ARE YOU FROM ACROSS THE GRASSLANDS?
STREET KID, INNER MONGOLIA, 2002
OUR TRIPS TAKE PLACE IN PLACES THAT HAVE ALMOST NEVER SEEN WESTERNERS, WHERE ‘FOREIGNER’ TRANSLATES AS ‘PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THIS WORLD’ AND MEANS GREEKS AND PERSIANS MORE THAN IT MEANS EUROPEANS. MARCO POLO WAS CALLED THIS, AND THE WORD ‘TOURIST’ DOESN’T EXIST BECAUSE THERE’S NO CONCEPT OF TOURISM. IN THE PLACES WE GO OUTSIDERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TRADING LAPIS LAZULI, SALT AND PILGRIMAGES, NOT TAKING PHOTOS OF MONASTERIES OR CLIMBING MOUNTAINS.
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TO CONSIDER OURSELVES AS GUESTS OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE LANDS WE VISIT IS TO SIMPLIFY-AWAY THE NOTION AND MAKE IT SOUND WE WERE INVITED. WHILST TRUE, WE HAVE PERMISSION BOTH FROM THE AUTHORITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO BE WHERE WE ARE, IT WAS NOT THEY WHO EXTENDED SOME SORT OF INVITATION, AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN’T MEAN WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN ANY SPECIAL STATUS TO BE THERE. THE OLD CLICHES ABOUT BEING GUESTS AND ACTING AS AMBASSADORS OF OUR CULTURES DON’T REALLY CUT IT IN PLACES WHERE THE CONCEPT OF EVER INTERACTING WITH OUTSIDERS HAS NEVER BEEN FACTORED INTO ANYBODIES LIFE; NO ONE WHO DIDN’T KNOW THE LOCAL CUSTOMS AND RULES WAS NEVER EXPECTED TO SHOW UP, MEANING WHAT THE SHALLOW TERM ‘GUEST’ ACTUALLY MEANS IS UNCLEAR; AND WHEN ANY IDEAS ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE NO MORE THAN VAGUE THE NOTION OF AN AMBASSADOR IS EVEN VAGUER.
ALL THIS MAKES THE DISPOSABLE, LONELY PLANETESQUE CONCEPT OF BEING A GUEST CONVENIENT AT BEST AND INSULTING QUITE OFTEN. UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT ‘GUEST’ MEANS TO THE PEOPLE YOU ARE AMONGST IT’S A CONVENIENT SURVIVAL MECHANISM FOR THE TRAVELLER RATHER THAN A CULTURAL BRIDGE WITH THE LOCALS. IN THE TOURIST HUBS OF NAMCHE, POKARA AND SKARDU WHERE THE BOUNDARIES OF FOREIGN INTERACTION ARE ALREADY SET BY DECADES OF TRAVELLERS BEFORE AND THINGS ARE BASED ON THE ECONOMICS OF DEALING WITH TOURISM THE CONCEPT OF A ‘GUEST’ WORKS, ALLOWING YOU TO MOVE THROUGH PREDICTABLY, BUT OUT IN THE VILLAGES THAT DON’T APPEAR ON MAPS, AMONG PEOPLE WHO DEFINE THEMSELVES IN WAYS NO GUIDEBOOK CAN DESCRIBE, HOW YOU CONDUCT YOURSELF IS THE LENS THROUGH WHICH YOU EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU ARE. GET IT RIGHT AND WHOLE WORLDS OPEN UP, GET IT WRONG AND YOU’VE MISSED SOMETHING PROFOUND.
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GOOD CONDUCT IN REMOTE CULTURES DOESN’T MEAN GOING NATIVE, IT MEANS RESPECTING THE PEOPLE AND PLACES YOU ARE IN. AS THE OUTSIDER WHO HAS ARRIVED INTENTIONALLY AND HAS THE MEANS TO MOVE ON AGAIN, THE ONUS IS ON US TO INITIATE THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE WE SIMPLY HAVE MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US. IN THIS CASE A LITTLE RESEARCH GOES A LONG WAY.
OVER DECADES OF TRAVELLING THROUGH THE REMOTE REGIONS WE DO WE HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND HOW RESEARCH CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, AND LEARNED WHAT SORT OF THINGS HAVE MOST EFFECT. OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH EXTREMISTS, STAYED WITH NOMADS, BEEN CONNED AND ATTACKED BY BRIGANDS, PARTIED WITH MONKS, BEEN HELPED BY POLICE, TAUGHT AT SCHOOLS, TALKED OUR WAY ACROSS BORDERS, BOUGHT HORSES & BOATS AT MARKETS, DINED WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND MADE HUNDREDS OF NEW FRIENDS ON THE STREETS AND IN THE RESTAURANTS OF TOWNS THAT WERE NOT EXPECTING US. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT SEEM TO MATTER
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HISTORY
HAVING EVEN A FLEETING IDEA OF THE HISTORY OF WHERE YOU GO PROVIDES THE LANDSCAPE TO EVERYTHING ELSE YOU DO THERE. YOU DON’T NEED TO RECALL DATES AND NAMES, BUT EVEN A WIKIPEDIA-LEVEL IDEA OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE SHAPED WHERE YOU ARE, BOTH RECENT AND OLD, STOPS YOU THINKING EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE YOU ARE SEEING IT. PERSPECTIVE IS THE KEY HERE AND AS ANCIENT AS SOME THINGS SOUND, RECENT EVENTS MAY HAVE SHIFTED HOW THEY ARE HELD IN THE LOCAL VIEW. YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON, BUT YOU DO NEED TO KNOW THAT THINGS CAN GO ON.
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MEDIA
PARTICULARY PERTINENT TO TIBET AND XINJIANG, WHAT YOU’VE HEARD IN THE MEDIA IS GUARANTEED TO BE DIFFERENT TO WHAT GOES ON ON THE GROUND. MEDIA AGENCIES HAVE THEIR AGENDAS AND THOUGH YOU MAY WANT TO BELIEVE YOUR FAVOURITE IS THE MOST TRUTHFUL THE DISPARITY TO WHAT ACTUALLY GOES ON IS NEVER MORE THAN HALF OF THE REALITY. QUOTING YOUR FAVOUITE MEDIA SOURCE AT LOCALS AND EXPECTING TO FIND WHAT YOU’VE BEEN LEAD TO BELIEVE IS NOT A HEALTHY WAY TO EXPERIENCE SOMEWHERE YOU’RE TIME IN WHICH CAN BE COUNTED IN DAYS. WITHOUT CROSS-REFERENCING WITH OTHER FORMS OF RESEARCH, MEDIA IS ABOUT THE LOWEST FORM OF INFORMATION.
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LANGUAGE
NOT SPEAKING A LANGUAGE DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T COMMUNICATE, AND HOW YOU CAN’T COMMUNICATE SAYS MORE ABOUT YOU THAN HOW YOU DO. NO ONE IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE FLUENT IN UYGHER, SICHUANESE OR TIBETAN, BUT IF YOUR ONLY WORDS YOU HAVE PREPARED YOURSELF WITH IS HOW TO BUY STUFF IT WILL DISTORT YOUR REALITY ARGUABLY MORE THAN KNOWING NOTHING AT ALL.
THE MOST VALUABLE LANGUAGE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IS A JOKE AND A SENSE OF FUN. FAR TOO OFTEN FOREIGNERS ARE SO OBSESSED WITH BEING RIPPED OFF THAT THEY FIXATE ON LEARNING NUMBERS, NEVER REALIZING THAT THE BARGAINING THAT GOES ON IN MARKETS IS BASED ON CHARACTER, NOT AFFLUENCE. SHOUTING NUMBERS AT A LOCAL THINKING IT MAKES YOU LOOK SMART MAKES YOU EXACTLY THE SORT OF ASSHOLE WHO DOES GET RIPPED OFF; A GOOD PRICE COMES FROM A MIX OF CURIOSITY, FUN AND RESPECT.
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BODY LANGUAGE
GUESTURE, FINGER COUNTING AND FEELING IS AS LOCALIZED AS ANY SPOKEN LANGUAGE BUT IS MUCH EASIER TO LEARN TO INTERPRET AND DO AND ARGUABLY GOES A LOT FURTHER. THE LOST FOREIGNER STANDING HANDS ON HIPS IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET, SWIVELLING RANDOMLY EXPECTING A SOLUTION IS A BEACON FOR LOW QUALITY INTERACTION. LIKEWISE TIMID POLITENESS CAN BE OUT OF PLACE IN CULTURES THAT RESPECT A DEGREE OF FORTHRIGHTNESS, AND IF YOU’RE NOT SEEING IT IT’S BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BLINDSPOT. THE SOLUTION HERE IS TO OBSERVE AND ASK, TO STOP SEEING THINGS ONLY IN RELATION TO YOUR SELF. HOW DO THE LOCALS INTERACT, WHAT MIGHT YOU BE DISREGARDING AS UNIMPORTANT DETAIL, WHAT DO YOU ASSUME YOU HAVE RIGHT? ADJUST YOUR RADAR, TWEAK YOUR ACTIONS, EXPECT BETTER REACTIONS AND TRY THINGS OUT. YOU ARE ALREADY AN ALIEN SO GETTING ANYTHING WRONG WON’T BE NOTICED.
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TIME
STRICT HOURS, DAYS AND SCHEDULES ARE THE PRODUCTS OF HIGHLY URBANIZED CULTURES AND THE FURTHER YOU GET FROM THAT THE MORE OTHER FORMS OF TIME HAVE EFFECT. XINJIANG MAYBE 4 TIME ZONES AWAY FROM BEIJING BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS BUT IN CHINA ALL CLOCKS ARE ON BEIJING TIME SO THAT’S WHAT MATTERS AND 1/5 OF THE WORLD POPULATION DEALS WITH IT. EVEN TIBET IS 2 ZONES FROM BEIJING, MEANING YOUR IDEAS ABOUT DAYLIGHT AND TIME – ON TOP OF ANY JETLAG – WON’T MATCH UP FROM THE MOMENT YOU LAND, SO GET USED TO HAVING A SENSE OF TIME MORE PLASTIC YOU MAY KNOW.
DIFFERENT PLACES DO DIFFERENT THINGS AT DIFFERENT HOURS AND KNOWING THIS HELPS NAVIGATE THINGS LIKE BUYING SUPPLIES. JUST AS THE SPANISH HAVE SIESTAS THEN DINNER AT MIDNIGHT, TIBET AND XINJIANG HAVE A DIFFERENT DAILY RYTHMN.
PARTICULARY IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE PEOPLES LIVES ARE BASED AROUND CLIMATE AND ANIMALS, THE BIGGEST IMPACT IS FROM THE SEASONS. VERY OFTEN WE ARE LEAVING FOR THE HIGHER REGIONS RIGHT WHEN THE NOMADIC PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEM, WHICH IS A VERY DIFFERENT TIME TO THE OTHER END OF THE YEAR. THE EFFECTS OF THE NOMADIC POPULATION MOVING SEASONALLY BETWEEN HIGH PASTURES AN THE LOWER RIVER VALLEYS IS SOMETHING ENTIRE CULTURES ORBIT AROUND, AND WHERE IN THAT CYCLE YOU INTERACT DEFINES WHAT YOU SEE OF IT AT EVERY LEVEL. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SPEND TIME TO RESEARCH BEFORE LANDING IN REMOTE TIBET OR XINJIANG, THIS WILL GO THE FURTHEST.
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MONEY
XINJIANG AND TIBET HAVE BEEN ON TRADE ROUTES SINCE THE TIME OF ARISTOTLE. THESE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO BUY AND SELL. FOR ALL THE YEARS OF CAPITALISM, COMMUNISM, THE SILK AND BELT ROADS, THE MARKETS WE BUY FROM ARE NOT THE DEN OF THIEVES AND SCAMMERS SOME WILL HAVE YOU BELIEVE.
BUYING STUFF EVEN IN THE MOST EXOTIC AND CROWDED OF CENTRAL ASIAN MARKETS IS NOTHING TO FEAR AND THE PARANOIA ABOUT BEING RIPPED OFF THAT MANY HAVE THEIR THOUGHTS CLOUDED BY NEEDS TO BE IN PERSPECTIVE. THE GOAL WITH NEGOTIATING IS TO GET A FAIR PRICE AND APPLIES AS MUCH TO YOU AS IT DOES TO ANY LOCAL – IT’S NOT A RACE TO THE BOTTOM. HAVING A HIGH PRICE PRESENTED DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE BEING RIPPED OFF, IT’S THE SELLER TESTING THE WATER. BEING RIPPED OFF IS WHEN YOU’RE TOO SCARED, BELLIGERENT OR UNKNOWING TO NEGOTIATE LIKE AN ADULT.
ALWAYS KNOW HOW LOCAL CURRENCY EQUATES TO YOUR OWN, AND THAT BEING ‘RIPPED OFF’ BECAUSE YOU PAID 20c MORE THAN A LOCAL WHO EARNS 1/10th WHAT YOU MIGHT TAKES ON PERSPECTIVE.
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POLITICS
SIMPLY PUT; IF YOU DON’T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN POLITICAL SCIENCE, HOLD OFF ON POLITICAL OPINION UNTIL THE END OF THE TRIP. THIS IS ONE THING WHERE THE ‘GLASS EMPTY’ APPROACH REALLY APPLIES, AND UNTIL YOU HAVE A DROP IN YOUR GLASS TO ARGUE WITH, THERE’S NOT MUCH TO BRING TO IT OTHER THAN QUESTIONS.
IF YOUR PERSPECTIVES ON THE POLITICS OF CHINA, CENTRAL ASIA, XINJIANG AND TIBET HAVE COME FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, CELEBRITIES, FORUMS AND BEST SELLERS KEEP IT ALL IN MIND BUT DON’T LET IT BLOCK YOUR EARS OR DIRECT YOUR EXPERIENCE. SOME LOCALS ARE HAPPY TO DISCUSS POLITICS – IN THEIR OWN TIME AND THEIR OWN WAY – BUT AN OVERT AGENDA WON’T WIN YOU ANY FRIENDS. HOLDING A CAMERA IN YOUR HANDS AS YOU ASK QUESTIONS WILL GET YOU NOTHING.
POLITICS IN THESE PLACES USUALLY DOESN’T HAVE THE CONTEXT IT DOES IN THE CAFES OF THE WEST. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND THE MEANINGS OF PERSONAL FREEDOM HAVE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CONTINUUMS AND ARE INFLUENCED BY FACTORS YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. POLITICS IN THESE PLACES ARE LIVING, BREATHING PROCESSES, ALMOST ALWAYS WITH ENORMOUS CHANGES WITHIN THE LIFETIMES OF ANYONE YOU TALK TO.
THINK BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO TALK.
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FOOD
SITTING AND EATING CARRIES A VERY DIFFERENT SOCIAL CONTRACT IN THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS OF INNER ASIA TO WHAT IT DOES IN THE WEST. THESE ARE CULTURES THAT TAKE HOSPITALITY VERY SERIOUSLY, WHO JUDGE THEMSELVES ON THEIR ABILITY TO SHARE, AND WHO WOULD RATHER BE HUNGRY THAN NOT SHARE WITH OTHERS. THE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE SHARING THEIR LAST CRUST OF BREAD ARE TRUE – WE’VE SEEN IT – AS ARE THE STORIES OF THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL THINGS THAT CAN BE ON THE TABLE.
AS FOR SHARING FOOD – IT’S INSULTING NOT TO. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CONSUME EVERYTHING AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO, BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO ACCEPT SOMEONES HOSPITALITY BY HAVING A MOUTHFUL AND TREATING THE FOOD WITH RESPECT. IN A PLACE WHERE FOOD MAY BE GROWN, BUTCHERED OR MADE BY THE HANDS OF THOSE YOU ARE WITH, REJECTING IT MEANS REJECTING THEIR EFFORTS AND PRIDE. SHOWN YOUR APPRECIATION, HAVE A TASTE, YOU NEVER KNOW – YOU MIGHT LIKE IT.
DON’T GO THE OTHER WAY THOUGH, AND SEE THIS AS FREE FOOD. IT’S A TOKEN MORE THAN A MEAL AND IF IT’S NOT A BIG AFFAIR, BE AWARE THEY MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH AS THEY ARE MAKING THE APPEARENCE OF.
AS FOR THE WEIRD; ANYTHING REALLY CONFRONTING TO THE WESTERN MIND IS USUALLY EXPENSIVE, AND WHEN IT’S IN FRONT OF YOU IT’S FINE TO EXPLAIN THAT WHERE YOU’RE FROM IT’S OUTSIDE THE NORMS. IN 25 YEARS OF TRAVEL IN INNER ASIA WE’VE ONLY BEEN GIVEN THINGS LIKE BEATING HEARTS, EYES, BLOOD AND UNUSAL ORGANS A HANDFUL OF TIMES, ALWAYS DURING EVENTS AND WITHIN A CONTEXT THAT MADE SENSE. WHILST THERE’S OFTEN FOODS THAT MAY BE ON THE EDGE OF YOUR CULTURE, IT’S NEVER A SURPRISE AND CERTAINLY NEVER HAZARDOUS. TRY IT ONCE AND CONSIDER IT PART OF THE STORY WHEN YOU GET HOME.
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ATTENTION
FOR A VILLAGE IN REMOTE TIBET THE ARRIVAL OF OUTSIDERS IS A BIG EVENT. KIDS COME FROM EVERYWHERE, THE LOCAL BIG PLAYERS COME OUT, THE POLICE ARE USUALLY THERE AND ANYONE WHO HAS ANY ENGLISH IS PUSHED TO THE FRONT TO TRY IT OUT. IT’S FUN ONCE OR TWICE BUT WITHOUT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE GETS EXHAUSTING PRETTY FAST.
DO ACT NORMALLY AND GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS. WE ARE NOT THE ENTERTAINMENT SO ACTING LIKE IT ONLY BRINGS UNPREDICTABLE RESULTS. THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO BE WHO YOU ARE, RESPECT THE FACT THAT LOCAL CURIOSITY IS HIGH, BUT LET PEOPLE SEE WE WANT AND DO PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY DO AS WELL.
DON’T START HANDING OUT CRAP FROM YOUR CULTURE. LEAVE THE RELIEF WORK TO THE NGO’s WHO KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED AND IF YOU WANT TO HELP SPEND YOUR MONEY IN THE SHOPS. DON’T ACT UP TO THE ATTENTION, WHICH INCLUDES GETTING ANGRY. DON’T BRUSH PEOPLE OFF BUT YOU’RE NOT EXPECTED TO SUBMIT TO THEIR DEMANDS FOR BEING A NOVELTY EITHER.
THE ATTENTION THAT CARRIES THE MOST WEIGHT COMES IN TWO FORMS; THE AUTHORITIES AND THE LOCAL INFLUENCERS. BOTH ARE ALMOST ALWAYS POLITE UNLESS GIVERN REASON TO BE OTHERWISE, AND ONLY WANT YOU TO SEE THEIR PLACE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT. ON OUR TRIPS WE CARRY EVERY PERMIT AND AUTHORIZATION IMAGINABLE SO THE POLICE ARE USUALLY PRESENT MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY KNOW AT SOME POINT THEY WILL NEED TO TICK THAT BOX. KEEPING OUTSIDERS OUT OF TROUBLE IS A BIG DEAL IN CHINA AND HAVING A LOT OF AUTHORITY, GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE POLICE GO A LONG WAY. LOCAL ‘BIG MEN’ IS A PART OF MOST ASIAN CULTURES AND IN INNER ASIA IS WAY FOR THEM TO DISPLAY THEIR POSITION – THE BIG MAN WHO MISSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTERTAIN A TEAM OF PASSING FOREIGNERS IS MISSING A CHANCE TO MAKE FRIENDS BEYOND THE BORDERS OF TOWN.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS ARE COMPLICATED THINGS IN SOME PLACES BUT WHEN GONE INTO RIGHT GET US ACCESS TO PLACES PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN, WE SEE THIS EVERY TRIP. THE POINT HERE IS TO SEE THE ATTENTION WE MAY RECEIVE AS SOMETHING POSITIVE, NOT AS BEING FORCED INTO A SIDESHOW. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE RECEPTION WE GET IS BASED ON THE WAY WE HAVE CONDUCTED OURSELVES PREVIOUSLY.
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RESPONSIBILITY
YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIVES AND FUTURES OF THE PEOPLE AND PLACES WE PASS THROUGH. THE THINGS THAT AFFECT WHAT YOU SEE ARE ENORMOUS PROCESSES THAT YOUR FLEETING PASSING WON’T CHANGE. WE ARE NOT SAVIOURS FROM THE FUTURE AND THESE ARE NOT IGNORANT HILLBILLIES AND THE ATTITUDE THAT BY BEING CLIMBERS IN A REMOTE CORNER OF ASIA WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD IS MISGUIDED.
ANY EFFECT TO BE HAD ON THE DISPARITY AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF PEOPLE ANYWHERE CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE WITH A LOT OF RESEARCH AND UNDERSTANDING BEHIND – YOU WON’T GRASP THE PROBLEM LET ALONE THE SOLUTION FROM A WEEK IN A PLACE YOU DON’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF, SO ADJUST YOUR LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY IN ACCORDANCE.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE THOUGH FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT THEY HAVE. THIS MEANS NOT CONDUCTING YOURSELF IN WAY THAT CREATES PROBLEMS THAT MAY HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT BOTH FOR THE TEAM, THE COMPANY AND ANY LOCALS WHO ARE INVOLVED.
BE ASSURED THAT MANY OF THE PLACES WE VISIT WILL RECEIVE A VISIT FROM THE AUTHORITIES SOON AFTER WE LEAVE, AND THAT WORD OF OUR APPROACH IS USUALLY WIRED DOWN THE LINE. THINGS LIKE GETTING GASOLINE AND CHECKING INTO HOTELS ARE POINTS OF INTERSECTION WITH THE AUTHORITIES, AND BEING SEEN AROUND TOWN MEANS OUR PRESENCE IS KNOWN. THESE ARE NOT THINGS TO BE PARANOID ABOUT – AS YET THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN USED AGAINST US – BUT IT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAY WE DO THINGS. ACTING BELLIGERANTLY WITH HOTEL STAFF, THE PEOPLE AT ROAD BLOCKS, DRIVERS, HERDERS AND IN RESTAURANTS CREATES PROBLEMS FOR THE LOCALS, OUR STAFF, THE COMPANY AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW. WE ALREADY HAVE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED ON US BECAUSE OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF TEAMS THAT CAME BEFORE – NOT OURS BUT WE WON’T NAME NAMES – AND GIVEN HOW EASY IT IS TO DO THINGS RIGHT THE EXCUSES FOR DAMAGING CONDUCT IS JUST NOT NECESSARY.
WE MENTION HERE THAT EVERY CLIMBER, BY THEIR PRESENCE ON OUR TEAMS, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO RESEARCH AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESS PROBLEMS IN THE PLACES WE GO. BY BEING THERE YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THE URGE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TAKES YOUR FANCY WE ARE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU DETAILS ON WAYS THAT HAVE REALISTIC EFFECTS.
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OVERALL
WE KNOW MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE CLIMBING IN XINJIANG AND TIBET IS FOR THE DAYS OF PIRATE ASCENTS, BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER NOW AND THE BETTER FOR IT, AND THEY NEVER WERE BASED ON STUPIDITY OR BAD CONDUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE – WE KNOW BECAUSE WE WERE THERE. TO THE CONTRARY, THE ERA OF PIRATE ASCENTS WERE BASED A LEVEL ON CONDUCT WE HAVE DETAILED HERE; LEARNING THE LANGUAGES AND CUSTOMS, TRAVELLING AT A LOCAL LEVEL, RESPECT FOR THOSE WE MET, HUGE AMOUNTS OF RESEARCH AND PREPARATION, ABSOLUTE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS. WHAT YOU MAY SEE OF INNER ASIAN CLIMBING NOW IS BECAUSE OF GOOD CONDUCT NOT DESPITE IT, IN FACT MOST OF WHAT WAS DONE IN THE ERA WAS TO GET AWAY FROM THE DETERIORATING STANDARDS OF CONDUCT THAT HAD COME TO INFECT THE POPULAR PLACES FOR HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING ELSEWHERE.
THINGS THESE DAYS ARE BETTER THAN THEY EVER WERE, COMBINING BETTER BEHAVIOUR OF CLIMBERS WITH A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AUTHORITIES. COSTS HAVE COME WAY DOWN, MORE AREAS ARE OPEN, THINGS ARE SAFER AND LOGISTICS ARE EASIER, MEANWHILE MOST OF TIBET AND XINJIANG ARE JUST AS WILD AS THEY EVER WERE. CLIMBERS CONDUCTING THEMSELVES WELL HAS RESULTED IN ALMOST ELIMINATING THE DEATH TOLL OF DAYS GONE BY BECAUSE NO ONE NEEDS TO HIDE THEIR OBJECTIVES ANY MORE ANY PUSH INTO MARGINAL CONDITIONS.
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