Trevor's Travels

Protests continue in Nepal

No Comments »15th April, 2006; Category: Kathmandu, Nepal

The following report on the political troubles in Nepal is from “The Advertiser” web site in Adelaide, South Australia. I include this because I travelled and trekked in Nepal in January of this year. To read my blog of my experiences in this beautiful yet troubled country go to the Archives section.

Fresh Protests in Nepal
From correspondents in Nepal

14 April 2006

FRESH pro-democracy protests broke out in Nepal today despite King Gyanendra’s call for elections in the Himalayan kingdom, as activists said he offered nothing new or substantive.

Groups of protesters took to the streets of Kathmandu hours after the king’s midnight message, chanting “Gyanendra, thief, quit the country” and “Down with autocracy, end police repression”.Riot police arrested about 20 demonstrators, but there was no violence.

Political parties leading the movement against the king were quick to reject his offer for elections, saying the monarch’s message would not defuse the fierce campaign in which four people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the past week alone.

The message was broadcast at the stroke of midnight, at the start of the Nepali Hindu New Year.

To read the rest of this article go to “The Advertiser” by clicking here.

Winds of Change in Nepal?

No Comments »14th April, 2006; Category: General, Kathmandu, Nepal

The following report was published in today’s South Australian newspaper “The Advertiser.”
King renews poll pledge
By Gopal Sharma in Kathmandu

NEPAL’S embattled King Gyanendra vowed overnight to hold elections in his Himalayan kingdom but gave no firm dates and did not to go beyond previous promises to resolve a raging campaign against his rule.

Political parties leading the movement against the king were quick to reject his offer, suggesting the monarch’s message â€“ broadcast at the stroke of midnight at the start of the Nepali Hindu New Year â€“ was unlikely to defuse violent protests that have killed four people in the past week and wounded hundreds.

“It is our wish that in order to re-energise multi-party democracy there should not be any delay in reactivating all representative bodies through elections,” the king’s message said.

“May the efforts at ensuring sustainable peace and meaningful democracy in the interests of the nation and the people bear fruit during the new year.”

The message was largely a repeat of earlier promises to hold elections by April 2007.

For the full story in “The Advertiser” click here.

My hope for Nepal

I certainly hope that the winds of change are beginning to blow in Nepal. This beautiful country does not deserve to be swept up in more political turmoil. The people can ill afford a civil war. They have been on the brink of a complete breakdown of law and order now for so long, and so many people have died.

I visited Nepal in January of this year. For my experiences there go to the Archives section and read my blog.

Unrest in Nepal

No Comments »11th April, 2006; Category: General, Himalayas, Kathmandu, Nepal, Trekking

It saddens me to hear or read about in the news of the current political turmoil in Nepal. There have been numerous protests, riots and even deaths in recent days. Country wide curfews have been put in place and these are severely damaging the economy of a country struggling to develop. The trouble is particularly damaging to the tourism industry which has been an integral part of its economy.

My Experiences in Nepal

I spent nearly four weeks in Nepal in January of this year. I was staggered by the amazing beauty of the country. Tourism has become the life blood of this emerging nation. It can ill afford such turmoil. I would dearly love to return to visit other parts of Nepal, but the current trouble discourages me from going. Other tourists must feel the same.

To read about my recent trip to Nepal, including trekking the Everest region of the Himalayas, go to the archives section of this blog.

The Limestone Coast South Australia

No Comments »8th April, 2006; Category: Birds, General, South Australia

I wonder if you are like me. I read about a place or see a television programme about a tourist destination and I want to go there. Sometimes it is because I have never been there and it looks so inviting and so beautiful or interesting.

The Limestone Coast of SE South Australia

Sometimes it is because I have been there already and the story brings back very pleasant memories. That happened this morning when I was reading the travel section of The Advertiser, the daily morning paper in South Australia. The article covered the area known here as the Limestone Coast. The south east part of South Australia is dominated by limestone, hence the name.

Great Holiday

A few years ago my wife and I had a wonderfully relaxing holiday in this part of our state. We stayed in a cabin in one of the caravan parks of the town of Robe. From our cabin we had a beautiful view out over the bay and along the beach. This beach is one of the few that you are able to drive on. It is also perfect for walking on, or just plain sitting there watching the waves gently roll in on to the sand. There are times in the lives of each one of us where one just has to sit on a beach – and do nothing – except watch the waves come in.

Birding

The birding around Robe and along the Limestone Coast is quite good too. We went for several drives along the coast south from Robe, calling in several Conservation and National Parks along the way. All of them are good birdwatching spots. There are also some good camping and picnic areas as well. Even near to the town itself there are several places for great birding.

A beautiful day

No Comments »19th March, 2006; Category: Animals, Birds, Caravanning, Photos, South Australia, Victor Harbor

Sunday 19^th March

Beautiful Morning

This morning the sun arose to a beautiful day. Bright sunshine, clear blue sky, gentle cooling breeze and the nearby sea of Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor a brilliant deep blue punctuated by stunning white waves breaking on rocks out in the bay. Perfect. After lunch we sat in front of the caravan and just watched the sea. How relaxing.

More Bird Sightings

Around the caravan park I observed about 30 different species without really trying. There were quite a few Little Ravens around, mostly flying overhead. Spotted Turtledoves and Feral Pigeons are also resident birds, as are Striated Pardalotes. I only saw a few Crested Pigeons nearby.

Parrots
Galahs were in evidence throughout the park and nearby gardens. In the tree in front of our caravan we watched two juvenile Galahs begging for food from their harried parents. They seemed old enough to fend for themselves; it must be easier to sponge off parents. In previous visits I have seen hundreds of Little Corellas; this year I only saw about three individuals. Adelaide Rosellas are also common in the area but I only heard two flying past the van. I have seen Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos in this area in the past but not this time.

Birds of Prey

The only bird of prey I observed was a Black Shouldered Kite. I saw one several times over the weekend, presumably the same individual. The first time I saw it traversing the banks of the Inman River, occassionally swooping down to catch its prey in the grass of the bank. Later I saw it hovering over the sedge grass on the sand banks along the beach front.

Mammal Sighting

While standing on the beach taking photos of the yachts at anchor and of Granite Island we were suddenly aware of several dolphins in the bay between us and the island, some two hundred metres from the beach. They were too far to positively identify or photograph them but they were probably common Bottle-Nosed Dolphins