Congratulations to both of you and thanks so much for sharing the story of your adventure on Aconcagua!
As to that yeast paste...I had my "close encounter of the third kind" with that once when I was a student in London! I apologize...but I've got to agree with your friends!!! Unforgettable experience that one was - and one I hope never to repeat!! :-( ;-)
Cheers to both of you,
Eric
Thanks Eric.
Vegemite...it's so good!
But I guess it's one of those acquired tastes. First time I tried it I though I should use it like jam or any other type of sandwich spread, i.e. I put a THICK layer of Vegemite on my toast and it was really awful :)
PS. The page is still under construction. More photos will be added, the ones already there have to be arranged in a better way etc.
I had a room in somebody's house in the city of London - a family with children - and I noticed the kids spread this on their bread every morning before going to school. They seemed to love it! So later on, I tried just a small pinch of it...for what followed next, see the top part of your report - it was exactly that - haha!
Oh well, as to the immortal words of Count Orlofsky in Johann Strauss' operetta "Die Fledermaus" - "Chacun à son gout" - everyone to his own taste! ;-))
Thanks for informing me - I'll check your report later on again! I enjoyed a lot reading it already now, though!
Cheers, Corax,
Eric
I am pleased that you specially mentioned the death toll among the mules used - or should one say, exploited? - for material transport. This is terrible. Something should be undertaken, like a new law or more control, to stop this!
Cheers,
Eric
Hi Eric,
it is hard with mulas on Aconcagua. Nearly everybody uses that service - I would pack better next time and plan to carry all my own gear.
Mulas on Aconcagua at least get attention and mulateros are forced to treat them well, but in other parts of Andes it varies.
On Aco I think the situation has gotten much better and it's possibly the place in SA where the mulas have an OK life as load animals for mountaineers. When I was there the first time there was a lot of beating, which at one occasion resulted in a physical fight between some mulateros and climbers. Still, I don't like what I see at times and those poor animals have to carry too much, sometimes they are still beaten and sometimes they fall to their deaths on the tough parts of the trails.
Well done Corax & Liba - I hope soon to join you in your success on Aconcagua. Flying to Mendoza week on Tuesday, then walking up the Vacas Valley. Can't believe how quickly Liba got up with so little accimatisation - wow! No wonder she had a bit of periodic breathing up there... At slower ascent rates than yours it was a curse for me up to 7000m 20+ years ago (always woke me up) and I am planning on half a Diamox tablet at bedtime on this trip.
By the way Corax - I agree with your sentiments on Vegemite - I lived off the stuff for 5 years in New Zealand, when I discovered you couldn't get Marmite or Bovril there. Hmmm - maybe I should pack a little jar?
Best wishes, Mark
Thanks Marc, and good luck with your trip!
I don't think I had periodic breathing, what Janne was describing lasted only a few minutes, and never came back. I had diamox with me just for emergency, but did not take any.
Thanks!
Good luck over there!
Tell us how it went later on.
On my way back to Mendoza now by the way. Staying in Hostel Independencia on Avenida Mitre 1237.
Hey Liba - thanks for the good luck wishes - now I also have summited, last week on 17th Feb! Sadly there was a bad storm for 3 of the days I was up at camp 1, which took the lives of 3 people. A more positive spin-off was that the same storm packed the cannaletta with hard snow, perfect for cramponing up - so I may have had an easier time of it than you guys did (but I still found it VERY hard work - 10 hours up from Colera Camp, but a mere 2 hours to get down!).
Just seen a message from Janne inviting me over to Independencia Hostel for a coffee - dated 14th, so may well have missed him - but as it happens I plan to move there tomorrow for my last couple of days in Mendoza.
Best wishes,
Mark
Thanks!
I also like when two persons are telling the same story. It's interesting to see the differences. People focus on so different things even if doing the same thing.
EricChu - Jan 22, 2011 4:14 pm - Voted 10/10
A great report!!!Congratulations to both of you and thanks so much for sharing the story of your adventure on Aconcagua!
As to that yeast paste...I had my "close encounter of the third kind" with that once when I was a student in London! I apologize...but I've got to agree with your friends!!! Unforgettable experience that one was - and one I hope never to repeat!! :-( ;-)
Cheers to both of you,
Eric
Corax - Jan 22, 2011 4:33 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: A great report!!!Thanks Eric.
Vegemite...it's so good!
But I guess it's one of those acquired tastes. First time I tried it I though I should use it like jam or any other type of sandwich spread, i.e. I put a THICK layer of Vegemite on my toast and it was really awful :)
PS. The page is still under construction. More photos will be added, the ones already there have to be arranged in a better way etc.
EricChu - Jan 22, 2011 5:44 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: A great report!!!I had a room in somebody's house in the city of London - a family with children - and I noticed the kids spread this on their bread every morning before going to school. They seemed to love it! So later on, I tried just a small pinch of it...for what followed next, see the top part of your report - it was exactly that - haha!
Oh well, as to the immortal words of Count Orlofsky in Johann Strauss' operetta "Die Fledermaus" - "Chacun à son gout" - everyone to his own taste! ;-))
Thanks for informing me - I'll check your report later on again! I enjoyed a lot reading it already now, though!
Cheers, Corax,
Eric
radson - Jan 23, 2011 5:30 pm - Hasn't voted
VegemiteCorax, I would be happy to climb with you anywhere if you are willing to share the Vegemite :)
Corax - Feb 12, 2011 7:24 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Vegemite:)
Any 8000m plans for this season?
PS. I see that you have climbed Taranaki six times. My stats for Taranaki: Two attempts - two failures.
EricChu - Jan 22, 2011 5:56 pm - Voted 10/10
By the way...I am pleased that you specially mentioned the death toll among the mules used - or should one say, exploited? - for material transport. This is terrible. Something should be undertaken, like a new law or more control, to stop this!
Cheers,
Eric
Liba Kopeckova - Jan 22, 2011 7:52 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: By the way...Hi Eric,
it is hard with mulas on Aconcagua. Nearly everybody uses that service - I would pack better next time and plan to carry all my own gear.
Mulas on Aconcagua at least get attention and mulateros are forced to treat them well, but in other parts of Andes it varies.
lcarreau - Jan 22, 2011 8:03 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: By the way...Every culture has an animal used as a 'beast of burden.'
A mule is an "animal hybrid sterile" resulting from the cross between the horse and the donkey or Ass.
When a mula falls down, it always falls down on its ass, because
that's basically what it is.
In America, we ALWAYS treat our Asses with tender loving care.
visentin - Jan 23, 2011 3:54 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: By the way...Reminds a bit of the fate polish horses carrying tourists to Morskie Oko ! :(
lcarreau - Jan 23, 2011 7:34 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: By the way...Corax - Feb 12, 2011 7:33 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: By the way...On Aco I think the situation has gotten much better and it's possibly the place in SA where the mulas have an OK life as load animals for mountaineers. When I was there the first time there was a lot of beating, which at one occasion resulted in a physical fight between some mulateros and climbers. Still, I don't like what I see at times and those poor animals have to carry too much, sometimes they are still beaten and sometimes they fall to their deaths on the tough parts of the trails.
markhallam - Jan 23, 2011 2:16 am - Voted 10/10
Great article!Well done Corax & Liba - I hope soon to join you in your success on Aconcagua. Flying to Mendoza week on Tuesday, then walking up the Vacas Valley. Can't believe how quickly Liba got up with so little accimatisation - wow! No wonder she had a bit of periodic breathing up there... At slower ascent rates than yours it was a curse for me up to 7000m 20+ years ago (always woke me up) and I am planning on half a Diamox tablet at bedtime on this trip.
By the way Corax - I agree with your sentiments on Vegemite - I lived off the stuff for 5 years in New Zealand, when I discovered you couldn't get Marmite or Bovril there. Hmmm - maybe I should pack a little jar?
Best wishes, Mark
Liba Kopeckova - Jan 23, 2011 3:19 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Great article!Thanks Marc, and good luck with your trip!
I don't think I had periodic breathing, what Janne was describing lasted only a few minutes, and never came back. I had diamox with me just for emergency, but did not take any.
Corax - Feb 12, 2011 7:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great article!Thanks!
Good luck over there!
Tell us how it went later on.
On my way back to Mendoza now by the way. Staying in Hostel Independencia on Avenida Mitre 1237.
markhallam - Feb 22, 2011 3:40 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Great article!Hey Liba - thanks for the good luck wishes - now I also have summited, last week on 17th Feb! Sadly there was a bad storm for 3 of the days I was up at camp 1, which took the lives of 3 people. A more positive spin-off was that the same storm packed the cannaletta with hard snow, perfect for cramponing up - so I may have had an easier time of it than you guys did (but I still found it VERY hard work - 10 hours up from Colera Camp, but a mere 2 hours to get down!).
Just seen a message from Janne inviting me over to Independencia Hostel for a coffee - dated 14th, so may well have missed him - but as it happens I plan to move there tomorrow for my last couple of days in Mendoza.
Best wishes,
Mark
Corax - Mar 3, 2011 8:57 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great article!Thanks for the feedback and congratulations to the summit!
andreeacorodeanu - Jan 23, 2011 2:22 am - Voted 10/10
Congrats to both of you!!!!!!I enjoyed a lot to read your TR, I like a lot when both from a team tell their feelings and thoughts in the same story. Cheers!
Liba Kopeckova - Jan 23, 2011 3:16 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Congrats to both of you!!!!!!Thank you for visiting. It was a fun trip!
Corax - Feb 12, 2011 7:52 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Congrats to both of you!!!!!!Thanks!
I also like when two persons are telling the same story. It's interesting to see the differences. People focus on so different things even if doing the same thing.
andreeacorodeanu - Feb 13, 2011 3:19 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Congrats to both of you!!!!!!Yes so true :)!