1000km across the ‘Roof of the World’ to Everest, on a Unicycle
As a keen traveller and mountaineer I have visited Nepal eight times over the last twelve years. Each time I go I am moved by the level of poverty that many Nepali’s live with, particularly in rural areas. Some villages don’t have access to clean drinking water, electricity, proper toilet facilities or good education. Indeed, Nepal is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Asia and the world, with adult literacy at only 49%. Some of the things we take for granted, like safe drinking water, electricity on demand and education for our children become a rare luxury in certain parts of Nepal.
Each time I visit I wonder what I can do to repay the warmth and hospitality shown to me over the years. Now I have found a project that I can offer support to; a Nepali friend has established a small NGO (non-governmental organisation) which is working to improve the educational facilities and amenities in a remote area of the Himalayas. For the last 12 years there has been civil war in the country, which hasn’t helped raise the standard of living. With this conflict finally ended, now is the perfect time to help local people with their own development projects.
On the 23rd September 2008 I fly to Nepal, then onto Tibet. I am going to ride my unicycle 1000km (620 miles) across the Roof of the World, from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. I will be riding across the Tibetan Plateau, with an average elevation of 4000 metres. I will cross five major mountain passes, over 5000 metres, where the oxygen levels are half of what we have at sea level. Temperatures will go down to minus 15 degrees centigrade during the night and I will be camping for most of the route, as the area is largely uninhabited. My aim is to raise as much money as possible to help fund the NGO and its projects.
A lot of you know me personally, or from my posts, so please help me out and make a donation. Full details of this challenge and how you can help support can be found on my website, www.unicyclesteve.com
I am funding my own expenses and managing the administration myself to enable me to pass on all the donations received, and so all monies raised will go directly to the registered NGO in Nepal.
