Dec 2007:

First off a note from my last trip with Carol and Henriette from British Columbia, a pleasure to travel with:

·         A fabulous trip, I would say it was the best trip I have had and i have traveled fairly extensively. I will definitely tell others.....  I was very impressed with the amount of information we received about the areas we traveled and the experience we had.

Carol Crabtree (Nov 2007)

·         I enjoyed the added company - Gautom is great, Nawang, Ani's, villager were very caring accepting and genuine.  I have truly enjoyed it all! ...  Everything was more than expected, but perhaps the highlight was the stay in Ani Gompa and village near Tawang, I can't imagine why I balked at first.

Henriette Orth (Nov 2007)

(note: I convinced them to get out of hotel room and comfort and experience a real stay in village and Ani gompa ....  you always go home to comfort, a couple nights of roughing in and experiencing somebody else’s life is an education and vision you seldom will encounter. We can only empathise with others if we get closer to understanding their position and circumstances)

I went from a trip in Assam and Arunachal to a Challenging 11 days with a Group doing research for Phd studies in the Khasi Hills, up at 4:30am most mornings, organizing 16 research assistants, making sure food was ready for all and meeting with headmen of villages and convincing them to let their village participate.  Trying to fill all the needs with the difficulties of expectations from both sides, I learnt a lot myself about personalities and dealing with people, one step further in understanding the impossible and vast nature of humans, the results from the research we can only wait for.   Cultural Pursuits continues to do different and unique things off the beaten track and away from the usual tourism stereotype.  Although sometimes we end up doing things that are more typical.  For me personally, I have found that relaxing and letting things happen gives a far more rewarding experience than sticking to a strict itinerary, however sometimes logistics and time require an itinerary.

Soon we  will be again travelling in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland for hopefully yet another rewarding and new experience for our clients and for me also.

Something different:  After my nephew challenged me to a race while I was visiting Canada – me, 43, and out of shape (for racing) took on the challenge and suggested we get sponsors from family and the winner would get the pot and donate it to a good cause. Not bragging, but I beat my 20 year old nephew – and will be donating a total of approximately 450 dollars to an orphanage, by buying a solar water heater and installing it for them. I will do this in the New year as I am very busy for the next while.

I may be out of shape for racing but I am putting a challenge for myself and any who might dare to join me, I will attempt to ride from Balukpong (border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) to Tawang near the China border going about 300 km up and down and the highest point being 13700 feet at Sela Pass - this in 2 days.  Most that see it don't believe I can do it, so that means I have to do it.  Come join me and we will put together a package for individual pace with support vehicle.  Date to be announced in early 2008 - likely to be attempted in Fall of 2008. Then we will continue, after a rest, by mountain biking to villages in the Tawang area. More details to come:  www.culturalpursuits.com/tawang_bike_challenge.htm

Also we are organizing a trip to Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang) in May of 2008 – and donating our time and effort into cleaning up and repairing one of the oldest Gompas (Monasteries) in the area.  It serves several villages in the area, so we will join the villagers and any travellers who are with Cultural Pursuits for a Cultural Interaction of working together to make things better.  Please join us if you like – I will put a page with information at – www.culturalpursuits.com/gompa.htm in the near future – in the meantime you can contact us for more information if you are interested in the trip.

I will be out of Shillong for Christmas and New Years so a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Years to all.