Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 26
EYE OF THE TIGER
As the flight from Delhi began its descent into Kathmandu, for a few tantalising
minutes the full extent of Annapurna's south face was framed in the window. Al-
though gigantic, at this distance it looked perfectly feasible. We could even pick
out our proposed line running right-to-left up and across the Polish Pillar. Then
thick clouds swallowed the peaks as we sank into the turbulence of the late mon-
soon. Dropping out of the heavy cumulus, I could see tree-covered ridges rising up
with frightening speed to meet us. It was still early morning. Smoke from breakfast
fires hung above farms perched on ridge tops. The terraced fields dropped steeply
down toward the valley bottoms in verdant stairways.
The flight to Delhi had been longer than usual. Security forces in Istanbul and
Karachi forced everyone to leave the plane and have all their hand luggage
searched before re-boarding. These long stops meant no sleep and frayed nerves.
These were tense times in a turbulent year, one that had already seen Britain at
war in the South Atlantic and Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker lost on Everest. The
papers were filled with endless hijackings, kidnappings, civil wars and bombings.
The Soviets were in Kabul and the insurgency of the mujahideen was intensifying.
I joked to Alex that it could be worse. The bucket shop had offered me cheaper
tickets on Czech Air and Ariana Afghan Airlines via Prague, Beirut, Baghdad and
Kabul.
His reply got me thinking. 'And you mean to tell me you chose Pan Am? How the
hell do you think the terrorists get around if not by Afghan Airlines? That would
have been a much safer choice.'
tion but had one big advantage: our relationship with the London ground crew
that Joe Tasker had established, providing free excess baggage. On this trip, I had
travelled down separately and took most of our bags to Heathrow before Alex ar-
rived from Letchmore Heath with Jean. By this time, I knew several of the Pan Am
baggage ground crew staff and had phoned a few days before seeking their help.
The manager was an outdoors-man and understood that lightweight was another
way of saying 'very little money'. Having ditched the idea of a film, on this trip we
had very little indeed. It was essential that all equipment and booty for sale got out
