present in tame parties or gatherings; building new meaningful connections while maintaining the existing ones; finding a lover and deliberating whether you both will make a great match, then proceeding to marriage if it is, or starting over if you are doomed; and also making more money; not to forget about looking after your family and attending family occasions to meet with relatives who might shower you with ruthless curiosities; also taking part in side volunteering activities in case you are a social person; then definitely making sure that everything goes well in between. Whoa, being a social being is surely busy, isn’t it?

Just like how humans need sleep everyday in order to stay alive, breaks are also needed so that we may keep living. I didn’t think too much on my way to Malaysia, only overwhelming excitement within. And my crazy journey slowly began.

I booked a direct morning flight with AirAsia without extra-baggage to save cost, then went straight to my friend’s apartment from KLIA2. There is a Skybus service that departs every 30 minutes on weekdays (and 60 minutes on weekends) from KLIA2 to various routes available daily, and I left for One Utama stop for MYR 15. It’s one of the biggest and most popular shopping centres in Klang Valley. My friend stays in a condominium nearby along with her co-worker, leaving a one-room space for me to sleep for the next three nights. Later that evening, another Malaysian friend took me to Tanjung Bungah Nyonya in Petaling Jaya’s SS2 area, known as an authentic restaurant to grab essential Nyonya dishes.

As for the public transport, Malaysians mostly use Touch n Go card to commute with train or bus services. You need to buy the card for MYR 15 with a purse value of MYR 9.80. This reusable card can easily be topped-up in convenience stores.

We had sweet fried chicken, fried tofu and sayur Paku, a vegetable dish known in English as wild fern shoots. I didn’t think I had ever had one in Indonesia but that one was pretty pleasant to my tongue. They all reminded me to my mom’s home-cooked meals.

We stopped by at Restoran Kayu Nasi Kandar SS2 nearby for this delicate roti canai and roasted chicken with dip-in curry sauce, not to mention this sweet roti tissue. Thanks to her, I went home with happy tummy and smiley face.

Day 2: Fun trip, group trip

Haven’t I told you about the superb Couchsurfing app, have I? So basically I managed to gather more people for a one-day trip. Long story short, there were five of us going to popular tourist attractions like Batu Caves and Genting Highlands.

The history of Batu Caves is affiliated with Hinduism, and this is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, which was built in honor of Lord Murugan. If you are familiar with a huge statue at the entrance of Batu Caves, yes, that is the statue of Lord Murugan. Batu Caves itself is always swarmed with visiting tourists.

It cost me my bloody sweaty t-shirts and tanned complexion to reach the huge cave on top of the stairs.

The next destination was Genting Highlands. With the entrance fee of MYR 16, you can roam around the French village, Japanese village and also many other awaiting attractions. We stopped by Colmar Tropicale, a gorgeous Medieval French Village in Berjaya Hills. The cold wind was mild but humid and I indeed felt like leaving for a far far place.

One of the most fascinating experiences was visiting Amber Court, a 23-story apartment building known more as a haunted hotel in Genting. Legend said, a lot of gamblers committed suicide there after losing everything in the casino. If you look up on Google, you might find several interesting testimonies from people who once visited Amber Court. We, too, entered one empty room once and felt something creepy inside. It definitely isn’t a place you’d be comfortable roaming around.

To wrap up the visit, I visited Sky Avenue Shopping Mall and entered the Sky Casino, known as the largest casino in Genting Highlands. In order to make an entrance, you need to register the membership to receive a membership card. As part of the regulations, you are allowed to enter the gate unless you are underage, a Muslim or wear slippers. Photo-taking is also forbidden inside the casino, but it is definitely a huge-scaled casino. You can top-up the balance of the card in order to play the game. Machines are everywhere and people are busy gaining money under the supervision of CCTV cameras and security guards.

Later that night, my local friend took us to Restoran Tiong Hokkien Mee (non-halal) located around Damansara Utama to try the oriental Hokkien Mee there. The texture of the noodle is thick and coated with greasy seasoning, also added with seafood and samcan chops. Definitely a great meal to end day for only MYR 45 (a big portion for 3-4 moderate servings).

Day 3: Lone wanderer in Malacca

The days ahead were pure solo traveling for me. I took off at 7 in the morning to catch the bus to Malacca, a historic state located in the southern part of Malay Peninsula. There is a plenty of bus services that depart from TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) every 30 minutes with particular operating hours. I bought a TBS – Melaka Sentral bus ticket for MYR 11.4 (including TBS Passenger Insurance Protection for MYR 0.40). The trip approximately lasts for two hours, but the seats were comfortable to sleep on so it didn’t matter. December is still on the rainy season so I was told to bring an umbrella with me in case of any drizzles, which did happen upon my arrival there.

One of the most popular tourism spots in Malacca is Jonker Street, known also as the centre of Chinatown. Although it is mostly packed in the evening for the fabulous Night Market, some shops are also open during the day to welcome local or foreign visitors. Snacks, full meals, handicrafts and souvenirs are available along the long wide alley.

This is the widely-known chicken rice ball that I tried at Famosa Chicken Rice Ball outlet. the savory rice ball cost MYR 1.20 each and tasted like the Japanese onigiri. Added with a steam otak-otak for MYR 13, they made a mouth-watering palatable lunch menu to my mouth.

In Malacca, you may discover gorgeous ancient landmarks and fortresses that spark British, Dutch and Portuguese vibes. It is a relatively small city but I only had half a day to roam around. Thus, I managed to witness several ancient churches and other buildings upon walking down the road from Jonker Street. Some buildings of walkable distance are Christ Church Melaka, St. Paul’s Church and A’Famosa Fort. No entrance fee required.

I ended my solo trip in Malacca at around 5 and went back to KL using the same means of transportation and the same bus fare as well. Upon my arrival, my local friend took me to Big Big Wantan in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya for a bowl of warm wantan mee for MYR 6.5. I would say that it was one of the best wantan mee I have ever tasted with great thin mee’s texture and yummy pork dumplings, 10/10 lah.

*Not exactly a photogenic angle, if not an atrocious one, but yeah.

Day 4: A fresh start in Penang

I wanted to experience another side of Malaysia after spending some days in KL, and my choice fell on Penang, or known also as Pulau Pinang. It is a state located in the northwest coast of Malaysia Peninsula. Many people, including myself, probably have heard of Penang because of the prominent advanced hospitals. You can ride a bus, take a train or fly with a plane from KL to Penang. I flew with AirAsia airline for around MYR 80 and stayed with a host from AirBnB. It was a cozy room in an apartment located in Bayan Lepas, about 5-minute distance (by car) from Penang Airport. The rent cost about MYR 13 (including the service fee) per day. I think AirBnB does a great job in accommodating single or group travelers with clean cozy budget rooms in strategic locations of the town.

The capital city of Penang state is a city named George Town, or officially the City of Penang Island. It has it all; good signature cuisines, entertainments, night markets, malls and cultural heritages. Bayan Lepas, however, is a free industrial zone that contributes to the financial improvement of Penang as the financial centre of the northern part of Malaysia. It roughly takes around an hour or more to reach George Town from Bayan Lepas by bus. I had to go past more than 30 bus stops in order to get there, but staying close to the airport surely has its own perks.

The astounding breath-taking view from the window of my AirBnB room during the day.

And the rest of day was all about food-tasting experience.

This is the authentic hokkien mee from the Three Road 888 Hokkien Mee at Presgrave Street, George Town, and dawet cendol from the stall in front of the store. It comes with yellow noodles, bean sprouts, half a boiled egg and pork. The soup is thick and robust and everything else perfectly fits into places. 8.5/10 for me. And the dawet cendol makes an awesome fresh dessert.

There is this popular place to eat Nasi Kandar, a northern Malaysian dish that comes with well-spiced curry broth. Nasi Kandar is originally brought by Tamil Muslim traders from India that settled in Malaysia. Restoran Deen Nasi Kandar is quite well-known in George Town and the queue is crazy. I waited for around 20 minutes before being able to finally sit down and have a proper dinner. It is somewhat similar to Nasi Padang, one of Indonesia’s signature food from Minangkabau, North Sumatera. Regardless, if I have to compare the taste between Nasi Kandar and Nasi Padang, I’d say that Nasi Padang is more on the spicy side and Nasi Kandar is richer in spices. Both are delicious in their own ways. Prices are affordable depending on your choice of add-ons.

Lastly, my final culinary experience ended with a koay chap from a regular street stall in George Town’s night market. Made of hard-boiled egg, mushrooms, pork belly, pig intestines, pig skin, this is not a kind of food I would like to eat on a daily basis, but still acceptable as a culinary choice. It probably cost around MYR 10.

Day 5: A lost day in George Town

The next day was another solo adventure to George Town. Penang isn’t as advanced as Kuala Lumpur in terms of public transport, but they surely provide a lot of buses to hep people commute from here to there. However, the biggest downside of public transports in Penang is that they accept cash but do not give change. I only had the RapidKL card with me, surely non-usable to tap in the buses in Penang. There is this Mutiara card which local people use as a top-up card, just like the RapidKL card. However, I believe that it’s only applicable for locals because you need to register with your identification card. Thus, I spent lots of coins and banknotes more than I should have done because they offer no change.

Another point to note if you are about to travel around Penang by bus is to pay serious attention to the bus stops mentioned by the loud speaker or written on the screen because there slight differences might occur with the guideline written in Google Maps. One time I received quite a backlash from a bus driver for being accused as a free-loader. I initially planned to visit Snake Temple so I checked the location via Maps and even memorized the stops. Unfortunately, I missed the stop because the names of the bus stops were unfamiliar (I was sure I did check the route of the correct bus number, though). I wanted to get off soon but the driver saw my bus ticket and he thought I purposefully checked in for Snake Temple for a cheaper fare. It was indeed a baffling situation for me and I ended up putting in more coins and got off in George Town. Nonetheless, that experience left a bitter taste in my mouth.

George Town is a beautiful town surrounded by classic yet historical buildings and polished by modern infrastructures. The weather was relatively hot but also quite windy, so walking down the long street is not exactly devastating. The sky and floating clouds offered a marvelous view along the horizon. And my first quest was all about food.

I found Yeap Noodles Cafe by accident while walking down Lebuh Chulia street. This is Yeap Noodles in Herbal Soup with pork slice, crab sticks, fish ball and beancurd skin for MYR 11.9. Not aesthetically pleasing, I would say, and it tasted quite bland in my opinion. Maybe I should’ve ordered different menu like the ones with thicker broth or the fried noodles. 7/10 since I was starving at that time, but I believe that the price was quite overrated.

And of course I didn’t want to miss the view of Batu Ferringhi Beach while in Penang. It took around an hour to reach the beach from George Town by bus (I took the bus from Komtar Terminal, where nearly all local Penang buses make a regular stop). Sky was disgustingly bright and clear at that moment, definitely a great place to clear your mind and rest for a bit. They offer banana boat and parasailing activities too!

If I had to mention a recommended noodle place in Penang, this is it. Hong Kee Wan Thun Mee (also known as Hong Kee Bamboo Noodle) in Lebuh Campbell, George Town. They seriously serve one of the most authentic Chinese mee in town. Thick and chewy in texture, added with yummy dumplings on the plate. I’d give 9.5/10 on this one, really. Spent MYR 8.3 and it’s really worth-it.

In the end, my lost day was impressive enough albeit I did spend hours roaming from here to there even with the guide of helpless Google Maps, or helpless me. I walked from here to there, even went as far as visiting Batu Ferringhi Beach by myself and made an entrance only to sit on the sand for hours with blank thoughts. I was exhausted and my legs almost gave in but somehow I managed to catch the bus and rest my body for an hour before I reached the apartment by 10 PM local time. It marked my last day in Penang and I felt that time flew too fast but I was fortuitous to have seen good things, eaten good food and met good people. I believe that I have found the true joy of traveling, which is all about good experience. And although getting lost was not exactly a pleasant experience, it has told me that as alone as I might have been, I still have myself and this self will never leave me in whatever mess I have gotten myself into. And that being said, I should take a really really good care of myself, and so do you.

Day 6: A Medan day

I didn’t have a particular reason for visiting Medan other than a short escape in an unfamiliar place. Medan is merely an hour away from Penang by air transportation, so why not? Coming back to place where people speak the same language as I do after quite a long time was finally breathing a fresh air after suffocation. There weren’t many things to do other than eating good food and sight-seeing good things. I booked a room for a night with a cool budget price from AirBnB.

I found Rumah Makan Tabona upon surfing on the internet to look up iconic food and places in Medan. It was established in 1983 with curry bihun as their signature dish. I ordered curry mee and it’s heavenly-tempting and rich in taste. The curry broth surprisingly matched well with the mee and I was really in awe. 9.5/10 and I believe everyone should have a try!

In the evening, I was recommended to try Kwetiau Ateng by a friend, to which I welcomed with an open hand. I mean, who doesn’t like kwetiau and the chewy texture that digests well in your stomach?

The complete set of kwetiau dish includes fishball, lapcheong, chasio, shrimp and egg. It’s inarguably 10/10.

Indeed one of the best kwetiau I have ever had in my life. A legit 10/10!!

Day 7: A night at KLIA2

In order to fly back to my hometown, I took multiple flights as following; from Medan back to KLIA2, then KLIA2 straight to my hometown. It had been planned beforehand as I had calculated lots of different options and this one was the cheapest, if not counting the extra-baggage cost that I paid later.

I woke up quite early in the morning and prepared myself for a brief adventure before an evening flight to KLIA2. The weather was great and the sky was as clear as crystals, so there wasn’t any reason to be dispirited.

As a choice of breakfast, I tried Soto Kesawan Medan, another prominent culinary option for tourists and locals. Usually soto is served as clear chicken soup, but soto kesawan comes with thicker broth (but different from curry broth) and is served with shrimp as the main menu (but chicken is also available so you can choose anything that goes better in your mouth). Personally, I don’t find soto kesawan mouth-watering enough to be willing to come over for the second attempt. 7.5/10 is enough. Not my cup of tea, I guess.

Before my flight back, I visited a historical place named Tjong A Fie Mansion, a classic residence located in a neighborhood called Kesawan, West Medan. It is registered as a historical landmark as well as one of Medan’s cultural heritage. Entrance fee is IDR 35k including tour guide-service to go sightseeing around the two-storey mansion. Tjong A Fie is a successful Chinese entrepreneur who literally built an empire in Medan that employed over 10,000 workers at that time. He became a prominent figure of Chinese leader respected by the people.

When the time was close to a farewell, I got back to the airport and waited for my upcoming flight. It was only like a short two-hour flight that I was already back in KLIA2 at around 5 PM local time. The upcoming flight to my final destination was early in the next morning, which marked my first attempt staying out in the airport. It was bothersome, anyway, to leave the airport and commute again so early, so I’d rather hold out until the final straw. It was a brand new experience beyond shadow of a doubt. I kept walking here and there without direction like a lost puppy.

The stores inside KLIA2 generally close at midnight and reopen at dawn, but there are a few food shops that open 24/7. When I was extremely used up after a long walk, I sat down on the floor near a charging outlet so that I may recharge my smartphone. There were also people beside me who did the same so it didn’t feel weird at all. I waited for a long time trying to stay awake amidst the fatigue and cold room temperature. Finally, I visited a food shop at 3 AM named Ah Cheng Laksa to digest something warm to my stomach. The one i ordered was Asam Laksa without any meat, and it turned out to be one of the worst food I had ever had all my life.

The distateful laksa that burned down my MYR 21 huft

Didn’t know exactly how an Asam Laksa is supposed to taste, but this one definitely made me lose my appetite. Thin soup with highly sour taste, bland laksa and fresh-looking veggies. Not gonna give any score because of how bad it was, sorry.

It’s an unfortunate thing that I haven’t been able to experience the real Malaysian laksa (that fits well to my appetite) during my visit to Malaysia.

Some traveling tips which might be useful for beginners (like myself lol)

Budget airlines are not exactly budget-saving if you plan on buying souvenirs, this is the most important thing I realized after I spent extra cost on over-baggage fee on the spot, which was almost twice the regular fee. AirAsia, for example, offers super affordable airfares compared to fellow airlines. However, they don’t come with baggage facility unless you add baggage to cart during the purchase. Not necessarily making the airfare pricier, but baggage cost does make a difference, so pay attention more carefully on it.

Bring yourself an umbrella when you travel around the end of the year. It rained occasionally in December when I visited Malacca, and securing an umbrella in the bag is surely much better than spending extra cost on buying one, isn’t it? Frankly speaking, I was lucky that my host was thoughtful enough to remind me to take her umbrella when I went out.

Always prepare extra small-denomination banknotes if you plan on taking public transports. Just like what I experienced in Penang, it would become an utter hassle if you run out of money just because you spend large bill only to be notified that the bus service doesn’t provide change money.

Anyway, let’s pray that the pandemic shall end soon so that traveling and face-to-face interaction no longer become impossible and let’s not take any relationship for granted. Stay safe people!

Total budget spent: around MYR 1,400k to 1,500k

Go Backpacking: 6D5N in Malaysia It feels surreal to me that we have passed the 2010s already. Time went ahead like an express train without a single stop.

0 notes

scottsnowden-blog · 5 years

Photo

The Full Moon Party is an event that almost every Southeast Asian traveler has heard of. The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is well known far beyond the borders of Thailand.

The ultimate Full Moon Party guide for Koh Phangan, Thailand

In this article we would like to give you all the important information about one of the largest beach parties in Thailand and even Southeast Asia. Of course, it’s primarily about the dates, but also about important safety information and about getting to Koh Phangan, as well as the Full Moon Party itself.

We would like to share our experiences with you, because for some years we live on Koh Phangan and have already participated in some Full Moon Partys. The very first Full Moon Party we experienced on our first long journey through Asia in 2013. Today we have a very different relationship and different insights to the Full Moon Party. You can be sure that this article will give you up-to-date first-hand information.

Full Moon Party 2019 – general information about the largest beach party in Thailand

The Full Moon Party has been around on Koh Phangan since the late 1980’s (nobody knows the exact year). At that time, a group of about 30 people gathered at the Paradise Bungalows (which still exist today, by the way) and spontaneously celebrated the first Full Moon Party there. The way to the village Haad Rin, the place where the Full Moon Party takes place, was still unpaved at that time and far from being as accessible as it is today. It was an absolute insider tip.

Today, more than 30 years later, the Full Moon Party is Thailand’s largest beach party and is known to every Southeast Asian traveler. Depending on the season and month, between 5,000 and 30,000 people from all over the world come to the Haad Rin Nok Beach, as the Full Moon Party Beach is actually called.

At the Full Moon Party you will mostly hear electronic music: techno, house, trance, psy-trance etc. But also other genres like drum and bass, pop and hip hop are represented. However, electronic music clearly outweighs it. Not infrequently even internationally known DJs come to Koh Phangan, who play their sets there until sunrise. Of course, there are now professional music systems spread across the large resorts on Haad Rin Beach.

Full Moon Party 2019 and 2020 – dates

Short and compact – here you will find all dates of the Full Moon Party 2019 and 2020 for your travel planing.

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Friday, April 19, 2019

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Monday, June 17, 2019

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Friday, September 13, 2019

Monday, October 14, 2019

Monday, November 11, 2019

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Monday, January 11, 2020

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Friday, June 5, 2020

Monday, July 6, 2020

Monday, August 3, 2020

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Friday, December 25, 2020

Monday, December 28, 2020

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Mostly the party takes place exactly on the full moon day of each month. However, as there are sometimes important Buddhist holidays on these days and the consumption and sale of alcohol is banned, the date of the Full Moon Party is postponed by one to two days.

Also note that it can happen in rare cases that the party is spontaneously canceled completely. This was e.g. most recently the case after the death of the Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016.

Full Moon Party on New Year’s Eve

Every year on Haad Rin a big beach party takes place on New Year’s Eve. This is not a Full Moon Party, as there is no full moon on this day. Basically, it does not differ from the normal Full Moon Partys, except that at midnight there is a huge firework on Haad Rin Beach. Please also note that this is absolute peak season and you should book your accommodation very early. The prices shoot up extremely and often the entire island is fully booked, if you are late.

How to get to the Full Moon Party

How to get to the Full Moon Party from Koh Phangan

If you are already on Koh Phangan, it is very easy to come to the Full Moon Party. On the main road from Thong Sala to Haad Rin, taxis (so-called “Songthaews”) go almost every minute to Haad Rin and back. A ride here basically costs 100 baht per direction and the price is not negotiable.

Songthaews also go from other parts of the island, but less often and at a higher price. If you live outside of the main areas, almost every accommodation on Koh Phangan offers a transport to the Full Moon Party. This is a very safe variant that we basically can recommend.

We generally advise against traveling by yourself with the scooter, unless you are not drinking alcohol and you are an experienced scooter driver. Otherwise, just leave your scooter for safety reasons and take the taxi. It should also be noted that many areas in Haad Rin are closed and it is not easy to find a parking space if you don’t know about the location.

How to get to the Full Moon Party from Koh Samui

In the end, there are just two ways you can travel from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan to the Full Moon Party. Either on your own with one of the daily ferries – from Maenam with Lomprayah, Bangrak with Seatran, Big Buddha Pier with the Haad Rin Queen – or an organized speedboat tour.

It is cheaper if you’re traveling to Koh Phangan with one of the ferries yourself and if you do not have accommodation on Koh Phangan, just get back to Koh Samui around 7 A.M. Here you will pay about 600 baht for a round trip plus 200 baht taxi ride (round trip) to Haad Rin Beach, where the Full Moon Party takes place on Koh Phangan.

However, the organized speedboat service is much more convenient. Prices usually start at 2000 baht for a package. It includes pick-up from your hotel on Koh Samui, the speed boat ride to Haad Rin, and the entire tour back. Speedboats return to Koh Samui every hour and you don’t have to wait until 7 A.M.

Tip: Here you can also conveniently book the transport to the Full Moon Party in advance. This way you don’t need to worry anymore. Only the entrance of 100 baht to the Full Moon Party you will have to pay extra.

How to get to the Full Moon Party from Bangkok

There are many different ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Phangan: by train, bus, flight. Which you choose, of course, depends on your budget and your time.

The fastest option is undoubtedly the flight. You can fly from Bangkok either directly to Koh Samui or to Surat Thani on the mainland. The flight to Koh Samui is usually very expensive, but from time to time there are great deals. Things are much cheaper from Bangkok to Surat Thani with AirAsia. You can check out cheap flights on Skyscanner. By the way, another option would be to fly to Nakhon Si Thammarat – but we don’t want to go into that here.

From Surat Thani you will only have a bus ride and a boat trip ahead of you. Also with the boats there are many possibilities. We almost always take Lomprayah, because it’s simply the fastest way. Tickets can be bought directly in the arrival hall at Surat Thani Airport.

There are also bus and train connections from Bangkok to the south of Thailand. The Bangkok – Surat Thani train is very popular and a great experience if you are not in a hurry. This is also a very cheap option. The best way to check the connections from Bangkok is on 12go.asia.

Accommodation

To visit the Full Moon Party, you don’t necessarily have to stay overnight on Koh Phangan. However, we strongly recommend a stay of up to one week on Koh Phangan to explore the beautiful island away from the parties. It has so much to offer and has the most beautiful beaches in the Gulf of Thailand. You can find more about this later in the article.

You should also be aware that many hotels do have a minimum stay for the Full Moon Party. This means that you have to book at least 3 to 5 nights at this time. In Haad Rin there is sometimes even a minimum stay of up to 7 days.

Accommodations in Haad Rin

In Haad Rin there is a wide choice of accommodation, whether hostels, bungalows or better hotels. Many of them are right on the two Haad Rin beaches Haad Rin Nok and Haad Rin Nai. It is a bit cheaper when you’re away from the beach. In the town of Haad Rin you will find many more accommodations from which you can easily reach the Full Moon Party by foot.

Our hotel tips in Haad Rin and surrounding areas

Neptune’s Villa (on the quiet Haad Rin Nai Beach, just a few minutes to the Full Moon Party)

Moonstone Studio (outside Haad Rin on a hill, but great views)

Palita Lodge (right on the Full Moon Beach)

Tommy Resort (right on Full Moon Beach, one of the main locations of the Full Moon Party)

Jaya (hostel with happy party people in the center of Haad Rin, just a few minutes walk to the party)

Tip: Please note that Haad Rin is a very busy place. Especially in the Full Moon Party time, it can be a bit noisy and hectic in the village, this also applies to the days before the party. If you like it a little quieter, then you might want to look for accommodations on Leela Beach. Hotels like the Cocohut and The Cabin are creme de la creme. Leela Beach is one of Koh Phangan’s most beautiful beaches and just minutes away from Haad Rin center. The clientele there has nothing to do with the typical party-goers. Maybe you are looking for exactly that?

Accommodations on the rest of the island

Of course, you don’t have to spend the night in Haad Rin to attend the Full Moon Party. Koh Phangan is one of the most versatile islands in Thailand and you have a great selection of beautiful other places and beaches. Many of them are much quieter and you can get to the Full Moon Party from all accommodations on the island.

Our hotel tips on the rest of the island

West coast (Srithanu): Nice Sea Resort (right on the beautiful Srithanu Beach, the village is just minutes away)

West coast (Haad Yao): High Life Bungalow (great view of the beach)

Thong Sala: Da Kanda Villa Beach Resort (quiet location right on the beach, just a few minutes to the center of Thong Sala and the pier)

Ban Tai: Sea Love Bungalows (directly on the beach and beautiful sunsets, many shops and restaurants are just a few minutes walk away)

Northeast (Thong Nai Pan): PingChan Resort (right on the dream beach, not far from the village)

On the day of the Full Moon Party, Haad Rin Beach gets very crowded

Neon painting

Before the Full Moon Party: Pre-parties

The days before the Full Moon Party are already filled with parties and events, e.g. the Jungle Experience or Waterfall Party. For all current events, visit Phanganist. Every Sunday before the Full Moon Party you can dance to good house music at Loi Lay in Ban Tai.

If you want to stay longer on Koh Phangan, don’t miss the Half Moon Party, too. The tickets cost a bit more, but the atmosphere in the middle of the jungle is really unique.

If you want to pre-party in Haad Rin in a happy atmosphere with cheap drinks, then check out the Jaya Hostel. It is located in the center of Haad Rin near the lake. There, on the evening of the Full Moon Party, a pre-party will take place where you can also paint yourself and meet other party people. In addition, the drinks cost comparatively little there.

Pre-party at the Jaya Hostel before the Full Moon Party

Do’s and Don’ts and safety instructions for the Full Moon Party

Go to the beach only with solid shoes or at least flip flops, as there may be broken glass or sharp objects in the sand.

Hide your valuables (credit card, mobile phone, camera, etc.) well or leave them best in the hotel safe. There are also a few pickpockets in the crowds. Besides, it can easily happen that you lose something. Even if you are not drunk. A money pouch or another secure bag is very helpful.

Don’t take drugs, even though they are likely to be offered to you often. The sentences in Thailand are a lot higher than in Europe etc. and you can very easily end up in jail.

Don’t drive your own scooter to the party, but rather take a taxi. Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There are unfortunately many accidents happening during full moon.

Make sure you buy closed beer bottles or high percentage alcohol that is opened for you (sealed lids). Basically, the bucket sellers do offer proper alcohol, but there are always some black sheep.

Be sure to drink enough water in between. After all, you should still be able to control yourself and know what you are doing. It also protects you from dehydration.

Never fight with local Thais, but also Burmese (of course also not with other tourists). Just stay cool. This can quickly lead to a big brawl in the crowd and thus hurt innocent people around.

Don’t do fire rope jumping etc. You can burn yourself quickly, especially if you have been drinking and your coordination skills are poor. You certainly don’t want to spend the next day at the doctor’s or in the hospital.

Full Moon Party – costs

Here is a small cost estimate for the Full Moon Party, so you have some idea of what to expect.

Taxi from Thong Sala to Full Moon Party: 100 baht

Simple Thai food in a restaurant in Haad Rin: 50 baht

Admission fee for the Full Moon Party: 100 baht

Neon painting: from 50 baht (more depending on size)

Neon Full Moon Party shirt or tank top 150-250 baht

Bucket: between 150 and 600 baht (depending on the type of alcohol and brand, the cheaper buckets include local Thai liquor and the more expensive imported brand name liquor, but reputable bucket sellers will tell you that directly.)

A bottle of beer (small/large) on the beach: 80 baht/100 baht

Toilet usage: 5-20 baht

After the Full Moon Party: garbage problem and after-parties

A major criticism of the Full Moon Party is of course the garbage and the dirt. That the people pee directly into the sea is true. The garbage thing is not quite right. It is true that the beach is littered after the party. BUT: Shortly after sunrise, the resident resorts start cleaning their beach section. The bucket sellers also do their part and clear away their own garbage. That the beach is totally littered days after the party, as it is often told, is not true! The Haad Rin Nok Beach often looks the same as it did before, just the afternoon after the Full Moon Party.

If you are still not tired after the Full Moon Party, when the sun rises again on Haad Rin, then you can visit the Backyard Full Moon After Party at Moon Paradise. The event starts at 7 A.M., right after the Full Moon Party.

Sunrise at Haad Rin Beach

Away from the Full Moon Party – what else can you do on Koh Phangan (and should!)

Very important: Koh Phangan is not only the Full Moon Party!

The island has so much more to offer and in addition to the countless parties, there is plenty to see: gorgeous paradise beaches, great viewpoints, chilled sunset bars, many hiking opportunities and much more. You can and should spend at least a few days on the island and discover its beauty instead of just partying and getting drunk at the hostel. Even unforgettable scooter tours are possible on Koh Phangan.

What you can do before and after the Full Moon Party can be found in our Koh Phangan category. You should also read this article.

Tip: If you’re already in Haad Rin and have some spare time, do not miss a trip to Haad Yuan. In our opinion, it is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

The beautiful Haad Rin Beach during the day

Koh Samui and Phuket: Full Moon Party – not just on Koh Phangan?

There is no real Full Moon Party on Koh Samui. No need! There are occasional attempts to launch their own full moon parties, but with most visitors heading to Koh Phangan for the night, it actually makes no sense. However, other lunar parties are organized on Koh Samui, such as the Half Moon Party at Cha Cha Moon Beach Club or the Black Moon Party at Chaweng Lake. But don’t expect huge parties, you really should go to Koh Phangan instead.

Phuket indeed has its own Full Moon Party. Of course, this doesn’t come close to the original one on Koh Phangan, but basically offers the same atmosphere. It takes place during the monthly full moon on Paradise Beach near Patong. Admission is much higher and the beach is also much smaller than Haad Rin Beach. Still, it can be a nice alternative if you don’t want to travel to Koh Phangan.

Conclusion: Is the Full Moon Party worth a visit?

Even though the Full Moon Party has passed its golden age, we still think that you can visit this spectacle (can, but not necessarily have to). Even if it’s a mass event with unfortunately many people who are drunk and misbehave senselessly, you can still have a lot of fun. We also go every now and then and never have any problems. The Full Moon Party definitely has its dark side and you should know that. But of course it’s not all bad and if YOU don’t get too drunk and completely lose control, you’ll probably have a lot of fun and will meet cool people.

If, like us, you are not particularly into the electronic music genre, you can still celebrate well. As mentioned earlier, some Black Music or pop is also played in the Drop In Bar or the Cactus Bar. The Sunrise Resort has some cool Drum and Bass sounds. Koh Phangan has many great alternatives to the Full Moon Party nowadays, but it’s still undoubtedly a classic!

Full Moon Party Koh Phangan: Tours and tickets

Have you been to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan? How did you like it or what are your experiences on Thailand’s biggest beach party?

0 notes

topfygad · 4 years

Text

How to climb Aconcagua: all your questions answered

Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Aconcagua, assembled from the many questions asked by our followers

I didn’t announce I was climbing Aconcagua on social media until the day I left for Argentina. It was part superstition (I didn’t want to jinx the climb), but more importantly, I knew that I was about to embark on the hardest and highest climb of my life.

It was a very real possibility that I would not make the summit. Weather, altitude and exhaustion all stood in the way of success. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it only to later admit that I failed.

As such, I only sent one or two brief updates when I arrived in Mendoza and then went silent once I began the climb.

youtube

When it was all over and I was back in civilisation, I announced the climb across our social channels, first with my summit photo and then a volley of updates from the previous two weeks of trekking and climbing.

I was immediately inundated with congratulatory messages, followed by a barrage of questions about the experience via email and social media.

I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Aconcagua.

How high is Aconcagua?

The majority of literature on Aconcagua puts the height at 6,962m (22,840ft). This is based on a 2001 survey by an Italian-Argentinian team that put the mountain at 6,961.83m.

However, in 2012, a team of scientists from various academic institutions in Mendoza re-surveyed Aconcagua and came up with 6,960.8m (6,981m/22,837ft). Even though this is the most recent measurement, it is not widely used.

Did you climb Aconcagua with a guide?

Yes, I joined Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions on a guided climb via the ‘Normal Route’. Acomara has over 15 years of experience guiding on and climbing Aconcagua across more than 500 expeditions.

Can you climb Aconcagua unguided?

You can climb Aconcagua without a guide, but the vast majority of climbers do use guides. It significantly increases your chances of success. During the expedition, I met just three climbers who weren’t using guides. None of them summited.

Those who do climb independently will almost certainly make use of some of the logistical support at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas camps. This may include porterage, food, accommodation and toilets.

How big was your group?

There were 12 climbers in our group. I climbed during the busiest time of the season (mid-December through January) so our group was full. We had two lead guides and then two assistant guides for the higher camps and summit day.

How many of your group made the summit?

Seven members of our team made the summit. One member was carrying an ongoing knee injury and had to descend from base camp. Another four members turned back on summit day.

Atlas & Boots On the summit of Aconcagua

What is the summit success rate on Aconcagua?

There are no official statistics and park rangers do not maintain records, but estimates suggest a summit success rate of around 30-40% historically.

However, this has improved in recent years. Our freelance guides suggested that it is higher these days with around 70% of their clients reaching the summit. Overall, Acomara has an 80% summit success rate over the 15 years they’ve been guiding on Aconcagua.

Of our group, 58.3% (7/12) summited. It’s important that clients ensure they are fit and experienced before attempting this climb.

How long does it take to climb Aconcagua?

My itinerary was 18 days which included 14 days of climbing, a night at each end of the trip in Mendoza, one night in Los Penitentes and two additional days built in as reserves in case of bad weather.

The itinerary is below, although it comes with a degree of flexibility depending on conditions on the mountain. It includes two dedicated acclimatisation hikes and three rest days.

Day From/to Duration Altitude 1 Meet in Mendoza N/A 750m 2 Transfer to Penitentes 3 hours 2,725m 3 Trek to Confluencia Camp 3 hours 3,400m 4 Acclimatisation hike to Plaza Francia 7-8 hours 4,000m 5 Trek to base camp: Plaza de Mulas 8-9 hours 4,300m 6 Rest day at base camp: Plaza de Mulas N/A 4,300m 7 Acclimatisation hike to Mt. Bonete 7-9 hours 5,000m 8 Carry to Camp 1: Canadá, return to base camp 4-6 hours 4,900m 9 Rest day at base camp: Plaza de Mulas N/A 4,300m 10 Climb to Camp 1: Canadá 3-4 hours 4,900m 11 Climb and carry to Camp 2: Nido de Cóndores 3-4 hours 5,560m 12 Rest day at Camp 2: Nido de Cóndores N/A 5,560m 13 Climb and carry to Camp 3: Cólera 3-4 hours 6,000m 14 Summit day and return to Camp 3: Cólera 12-15 hours 6,961m 15 Descend to base camp: Plaza de Mulas 4-6 hours 4,300m 16 Trek out to Laguna de Horcones 7-9 hours 2,900m 17-18 Reserve days for summit N/A N/A

It should also be noted that if the itinerary changes for any reason, then additional accommodation is not provided. We summited a day earlier than planned and financed the extra nights in the hotel in Mendoza at around $65 USD per night.

How much does it cost to climb Aconcagua?

Prices start from around $4,000 USD depending on dates and the itinerary for a round trip from Mendoza. The price includes all accommodation, meals on the trek, English-speaking guides and assistants, and porters to carry equipment between camps and ground transport.

There is also the climbing permit which currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The current price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Including the cost of the permit, flights and additional accommodation, climbers should budget to spend upwards of $6,000 USD.

How hard is the climb?

Aconcagua is an extremely challenging mountain. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: it was the highest and hardest climb I’ve completed. I would not recommend this as a first high-altitude trek or climb.

The main challenges are the altitude and the weather, both of which are amplified by the relative distance of Aconcagua from the equator. The further you travel from the equator, the thinner the Earth’s atmosphere becomes. As such, the effects of altitude are more extreme and the weather is more volatile.

Temperatures are severe, regularly dropping below -20°C (-4°F). The wind (and subsequent windchill) is relentless and even on the best days, the slopes are bleak, barren and harsh.

Underestimate Aconcagua at your peril. Many do and, as such, repeat visits are common.

Atlas & Boots A typical view from the slopes of Aconcagua

Do I need technical mountaineering skills?

The one saving grace is that Aconcagua does not require any specialist mountaineering skills. It is often referred to as the highest trekking peak in the world.

Climbers will need to wear plastic boots and (probably) crampons and occasionally use an ice axe, but Aconcagua is essentially a non-technical mountain. Any experience of these will be useful.

How does it compare to the other seven summits?

Aconcagua is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits: the seven peaks coveted by climbers who want to reach the highest point on every continent.

It was my third mountain of the seven after Elbrus in Russia and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and is significantly harder than both.

It is difficult to draw comparisons, but Aconcagua is generally considered to be the second hardest of the seven summits after Everest. This is largely down to its height and the challenges of climbing at such altitude.

Seven summiteer Alan Arnette suggests that Aconcagua has the lowest summit success rate of all the seven mountains – even lower than Everest in the modern era. That said, all the mountains have different challenges.

Denali in North America is known for the cold, Vinson in Antarctica is notoriously inaccessible, Puncak Jaya in Oceania is the most technical and Everest is the highest mountain on the planet.

Summit Continent Altitude Technical difficulty Mount Everest Asia 8,848m (29,029ft) Intermediate Aconcagua South America 6,961m (22,838ft) Easy Denali North America 6,194m (20,322ft) Intermediate Kilimanjaro Africa 5,895m (19,341ft) Easy Mount Elbrus Europe 5,642m (18,510ft) Easy Mount Vinson Antarctica 4,892m (16,050ft) Intermediate Puncak Jaya Oceania 4,884m (16,024ft) Advanced

How did you train for the climb?

I spent most of 2019 preparing for Aconcagua. I upped my gym routine significantly. I spent a lot of time working on cardio (running and swimming) for high-altitude performance. I also worked on my upper body, focusing on my core muscles to improve strength for carrying a backpack.

I went on several long-distance and high-altitude treks in the preceding 12 months. These included the Everest base camp trek in Nepal, the K2 base camp trek in Pakistan and the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland.

Additionally, I went on numerous local day hikes and multi-day treks carrying over 20kg (44lb) on my back.

What was the hardest part?

The devilish Canaleta scree slope at around 6,700m (21,981ft) on summit day is utterly soul-destroying. The mixture of loose gravel and rocks means for every two steps forward you slide back one. It takes several hours of slipping, sliding and swearing to ascend.

How cold does it get? What is the weather like?

The most predictable feature of the weather on Aconcagua is its unpredictability. Temperatures regularly drop below -20°C (-4°F), but climbers should be prepared for temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F), particularly at night.

During the day it is often sunny, but no matter how strong the sun and clear the sky, the infamous Aconcagua wind and the hostile chill that accompanies it is never far away. The wind chill factor of Aconcagua is extreme; it can lower temperatures by as much as 15°C (59°F).

It snowed several times during our climb, most heavily on summit day when we had a whiteout. You should be prepared for the same.

When is the best time to climb Aconcagua?

The best time for climbing Aconcagua is from mid-December to the end of January. The climbing season runs from mid-November to the end of March, but the weather is more changeable earlier and later in the season.

Even at the best of times, climbers should be prepared for high winds, snow, ice and low temperatures.

What should I pack?

I’ve put together a detailed Aconcagua gear list. It contains everything I took with me including clothing, equipment, toiletries, medication, electronics and documentation.

Atlas & Boots How to climb Aconcagua? Start with the right gear!

Can I buy/hire trekking gear and clothes locally?

It is possible to rent most items on arrival in Mendoza. However, it’s cheaper in the long run to buy your own gear and it’s also better to have tested everything beforehand, particularly when it comes to footwear and clothing.

Mendoza has several outdoor stores where it’s possible to buy gear. But be warned: outdoor gear is very expensive in Argentina. It’s almost certainly cheaper to buy gear in your home country.

If you’re travelling in South America beforehand, then Chile is a good destination to buy outdoor equipment. My guides told me they take a bus across the border to Santiago to buy theirs.

What is base camp like?

Plaza de Mulas base camp is best described as a sprawling tent town. It houses hundreds of climbers and trekkers and the guides, cooks and porters who assist them up the mountain. Most outfits have a central dome tent for meals and a support tent for cooking surrounded by dozens of tents for their staff and clients.

I was surprised at the size of base camp and the extent of its services. It’s possible to buy drinks (alcoholic and soft), food, cigarettes, hire porters and guides and even visit an art gallery.

Atlas & Boots Looking across base camp towards the glacier

Is there an Aconcagua base camp trek I can do instead?

Yes. We were joined by a trekker who hiked with us to base camp and accompanied the climbing team on the acclimatisation hikes to Plaza Francia and Mt. Bonete.

He was planning to attempt Aconcagua the following year and wanted to gain some high-altitude experience first. Acomara offer several trekking options.

How many camps are there?

There are five camps in total:

Confluencia: 3,400m, 2 nights

Base camp (Plaza de Mulas): 4,300m, 6 nights

Camp 1 (Canadá): 4,950m, 1 night

Camp 2 (Nido de Cóndores): 5,560m, 2 nights

Camp 3 (Cólera): 6,000m, 2-3 nights

What time did you get up on summit day?

We woke up at 3am on summit day and left camp at 4.30am. It took us eight hours to reach the summit and four hours to descend.

Summit days regularly last as long as 15 hours, sometimes longer.

Where do you get drinking water?

At Confluencia and base camp, water is supplied by the support team. Pipes run from streams flowing from the glacier. The water is stored in barrels for climbers to help themselves to.

Further up the mountain, guides and climbers have to source their water from the snow by melting it themselves.

At Camp 2, we received reports from Camp 3 that there was little snow above, so each team member transported seven litres of water up to Camp 3 from Camp 2 for cooking our meals and drinking on summit day.

What is the food like?

The food was excellent considering where we were. At Confluencia and base camp, mealtimes were sit-down affairs with great variation.

Typically, breakfast was eggs, bread, biscuits and sausages. Lunchboxes were prepared for us for during the day, usually consisting of a sandwich, chocolate and cereal bars and a piece of fruit. Evening meals always included soup followed by something like lasagna, pasta, noodles, pizza and sometimes even a barbecue.

At the higher camps, food became more basic consisting of bread and cheese for breakfast, comparable lunches and evening meals were usually pre-prepared trekking (dehydrated) meals.

Whatever was on the menu, we never went hungry.

Atlas & Boots Relaxing during a rest day

Are meals included in the price?

All meals from leaving Mendoza onwards are included in the price. Climbers may wish to take some preferred snacks or energy gels with them, particularly for summit day.

How do you go to the toilet?

Confluencia and Plaze de Mulas have simple drop-toilet facilities, which invariably become pretty disgusting. However, considering the number of people on the mountain, using the mountainside instead is not viable.

At the higher camps, systems may vary but expect a simple toilet tent to be erected with climbers required to do their business in bin liners. Waste is collected and carried off the mountain by porters and mules.

Please do your utmost to leave no trace whatever system is in place.

Can I take a shower during the climb?

At base camp, it’s possible to take gas-heated showers. One free shower is included in the price of the climb. After that, showers cost $15 USD.

Most climbers (including me) took one shower before leaving base camp for the higher camps. It was utterly delightful.

Is there phone signal or wifi available?

Phone reception is available at base camp, Los Penitentes and in Mendoza. But not at Confluencia or the higher camps. It’s possible to buy local SIM cards in Mendoza.

I packed our Keepgo International Wifi Hotspot to access it. The device generates a wifi connection using local 4G mobile networks in over 120 countries. You can get 10% off any Keepgo product using this referral link.

Can I charge electronics during the climb?

It should be possible to charge devices at the mess tent of your outfitter. This can only be done during the day as they are solar-powered. However, charging points are at a premium and take a long time to charge.

I packed a Powergorilla charger and a Falcon 21 foldable solar charger from PowerTraveller and preferred to use these. They were more powerful, more reliable and functioned in cold temperatures.

The Powergorilla can charge devices up to 24Volts (such as a laptop). I used the solar charger most days as it was reliable enough to charge my smaller devices.

Atlas & Boots Charging gadgets at base camp

Are there any medical facilities or checks?

At Confluencia and base camp there are medical tents where every climber must attend a basic medical check. Doctors stationed here measure blood pressure and oxygen saturation. Anyone who fails these tests will not be allowed to climb further.

Additionally, there are helipads at base camp and Camp 2 for evacuations.

Is climbing Aconcagua dangerous?

In a word, yes, but Aconcagua is a relatively safe climb by the standard routes. However, it is a massive mountain and people die on it every year. I witnessed medical evacuations every day of the climb and the first death of the season happened shortly after I left the mountain.

The main hazards are altitude sickness and exhaustion and exposure, although rockfall and avalanche are also dangers.

Do I need specialist insurance?

One of my most important tips on how to climb Aconcagua is to make sure you select a travel insurance policy that has sufficient medical coverage. It must have a minimum coverage of $250,000 USD for repatriation and emergency rescue (including search and rescue) and helicopter evacuation.

I bought mine from TrueTraveller. For Aconcagua you’ll need the Extreme Adventure Pack as it covers trekking over 4,600 metres.

Should I take Diamox?

This is very much down to the individual. I have never taken Diamox, but I have been to high altitudes several times so I know what to expect. I do carry some with me in case I ever feel particularly bad.

The best advice I can give is what my guide gave me on my Everest base camp trek. Have some Diamox with you and take it as soon as you start to feel the pulsing headaches that are synonymous with altitude sickness.

He said it’s good to have some available at the higher altitudes – particularly when you sleep above 5,000m – so you can use it to aid a good night’s sleep.

What maps or guidebooks do I need?

If you are climbing Aconcagua unguided then the more detailed Aconcagua Climbing Map is essential.

Which route did you take? Are there others?

I climbed via the Normal Route. The other popular route is via the Polish Glacier. The Polish Glacier is longer and harder, but more scenic. Both are trekking routes. There are other routes to the summit but they require mountaineering skills and are generally unsupported.

About 54% of climbers ascend the Normal Route, 43% up the Polish Glacier Route and the remaining 3% on other routes.

Do I need a permit?

All climbers require a climbing permit which must be obtained beforehand from the Ministerio de Turismo in Mendoza.

The climbing permit currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The most recent price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Atlas & Boots On some days you may have to carry as much as 25kg

What will the porters and mules carry for me?

From the park entrance to Plaza de Mulas, mules carry climbers’ heavy duffle bags, which contain the vast majority of their gear. Climbers will only be responsible for carrying their daypacks.

Beyond base camp, the team employs porters to aid with carrying the tents and cooking equipment. However, climbers are responsible for hauling their personal gear and food up to the higher camps.

From base camp to Camp 1, climbers transport their gear and food in two carries of around 12-15kg (26-33lb) at a time.

Carries from Camp 1 to 2 and from Camp 2 to 3 are done in one load (20-25kg/44-55lb).

It is possible to hire porters who will carry up to 20kg (44lb) between the higher camps. These become more expensive the higher you get:

Base camp to Camp 1: $130 USD

Camp 1 to Camp 2: $170 USD

Camp 2 to Camp 3: $260 USD

How much should I tip guides and porters?

Guides and porters on Aconcagua are paid much better than their counterparts in many other parts of the world – Nepal, Pakistan and Tanzania for example – so tips are not expected to make up part of their income.

That said, showing your appreciation in the form of a tip will go a long way. Allow between $100-200 in tips for your guides, assistants and porters.

How many people climb Aconcagua? Is it busy?

Like most mountains, summit statistics are hard to come by. Park rangers do not maintain records, but we do have access to some statistics of how many people enter the park in recent years.

During the 2015/16 season, 5,551 people entered the park between November and March. Previous seasons have seen as many as 7,000. More figures on visitor numbers can be found here.

This area of Argentina enjoys well-established infrastructure and is not what would be described as remote. That said, the mountain is by no means overcrowded and sees a tiny fraction of the visitors the trails around Everest or Annapurna do in Nepal. The main camps are busier of course, but the trails are generally quiet.

How did you get to Mendoza?

I flew to Mendoza via Santiago in Chile from the UK with British Airways and LATAM. It is possible to fly via Buenos Aires in Argentina, but this often involves changing airports. I use Skyscanner to find the best prices.

I had a long stopover in Santiago so took advantage of the Primeclass Pacifico Andes Lounge inside the international terminal – a godsend after the 14-hour flight from London.

The lounge includes a buffet restaurant, hot and cold drinks, shower and washroom facilities and a business area. Prices start at $50 USD for international passengers.

Enjoyed this post? pin it for later…

Have we missed any anything? If you have any of your own questions or suggestions on how to climb Aconcagua, please contact us.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

source http://cheaprtravels.com/how-to-climb-aconcagua-all-your-questions-answered/

0 notes

theconservativebrief · 6 years

Link

August 28 is not a day that is particularly known for feeling especially crisp or autumnal in most parts of North America. And yet it’s the day in 2018 — the earliest release date so far — that Starbucks chose to ready its blazing orange jugs of “pumpkin sauce” and unleash its annual run of pumpkin spice lattes upon its customers.

You’d be forgiven for mistaking this tone for one of disdain. Since its inception in 2003, the pumpkin spice latte has become something of a strawman for discussions about capitalism, seasonal creep, and the meaning of “basic,” resulting in widespread hatred for an otherwise innocuous beverage.

For example, back in 2014, at the height of pumpkin spice mania, this very website described the PSL as “an unctuous, pungent, saccharine brown liquid, equal parts dairy and diabetes, served in paper cups and guzzled down by the liters” — even though clearly the pumpkin spice latte is a highly delicious treat that pairs well with wearing vests and making dorky comments about how crisp the air feels today. Yes, it contains 380 calories; yes, it will make your coffee a rather unappetizing orange color; no, you should not “guzzle it down by the liters.”

But contempt for the PSL and other items of the seasonal pumpkin spice variety is often not really about the flavor itself. After all, there are plenty of other flavors we should all be way more furious about. (There is a shop in Scotland that serves mayonnaise ice cream, people!) Too frequently, it’s about sexism, class anxiety, and our collective skepticism of savvy marketing.

The pumpkin spice latte almost didn’t exist. As former Starbucks veteran Tim Kern told Quartz, “A number of us thought it was a beverage so dominated by a flavor other than coffee that it didn’t put Starbucks’ coffee in the best light.”

Fortunately for Starbucks, the Tim Kernses of the company were ultimately overruled, because within a decade of its launch in 2003, the PSL became its top-selling drink, with more than 200 million of them sold. In 2015, Forbes estimated the PSL brought in around $100 million in revenue over a single season.

2015 was also the year that Starbucks changed its decade-old formula to include actual pumpkin for the first time, rather than simply caramel coloring and pumpkin pie spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves). By all accounts, it tasted pretty much the same, just, according to its inventor, “cleaner.”

At that point, the PSL wasn’t just a cash cow: It was a cultural phenomenon. In part, that’s thanks to its marketing — there is nothing inherently seasonal about the spices that go in pumpkin pie, but Starbucks is able to convince us that the drink should only be drank during the fall months, thereby increasing demand.

But there’s another reason why the PSL exploded so much over the past decade. Culinary food trend analyst Suzy Badaracco told Vox back in 2014, “Pumpkin became recognized as part of the comfort food trend during the recession in 2008,” due to its association with Thanksgiving and the holidays. In tough times, we’re more likely to crave foods that bring back happy memories.

Surely, though, the reason we all began talking about PSLs to begin with was their prevalence on social media. It’s not that they’re inherently photogenic — a Starbucks cup is a Starbucks cup regardless of what’s inside it, and the PSL doesn’t get its own special design like the holiday drinks do.

It’s because when you add a PSL to a photo of, say, your new fall boots standing atop crunchy-looking leaves or a selfie featuring a festive dark lip color, it adds to the autumnal aesthetic. It’s not a coincidence that Instagram — the epicenter of cutesy fall tableaus — happened to blow up in the early 2010s, which is the same time that it became cool to claim you despised pumpkin spice.

But maybe that’s not the whole story.

The fact that the pumpkin spice latte — which, to many, conjures the scents and imagery of Thanksgiving — is released in increasingly hot weather year after year is often touted as an ominous harbinger of the evil forces of seasonal creep. “It’s agricultural revisionism!,” argue some, citing the fact that pumpkins aren’t actually in season until autumn proper.

A viral John Oliver clip from 2014 declares as much, noting that “that bottle of pumpkin-flavored science goo sits behind the counter of Starbucks, never aging, like Ryan Seacrest:”

[embedded content]

The success of the PSL is also largely responsible for the barrage of pumpkin spice-flavored everything else, from cream cheese to dog treats, Kahlua, to an especially wacky seasonal crossover, Peeps. There have also been air fresheners, deodorant, even Four Loko (okay, that one ended up being a joke), resulting in the expected amount of hand-wringing about a food trend “gone too far.” (Indeed, back in 2010, spice brand McCormick forecasted that pumpkin spice would be a popular flavor for the holiday season, which in turn likely exacerbated the rush.)

When a food trend is as in-your-face as pumpkin spice is — ever been to a Trader Joe’s in October? — it forces us to think about how the free market is essentially designed to create this kind of phenomena. If a product like the pumpkin spice latte sells, it’s natural under capitalism for other companies to attempt to replicate that success. But it’s uncomfortable when we see it happening on such an exaggerated scale.

Well, maybe, but maybe what pumpkin spice backlash is really about is our dismissal of trends that are coded as feminine. As Jaya Saxena wrote in Taste last fall, in a piece titled “Women Aren’t Ruining Food,” “When men enjoy something, they elevate it. But when women enjoy something, they ruin it.”

She continues, on the topic of “girly” food crazes like açai bowls, rosé, and pumpkin spice versus “manly” ones like barbecue, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and IPAs:

When those foods blow up, we judge women for falling for the marketing or trying to jump on the bandwagon, and we assume that because they like something other women like, they don’t have minds of their own. And on top of that, women are asked to reckon with, consciously or unconsciously, the perceived psycho-sexual symbolism attached to seemingly innocuous foods.

Plus, “masculine” foods are almost never chastised for being “basic,” the ever-nebulous term used to describe someone with average, predictable taste that’s usually reserved for women.

In the most stereotypical (and by now, probably outdated) terms, a “basic bitch” wears North Face, leggings, and Uggs, and absolutely adores hashtag-PSLs, marking her as a woman with “a girlish interest in seasonal changes and an unsophisticated penchant for sweet,” as the Cut noted back in 2014.

There are often classist implications, too. In a BuzzFeed piece about “basic” and class anxiety, Anne Helen Peterson wrote:

Unique taste — and the capacity to avoid the basic — is a privilege. A privilege of location (usually urban), of education (exposure to other cultures and locales), and of parentage (who would introduce and exalt other tastes). To summarize the groundbreaking work of theorist Pierre Bourdieu: We don’t choose our tastes so much as the micro-specifics of our class determine them. To consume and perform online in a basic way is thus to reflect a highly American, capitalist upbringing. Basic girls love the things they do because nearly every part of American commercial media has told them that they should.

Essentially, hating pumpkin spice lattes is our way of othering those who drink them, and in the process, marking ourselves as decidedly un-basic.

Of course, this notion of what “basic” means is not the same way black people have been using it for decades, which, as Kara Brown explained in Jezebel, pretty much just translates to “I think that the stuff you like is lame and I don’t really like you.”

“Rihanna could become the official spokesperson for Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes and nobody would think of her as basic,” she wrote. “You know why? Because Rihanna does what she wants and what she thinks is cool and doesn’t give a damn about anybody else.”

Even if Rihanna suddenly became the official spokesperson of PSLs, however, there is also the possibility that, quite frankly, nobody really cares that much anymore. We seemed to have hit peak “pumpkin spice hot take” in the year 2014, with searches for “pumpkin spice latte” peaking in 2015.

Plus, the pumpkin spice bubble may have already popped. Analytics company 1010data revealed that, despite the fact that pumpkin spice products for sale had risen by nearly 50 percent between 2015 and 2016, sales went up just 21 percent — we just aren’t craving it like we used to.

Maybe that’s because we’ve all been stricken with a case of seasonal beverage fatigue in general. Starbucks is constantly coming out with random gimmicky drinks, from the Unicorn Frappuccino to the so-called “secret menu.”

If that’s true, it tracks that we aren’t seeing the same kind of anger directed at what is arguably replacing pumpkin spice as autumn’s de facto flavor. In 2017 both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts released maple pecan lattes. And according to restaurant menu data from that year, “mentions of maple as a flavor in nonalcoholic beverages on menus are up 86 percent this year over last … Pumpkin mentions, on the other hand, are down 20 percent.” Yet nobody’s complaining about how dumb maple syrup is.

And these days, tweets about PSLs are way more in the vein of “Screw you and let me enjoy my shitty drink in peace, because everything is terrible.”

Pumpkin Spice Latte comes back tomorrow and I am 100% getting one in 91 degree weather because this world is a shitshow and I take joy where I can get it, like in delicious flavored coffee drinks.

— drunk wynhaught (@drunkhaught) August 27, 2018

People have also expressed exhaustion about the “actually-ing” over what pumpkin spice even is, as if anyone really wants to talk about it.

“pumpkin spice refers to the spices used in pumpkin pie and doesn’t actually taste like pumpkins” is the “Frankenstein was the name of the doctor” of this decade

— Kyle (@KylePlantEmoji) August 27, 2018

There are even ironic tweets poking fun at the automation of feminist responses to the anti-pumpkin spice brigade:

Women’s unabashed enjoyment of a thing has always led to wholesale dismissal of said thing as frivolous and/or bad. From early examples like needlework to more current cases like pumpkin spice and romance novels, we can track this trend throughout history. In this paper I will –

— The Ripped Bodice (@TheRippedBodice) August 27, 2018

Anyway, this is all to say that maybe now, in the year 2018, pumpkin spice has finally returned to signifying the autumnal blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and nothing more: not basic, not everything wrong with capitalism, and not gross. Because it’s not! It’s delicious.

Original Source -> Pumpkin spice lattes — and the backlash, and the backlash to the backlash — explained

via The Conservative Brief

#IFTTT #The Conservative Brief

0 notes

zeroviraluniverse-blog · 7 years

Text

How Rumeli Dhar 'exploded' back into national reckoning

Visit Now - http://zeroviral.com/how-rumeli-dhar-exploded-back-into-national-reckoning/

How Rumeli Dhar 'exploded' back into national reckoning

Rumeli Dhar is marking her run-up for her second spell.

Her opening spell of gentle medium-pace has been anything but gentle. Nine of her 12 deliveries so far haven’t been scored off. The two batsmen she dismissed couldn’t score any either. Her 2 for 3 has left Maharashtra five down inside eight overs, and the national selectors buzzing.

Rumeli is running in to begin her second spell. She has two more overs left at the Sachin Tendulkar Gymakhana, on the eve of Republic Day.

About this time two days ago, the striker, Anuja Patil, had been named in India’s T20 squad for the South Africa tour. She had not played an international in 14 months; Rumeli had last represented India in 2012.

Anuja is one run better off than the two batsmen who have fallen to Rumeli. She has warded off a similar fate by not offering a shot for the first two outswingers outside off. The third, on off stump, draws a front-foot defence. There seems little that Anuja is doing wrong, except her bat comes down late on this incoming ball.

Rumeli has begun her second spell.

She flattens Anuja’s middle stump and has Jaya Sharma, the Delhi selector, on her feet. As the Delhi fielders sprint towards Rumeli, throwing high-fives in the air, Jaya, a team-mate of Rumeli in 43 of her 97 international appearances, hollers.

“Kya kamaal karti jaa rahi hain, Rumi!” (what wonders you’re achieving, Rumi)

Maharashtra are six down for 23, and Rumeli is sauntering towards the long-on boundary. Even before she puts her cap on, she’s greeted with banter from one of the national selectors: “Good Lord, this girl is going to cause us some headache soon!”

Rumeli fires a reply:”Not if you believe I’ve got what it takes to make it back.”

****

You may be tempted to ask Rumeli what happens to a destiny unfulfilled.

She’ll probably acknowledge your acknowledgement first. After all, not many may have heard of Rumeli, let alone remember her as someone considered – by team-mates, contemporaries and opponents alike – as one of India’s best allrounders. Once the surprise at your unexpected recognition of her has been dealt with, Rumeli may consider venturing into an answer.

“Explode.”

For a 34-year-old India women cricketer dwelling far from media interest or public knowledge for the past six years, the response may not come across as wholly appropriate. However, it won’t be totally out of sync with what Rumeli has done in the domestic circuit this season: explode, onto the pads of Smriti Mandhana, through the prolific scoring of Jemimah Rodrigues, across the near two-season unbeaten T20 streak of Mithali Raj’s domestic side, Railways, and into the national squad after a near-six-year hiatus.

Rumeli Dhar in action during the Senior Women’s T20 league Annesha Ghosh/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I believe I still have a lot left in me to give to cricket, to my country,” Rumeli told ESPNcricinfo of her aspirations of a national comeback following the T20 against Maharashtra last month. “The kind of person I am, I don’t think I’m giving up until I play and perform for India again. I don’t know if it’ll happen here [in India, during the upcoming home season] or elsewhere, but I will keep at it.”

Rumeli flying to South Africa, with a couple of days’ notice from the BCCI, as a replacement for the injured Jhulan Goswami, has a ring of incredulity about it. The last time Rumeli played a T20I, she accomplished the rare feat of opening both the batting and the bowling for India, the latter with Goswami, also a former Air India and Bengal team-mate. Rumeli and Goswami are the only two India captains from the state.

****

A resident of Delhi for the past 15 years, Rumeli, employed with the Northern Railways since 2003, hasn’t staggered her way back to the consciousness of the selectors. Nor has she taken giant leaps towards it. As her father Anup emphasises, Rumeli has tiptoed her way back into reckoning with self-belief and consistency in domestic cricket.

“In the past six years, I’ve never seen her wallow in self-pity,” Anup says. “Never. She’s not that type. In fact, you won’t find many a girl as determined as Rumeli. Uff, boddo jedi (Gosh, she’s one heck of an obstinate girl). Even when she has had minor [shoulder and knee] injuries along the way, she worked diligently with her physio and overcame all of that. I think it is her stubbornness that’s kept her going all these years. Oh, and the love of the game, too.”

Anup narrates how Rumeli had cultivated the habit of giving away her equipment to talented young boys and girls around Delhi’s Kishanganj area, where the Dhars live, and those across other cities. “Recently, when she was away [travelling for inter-state tournaments], she rang up and ordered me to courier a few bats to some underprivileged girls in Odisha she believes has the potential to play higher-level cricket.

“Ekhoni courier kore ditey hobe (You’ve got to get it couriered right away), she would mandate over the phone. And then, some other day, it would be some boy in Barrackpore [in Kolkata] or someone in Paharganj [in Delhi], or Jaipur. Stubbornness and passion for cricket, and cricket alone. That is all of Rumeli you’ll ever know.”

Rumeli’s mother Gauri emphasises the importance of her daughter’s decision to play for Delhi for the first time this season, having previously spent the past four years – two each – with Rajasthan and Assam. While Anup had shifted base to Delhi in 2009, the mother and daughter have been constant companions to each other since they moved home in 2003.

“Call it God’s grace or Rumeli’s destiny She’s lived here almost half her life, and that her performance, Delhi’s How Rumeli Dhar ‘exploded’ back into national reckoning win and her recall has coincided with one another is something we, as parents, can only be grateful for,” Gauri says.

In her maiden stint with Delhi, Rumeli scored 335 runs, took 16 wickets and eight catches across the two limited-overs senior domestic tournaments this season. It was particularly during Delhi’s maiden T20-title-winning campaign that her all-round contributions shone through. The pick of them was her 4 for 14 against Maharashtra, which included 15 dots.

****

Rumeli Dhar heads towards the Delhi dugout during the Senior Women’s T20 league Annesha Ghosh/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

For all the conservativeness the India women’s selection committee is known for, Rumeli’s recall, ironically, comes at a time when it has shown clear intent towards blooding youngsters. The four debuts handed in the T20I series-opener against South Africa aside, there is one precedent that could have served as a template of sorts for the selectors to back Rumeli.

Remember how Punam Raut was excluded from the team for the limited-overs series against West Indies and the Women’s World Cup Qualifier even as India tried out several youngsters in the top order during the Qualifiers? Remember how Raut thrust her way back into contention, only three months before the World Cup, and ended up finding herself in the heady heights of the World Cup final? If the worth of the Raut punt is anything to go by, Rumeli’s recall is an even bolder, even more open-minded move to back an old hand.

Even beyond that, as Anju Jain, Rumeli’s former India team-mate and Assam coach, believes, the allrounder’s return “could be seen as a glimmer of hope”, a validation for the uncapped players and internationals waiting in the wings.

“You have to attribute it to her perseverance and will power,” Anju, who was among the first to to receive a call from Rumeli about her recall, says. “When Rumi decided to play for Assam, I remember asking her, ‘Tu khelna chahti hain na idhar?” (Are you sure you want to play here?) She said yes, but an even firmer reply followed: ‘You know what my ultimate goal is, right? Play for India again, play another World Cup.”

The question of whether Rumeli’s second coming materialises in South Africa – where she last played in 2005, when India made it to a World Cup final for the first time – or during the forthcoming home series against Australia – the opposition she faced when she last played for India – or England – against whom she struck the highest score by an India debutant in a T20I to give the side its first ever win in the format – will soon have its answer. But no matter what the opposition is, the buzz around Rumeli is unlikely to fizzle out soon.

#Cricket

0 notes

topfygad · 4 years

Text

How to climb Aconcagua: all your questions answered

Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Aconcagua, assembled from the many questions asked by our followers

As such, I only sent one or two brief updates when I arrived in Mendoza and then went silent once I began the climb.

youtube

I was immediately inundated with congratulatory messages, followed by a barrage of questions about the experience via email and social media.

I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Aconcagua.

How high is Aconcagua?

The majority of literature on Aconcagua puts the height at 6,962m (22,840ft). This is based on a 2001 survey by an Italian-Argentinian team that put the mountain at 6,961.83m.

Did you climb Aconcagua with a guide?

Yes, I joined Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions on a guided climb via the ‘Normal Route’. Acomara has over 15 years of experience guiding on and climbing Aconcagua across more than 500 expeditions.

Can you climb Aconcagua unguided?

Those who do climb independently will almost certainly make use of some of the logistical support at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas camps. This may include porterage, food, accommodation and toilets.

How big was your group?

How many of your group made the summit?

Seven members of our team made the summit. One member was carrying an ongoing knee injury and had to descend from base camp. Another four members turned back on summit day.

Atlas & Boots On the summit of Aconcagua

What is the summit success rate on Aconcagua?

There are no official statistics and park rangers do not maintain records, but estimates suggest a summit success rate of around 30-40% historically.

Of our group, 58.3% (7/12) summited. It’s important that clients ensure they are fit and experienced before attempting this climb.

How long does it take to climb Aconcagua?

The itinerary is below, although it comes with a degree of flexibility depending on conditions on the mountain. It includes two dedicated acclimatisation hikes and three rest days.

How much does it cost to climb Aconcagua?

There is also the climbing permit which currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The current price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Including the cost of the permit, flights and additional accommodation, climbers should budget to spend upwards of $6,000 USD.

How hard is the climb?

Temperatures are severe, regularly dropping below -20°C (-4°F). The wind (and subsequent windchill) is relentless and even on the best days, the slopes are bleak, barren and harsh.

Underestimate Aconcagua at your peril. Many do and, as such, repeat visits are common.

Atlas & Boots A typical view from the slopes of Aconcagua

Do I need technical mountaineering skills?

The one saving grace is that Aconcagua does not require any specialist mountaineering skills. It is often referred to as the highest trekking peak in the world.

Climbers will need to wear plastic boots and (probably) crampons and occasionally use an ice axe, but Aconcagua is essentially a non-technical mountain. Any experience of these will be useful.

How does it compare to the other seven summits?

Aconcagua is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits: the seven peaks coveted by climbers who want to reach the highest point on every continent.

It was my third mountain of the seven after Elbrus in Russia and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and is significantly harder than both.

Denali in North America is known for the cold, Vinson in Antarctica is notoriously inaccessible, Puncak Jaya in Oceania is the most technical and Everest is the highest mountain on the planet.

How did you train for the climb?

Additionally, I went on numerous local day hikes and multi-day treks carrying over 20kg (44lb) on my back.

What was the hardest part?

How cold does it get? What is the weather like?

It snowed several times during our climb, most heavily on summit day when we had a whiteout. You should be prepared for the same.

When is the best time to climb Aconcagua?

Even at the best of times, climbers should be prepared for high winds, snow, ice and low temperatures.

What should I pack?

I’ve put together a detailed Aconcagua gear list. It contains everything I took with me including clothing, equipment, toiletries, medication, electronics and documentation.

Atlas & Boots How to climb Aconcagua? Start with the right gear!

Can I buy/hire trekking gear and clothes locally?

Mendoza has several outdoor stores where it’s possible to buy gear. But be warned: outdoor gear is very expensive in Argentina. It’s almost certainly cheaper to buy gear in your home country.

If you’re travelling in South America beforehand, then Chile is a good destination to buy outdoor equipment. My guides told me they take a bus across the border to Santiago to buy theirs.

What is base camp like?

I was surprised at the size of base camp and the extent of its services. It’s possible to buy drinks (alcoholic and soft), food, cigarettes, hire porters and guides and even visit an art gallery.

Atlas & Boots Looking across base camp towards the glacier

Is there an Aconcagua base camp trek I can do instead?

Yes. We were joined by a trekker who hiked with us to base camp and accompanied the climbing team on the acclimatisation hikes to Plaza Francia and Mt. Bonete.

He was planning to attempt Aconcagua the following year and wanted to gain some high-altitude experience first. Acomara offer several trekking options.

How many camps are there?

There are five camps in total:

Confluencia: 3,400m, 2 nights

Base camp (Plaza de Mulas): 4,300m, 6 nights

Camp 1 (Canadá): 4,950m, 1 night

Camp 2 (Nido de Cóndores): 5,560m, 2 nights

Camp 3 (Cólera): 6,000m, 2-3 nights

What time did you get up on summit day?

We woke up at 3am on summit day and left camp at 4.30am. It took us eight hours to reach the summit and four hours to descend.

Summit days regularly last as long as 15 hours, sometimes longer.

Where do you get drinking water?

At Confluencia and base camp, water is supplied by the support team. Pipes run from streams flowing from the glacier. The water is stored in barrels for climbers to help themselves to.

Further up the mountain, guides and climbers have to source their water from the snow by melting it themselves.

What is the food like?

The food was excellent considering where we were. At Confluencia and base camp, mealtimes were sit-down affairs with great variation.

At the higher camps, food became more basic consisting of bread and cheese for breakfast, comparable lunches and evening meals were usually pre-prepared trekking (dehydrated) meals.

Whatever was on the menu, we never went hungry.

Atlas & Boots Relaxing during a rest day

Are meals included in the price?

All meals from leaving Mendoza onwards are included in the price. Climbers may wish to take some preferred snacks or energy gels with them, particularly for summit day.

How do you go to the toilet?

Please do your utmost to leave no trace whatever system is in place.

Can I take a shower during the climb?

At base camp, it’s possible to take gas-heated showers. One free shower is included in the price of the climb. After that, showers cost $15 USD.

Most climbers (including me) took one shower before leaving base camp for the higher camps. It was utterly delightful.

Is there phone signal or wifi available?

Phone reception is available at base camp, Los Penitentes and in Mendoza. But not at Confluencia or the higher camps. It’s possible to buy local SIM cards in Mendoza.

Can I charge electronics during the climb?

I packed a Powergorilla charger and a Falcon 21 foldable solar charger from PowerTraveller and preferred to use these. They were more powerful, more reliable and functioned in cold temperatures.

The Powergorilla can charge devices up to 24Volts (such as a laptop). I used the solar charger most days as it was reliable enough to charge my smaller devices.

Atlas & Boots Charging gadgets at base camp

Are there any medical facilities or checks?

Additionally, there are helipads at base camp and Camp 2 for evacuations.

Is climbing Aconcagua dangerous?

The main hazards are altitude sickness and exhaustion and exposure, although rockfall and avalanche are also dangers.

Do I need specialist insurance?

I bought mine from TrueTraveller. For Aconcagua you’ll need the Extreme Adventure Pack as it covers trekking over 4,600 metres.

Should I take Diamox?

He said it’s good to have some available at the higher altitudes – particularly when you sleep above 5,000m – so you can use it to aid a good night’s sleep.

What maps or guidebooks do I need?

If you are climbing Aconcagua unguided then the more detailed Aconcagua Climbing Map is essential.

Which route did you take? Are there others?

About 54% of climbers ascend the Normal Route, 43% up the Polish Glacier Route and the remaining 3% on other routes.

Do I need a permit?

All climbers require a climbing permit which must be obtained beforehand from the Ministerio de Turismo in Mendoza.

The climbing permit currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The most recent price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Atlas & Boots On some days you may have to carry as much as 25kg

What will the porters and mules carry for me?

From the park entrance to Plaza de Mulas, mules carry climbers’ heavy duffle bags, which contain the vast majority of their gear. Climbers will only be responsible for carrying their daypacks.

Beyond base camp, the team employs porters to aid with carrying the tents and cooking equipment. However, climbers are responsible for hauling their personal gear and food up to the higher camps.

From base camp to Camp 1, climbers transport their gear and food in two carries of around 12-15kg (26-33lb) at a time.

Carries from Camp 1 to 2 and from Camp 2 to 3 are done in one load (20-25kg/44-55lb).

It is possible to hire porters who will carry up to 20kg (44lb) between the higher camps. These become more expensive the higher you get:

Base camp to Camp 1: $130 USD

Camp 1 to Camp 2: $170 USD

Camp 2 to Camp 3: $260 USD

How much should I tip guides and porters?

That said, showing your appreciation in the form of a tip will go a long way. Allow between $100-200 in tips for your guides, assistants and porters.

How many people climb Aconcagua? Is it busy?

Like most mountains, summit statistics are hard to come by. Park rangers do not maintain records, but we do have access to some statistics of how many people enter the park in recent years.

During the 2015/16 season, 5,551 people entered the park between November and March. Previous seasons have seen as many as 7,000. More figures on visitor numbers can be found here.

How did you get to Mendoza?

I had a long stopover in Santiago so took advantage of the Primeclass Pacifico Andes Lounge inside the international terminal – a godsend after the 14-hour flight from London.

The lounge includes a buffet restaurant, hot and cold drinks, shower and washroom facilities and a business area. Prices start at $50 USD for international passengers.

Enjoyed this post? pin it for later…

Have we missed any anything? If you have any of your own questions or suggestions on how to climb Aconcagua, please contact us.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/3beShXk via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

1 note · View note

topfygad · 4 years

Text

How to climb Aconcagua: all your questions answered

Our Q&A-style tips on how to climb Aconcagua, assembled from the many questions asked by our followers

As such, I only sent one or two brief updates when I arrived in Mendoza and then went silent once I began the climb.

youtube

I was immediately inundated with congratulatory messages, followed by a barrage of questions about the experience via email and social media.

I’ve collated them all below in a detailed Q&A that includes all my tips on how to climb Aconcagua.

How high is Aconcagua?

The majority of literature on Aconcagua puts the height at 6,962m (22,840ft). This is based on a 2001 survey by an Italian-Argentinian team that put the mountain at 6,961.83m.

Did you climb Aconcagua with a guide?

Yes, I joined Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions on a guided climb via the ‘Normal Route’. Acomara has over 15 years of experience guiding on and climbing Aconcagua across more than 500 expeditions.

Can you climb Aconcagua unguided?

Those who do climb independently will almost certainly make use of some of the logistical support at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas camps. This may include porterage, food, accommodation and toilets.

How big was your group?

How many of your group made the summit?

Seven members of our team made the summit. One member was carrying an ongoing knee injury and had to descend from base camp. Another four members turned back on summit day.

Atlas & Boots On the summit of Aconcagua

What is the summit success rate on Aconcagua?

There are no official statistics and park rangers do not maintain records, but estimates suggest a summit success rate of around 30-40% historically.

Of our group, 58.3% (7/12) summited. It’s important that clients ensure they are fit and experienced before attempting this climb.

How long does it take to climb Aconcagua?

The itinerary is below, although it comes with a degree of flexibility depending on conditions on the mountain. It includes two dedicated acclimatisation hikes and three rest days.

How much does it cost to climb Aconcagua?

There is also the climbing permit which currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The current price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Including the cost of the permit, flights and additional accommodation, climbers should budget to spend upwards of $6,000 USD.

How hard is the climb?

Temperatures are severe, regularly dropping below -20°C (-4°F). The wind (and subsequent windchill) is relentless and even on the best days, the slopes are bleak, barren and harsh.

Underestimate Aconcagua at your peril. Many do and, as such, repeat visits are common.

Atlas & Boots A typical view from the slopes of Aconcagua

Do I need technical mountaineering skills?

The one saving grace is that Aconcagua does not require any specialist mountaineering skills. It is often referred to as the highest trekking peak in the world.

Climbers will need to wear plastic boots and (probably) crampons and occasionally use an ice axe, but Aconcagua is essentially a non-technical mountain. Any experience of these will be useful.

How does it compare to the other seven summits?

Aconcagua is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits: the seven peaks coveted by climbers who want to reach the highest point on every continent.

It was my third mountain of the seven after Elbrus in Russia and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and is significantly harder than both.

Denali in North America is known for the cold, Vinson in Antarctica is notoriously inaccessible, Puncak Jaya in Oceania is the most technical and Everest is the highest mountain on the planet.

How did you train for the climb?

Additionally, I went on numerous local day hikes and multi-day treks carrying over 20kg (44lb) on my back.

What was the hardest part?

How cold does it get? What is the weather like?

It snowed several times during our climb, most heavily on summit day when we had a whiteout. You should be prepared for the same.

When is the best time to climb Aconcagua?

Even at the best of times, climbers should be prepared for high winds, snow, ice and low temperatures.

What should I pack?

I’ve put together a detailed Aconcagua gear list. It contains everything I took with me including clothing, equipment, toiletries, medication, electronics and documentation.

Atlas & Boots How to climb Aconcagua? Start with the right gear!

Can I buy/hire trekking gear and clothes locally?

Mendoza has several outdoor stores where it’s possible to buy gear. But be warned: outdoor gear is very expensive in Argentina. It’s almost certainly cheaper to buy gear in your home country.

If you’re travelling in South America beforehand, then Chile is a good destination to buy outdoor equipment. My guides told me they take a bus across the border to Santiago to buy theirs.

What is base camp like?

I was surprised at the size of base camp and the extent of its services. It’s possible to buy drinks (alcoholic and soft), food, cigarettes, hire porters and guides and even visit an art gallery.

Atlas & Boots Looking across base camp towards the glacier

Is there an Aconcagua base camp trek I can do instead?

Yes. We were joined by a trekker who hiked with us to base camp and accompanied the climbing team on the acclimatisation hikes to Plaza Francia and Mt. Bonete.

He was planning to attempt Aconcagua the following year and wanted to gain some high-altitude experience first. Acomara offer several trekking options.

How many camps are there?

There are five camps in total:

Confluencia: 3,400m, 2 nights

Base camp (Plaza de Mulas): 4,300m, 6 nights

Camp 1 (Canadá): 4,950m, 1 night

Camp 2 (Nido de Cóndores): 5,560m, 2 nights

Camp 3 (Cólera): 6,000m, 2-3 nights

What time did you get up on summit day?

We woke up at 3am on summit day and left camp at 4.30am. It took us eight hours to reach the summit and four hours to descend.

Summit days regularly last as long as 15 hours, sometimes longer.

Where do you get drinking water?

At Confluencia and base camp, water is supplied by the support team. Pipes run from streams flowing from the glacier. The water is stored in barrels for climbers to help themselves to.

Further up the mountain, guides and climbers have to source their water from the snow by melting it themselves.

What is the food like?

The food was excellent considering where we were. At Confluencia and base camp, mealtimes were sit-down affairs with great variation.

At the higher camps, food became more basic consisting of bread and cheese for breakfast, comparable lunches and evening meals were usually pre-prepared trekking (dehydrated) meals.

Whatever was on the menu, we never went hungry.

Atlas & Boots Relaxing during a rest day

Are meals included in the price?

All meals from leaving Mendoza onwards are included in the price. Climbers may wish to take some preferred snacks or energy gels with them, particularly for summit day.

How do you go to the toilet?

Please do your utmost to leave no trace whatever system is in place.

Can I take a shower during the climb?

At base camp, it’s possible to take gas-heated showers. One free shower is included in the price of the climb. After that, showers cost $15 USD.

Most climbers (including me) took one shower before leaving base camp for the higher camps. It was utterly delightful.

Is there phone signal or wifi available?

Phone reception is available at base camp, Los Penitentes and in Mendoza. But not at Confluencia or the higher camps. It’s possible to buy local SIM cards in Mendoza.

Can I charge electronics during the climb?

I packed a Powergorilla charger and a Falcon 21 foldable solar charger from PowerTraveller and preferred to use these. They were more powerful, more reliable and functioned in cold temperatures.

The Powergorilla can charge devices up to 24Volts (such as a laptop). I used the solar charger most days as it was reliable enough to charge my smaller devices.

Atlas & Boots Charging gadgets at base camp

Are there any medical facilities or checks?

Additionally, there are helipads at base camp and Camp 2 for evacuations.

Is climbing Aconcagua dangerous?

The main hazards are altitude sickness and exhaustion and exposure, although rockfall and avalanche are also dangers.

Do I need specialist insurance?

I bought mine from TrueTraveller. For Aconcagua you’ll need the Extreme Adventure Pack as it covers trekking over 4,600 metres.

Should I take Diamox?

He said it’s good to have some available at the higher altitudes – particularly when you sleep above 5,000m – so you can use it to aid a good night’s sleep.

What maps or guidebooks do I need?

If you are climbing Aconcagua unguided then the more detailed Aconcagua Climbing Map is essential.

Which route did you take? Are there others?

About 54% of climbers ascend the Normal Route, 43% up the Polish Glacier Route and the remaining 3% on other routes.

Do I need a permit?

All climbers require a climbing permit which must be obtained beforehand from the Ministerio de Turismo in Mendoza.

The climbing permit currently costs between $730-$1,140 USD depending on the route and time of year. The most recent price list can be downloaded from the park’s website.

Atlas & Boots On some days you may have to carry as much as 25kg

What will the porters and mules carry for me?

From the park entrance to Plaza de Mulas, mules carry climbers’ heavy duffle bags, which contain the vast majority of their gear. Climbers will only be responsible for carrying their daypacks.

Beyond base camp, the team employs porters to aid with carrying the tents and cooking equipment. However, climbers are responsible for hauling their personal gear and food up to the higher camps.

From base camp to Camp 1, climbers transport their gear and food in two carries of around 12-15kg (26-33lb) at a time.

Carries from Camp 1 to 2 and from Camp 2 to 3 are done in one load (20-25kg/44-55lb).

It is possible to hire porters who will carry up to 20kg (44lb) between the higher camps. These become more expensive the higher you get:

Base camp to Camp 1: $130 USD

Camp 1 to Camp 2: $170 USD

Camp 2 to Camp 3: $260 USD

How much should I tip guides and porters?

That said, showing your appreciation in the form of a tip will go a long way. Allow between $100-200 in tips for your guides, assistants and porters.

How many people climb Aconcagua? Is it busy?

Like most mountains, summit statistics are hard to come by. Park rangers do not maintain records, but we do have access to some statistics of how many people enter the park in recent years.

During the 2015/16 season, 5,551 people entered the park between November and March. Previous seasons have seen as many as 7,000. More figures on visitor numbers can be found here.

How did you get to Mendoza?

I had a long stopover in Santiago so took advantage of the Primeclass Pacifico Andes Lounge inside the international terminal – a godsend after the 14-hour flight from London.

The lounge includes a buffet restaurant, hot and cold drinks, shower and washroom facilities and a business area. Prices start at $50 USD for international passengers.

Enjoyed this post? pin it for later…

Have we missed any anything? If you have any of your own questions or suggestions on how to climb Aconcagua, please contact us.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/3beShXk via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

0 notes