Crossing Borders

1,200 kilometers at heights of more than 7,000 m across the Himalayas: Sebastian Huber and Stefan Bocks took on a paragliding adventure tour from Ladak, India, to Pokhara in Nepal lasting six weeks across October. On the way the two Bavarians had a number of incidents to deal with. Flying was the least of their problems.

This flight on 9th October 2017 will be one that Basti will never forget. “It was near Kashmir. We had blue thermals, got as high as 7,106 meters and had no problems! I was fully aware of what was going on and the cold was by no means as icy as I had expected at this height!” The following days were completely different. “Here we were lower, at 6,500 metres, and the thermals were forming clouds. “Because of the higher humidity you really felt the cold now,” says Basti.

Basti and Boxi had acclimatised well for this. On the 3rd of October they were in Leh, Ladakh, started at 3,500 m and from there walked four days into the Zanskar Valley and along the Indus up to 5.000 m. Then followed the flight that reached 7,000 m, celebrated by a landing amongst jubilant youngsters. The Bavarians had equipped themselves well, even against the expected low temperatures. “One of the most important items of equipment were the gloves”, says Basti.

When preparing they were able to fall back on a considerable pool of experience: two X-Alps participations indeed, but also previous solo vol-biv adventures. All the assembled equipment found some use somewhere. Even the leggings. “Right to the end!” quoted Basti. They had forgotten to get their propane supplies in Ladakh so set fire to the leggings to boil the water and cook the soup.

At the end of a long flying day they would land in the mountains when possible. At heights mostly above 3,500 m, and far above this, you have to be very careful, reports Basti. It’s not just because of impassable ground below, but mainly because it’s the much faster way to get around. Takeoff at these high altitudes is often very demanding because of the stronger winds. “My training before the X-Alps, and the many hours under the OMEGA XALPS 2, were of great value”, says Basti.

By contrast the bureaucracy in India is more complicated. When Basti landed 200 metres from the police station in Keylong he was arrested. Basti did not know that paraglider flying was not tolerated here. After a day of tough discussion it emerged that he could not be penalised because he had taken off in another district. A contribution of 10 dollars got his equipment back. In the meantime Boxi, who he had lost sight of during the flight, had arrived in Keylong on foot, and the two travelled to the Rohtang Pass by bus. There followed a wonderful flight with vultures to Bir Billing; the well-known Indian XC Spot.

On 16th October, two vol-bivouac days after Bir and six days after the first arrest, followed the next; at the Gangotri National Park check point. Flying is forbidden here. Actually, neither of them wanted to fly - just get their passes! After long negotiations and a fine of 200 dollars they were allowed to proceed to Gangotri – by bus. On the next day they took the bus further towards the valley, alongside a bottomless abyss - over scree, rubble and loose gravel. It is a hellish journey. Passengers were throwing up out of the windows and the driver “drove like a hitman”, enlarges Basti. After ten kilometers they made a hasty escape. In the coming two days they would be repaid for their troubles by two really relaxing flights of 110 and 75 kms over short grass and wooded mini-hills.

The next shock followed on October 21st. Boxi had quietly landed not far from Darchula on the India/Nepal border, but was picked up by the police in the town. He was repeatedly interrogated with the anglepoise shining in the face. He blogged: “Just like the Stasi.” Basti landed at 2000 m ten kilometres away. He was keen to avoid further grief with the authorities, but as he met up with Boxi at the hotel the whole police force were in evidence! Basti was grilled for an hour in the hotel room, his equipment and mobile phone given a going over. Then both pilots were released. Next day they got their passports back, but were not able to leave the country.

That only happened near Mahendranagar, about 250 km south in the flatlands. After a full day’s bumpy bus ride out into the flatlands, a successful border crossing into Nepal and a taxi ride back again into the mountains Basti and Boxi resumed their Vol-Bivouac adventure. This pressed on through impenetrable tiger country, where Basti had to keep climbing trees to check out their direction, onwards towards Pokhara, until they finally lost contact on October 27th in a cloud.

Basti flew to the south, to escape the low cloudbase and bad weather that threatened from the north, and followed the most direct route to Pokhara. His tactics worked out. Four days later, in the evening, he landed in the Nepalese paragliding mecca. To the north Boxi was snowed in and had to wait. In the meantime Basti preferred to go home, to his girlfreind and family. His imaginary pot of new impressions is full to the brim. “I saw so much”, he explained. “All the things I was able to experience with Boxi, but also alone, were amazing!“ But there comes a time when enough is enough. After discussion with Boxi he brought his return flight forward by a week.