Trek for the Rights of Women & Girls

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Inspired

TUES 25 SEP: TRIUND -BHAGSU – NAG VILLAGE

Woke up this morning to clouds that looked a little less troublesome! The team are rested and excited for our last day of trekking. We’ve been guided along a path that lies along a grassy ridge with stunning views of the plunging valley below and snowy peaks above. We then descended through Laheta Village before reaching Bhagsu Nag Village. We’re now driving back to Dharamsala where we’ll have our farewell group dinner. I’m so proud of this team and excited to hear their stories of reflection over some delicious food.

MON 24 SEP: TRIUND – LAKA GOT – TRIUND

Storm raged for hours last night and the hail just kept coming! Our tents flooded!! We managed to stay in a building with a couple of rooms and have woken up to a beautiful sunrise. Don’t think many of us slept though as the dogs were howling all night. A few of us will head up the pass but the rest will rest up for our last day of trekking tomorrow.

SUN 23 SEP: BAL – TRIUND

Today we definitely did it for Uniting World! After our 3rd day of 6+ hours of trekking, we’ve finally made it to Triund! We are currently hauled up tent thunder lightening and hail!! We’re soaking freezing and tired but we are all just so thrilled that we made it! Everyone sends their love home.

SAT 22 SEP: KERERI – BAL

Woaah bit chilly this morning which is good as it sounds like it’s all up up up today. We all swam in the river last night – then spent most of the evening discovering we were covered in leeches! Everyone is enjoying the amazing food and spirits are extremely high. The trekking has been a little harder than some anticipated but our exhaustion is quickly relieved by the mind blowing scenery and views. It’s a gorgeous flora and wildlife frenzy!!

FRI 21 SEP: DHARAMSALA – KARERI

The team has just arrived into first camp and went straight for a dip in the River – amazing! We scrambled over the rocks jumped through streams and have arrived in paradise!! Its was a difficult first day of trekking but the scenery is amazing and the people are beautiful in every way. This team doing is great! A couple of tumbles along the way, but pride has been the only injury!

TUES SEP 18 – 19: UNITING WORLD PROJECT VISIT.

Our visit to the golden temple was amazing – and flooded! We were almost knee deep in water crossing the roads. Luckily our bishop knows all the right people and took us into the kitchens too see where it all happens, then even rolled us some roitis too! After our exploration of Amritsar we start to head off to meet the children of the Uniting World Project. We all cant wait, the rain seems to have stopped too! The team is all great, no funny tummies as yet and we’ve all just doused our feet in antiseptic after wading in the gutters this morning. Love it!

When we arrived at the project the hospitality of the bishop and people of the project was unreal. We were literally treated like visiting royalty. Children scrubbed themselves to within an inch of there lives and had their hair combed and oiled. They sang and danced to greet us and it was just outstanding!

The project visit has been amazing; I’m an emotional wreck! We are blown away not only by the hospitality but also by what the project is achieving for these children; we’re not sure we will ever fully be able to convey to everyone at home what we have witnessed. We were asked by the bishop to stand on the horse cart for a photo then made the horse bolt and we all clung for our lives! It was an OH and S nightmare – just brilliant! On the way to the mountains to start the trek tomorrow!

MON 17 SEP: ARRIVAL IN AMRITSAR

We rise early and head to Delhi train station. The train departs on time, we are served bottled water, get to enjoy the air conditioning, and there’s more leg room than any flight I have ever been on! Who said this was the third world. And by the way – the rail network in India is the worlds largest employer.

On the train (amidst the air con and ample leg room) the view through the window is a real life horror story. Children scrambling through flooded rubbish dumps….I cannot even begin to describe it. I think of the children I have cared for. I cannot believe how different life can be. Poverty is not nearly a strong enough word to describe this. It’s heartbreaking. If most of the world’s population live here, is this how most of the world lives?

As we stepped off the train, we were greeted by the bishop of the church of north India. Not just the bishop, his team joined him, and a drummer! Confetti was thrown over us and leis were placed around our necks. I have caught glimpses on the news this week of Kate and William’s welcome to the Solomon Islands. I’m pretty sure these people thought the royal couple were stepping off the train – it was stunning. We then followed the drummer out of the station and down the road leaving a trail of flowers and confetti in our wake – it was something else. Sydney… we need to work on our welcomes! Amritsar could teach us a thing or two!

SUNDAY 16 SEP: DELHI

We have this morning to ourselves and a few of us set out to explore our surroundings on foot. It’s hot, humid and we stick out like a bunch of white tourists. So now we have the task of politely declining continuous offers of help and guidance. It’s hard to look past the young desperate children who beg relentlessly, we all struggle to witness the disparity of this city.

One gentleman succeeds in leading us into a traditional rug shop where we’re seated on a lounge and given green tea along with an exceptional display of beautiful rugs. We continue our jaunt through the dirty bustling streets. It’s Sunday, so many shops are closed and temples and churches are filled with families. Its lovely to see all the ladies dressed immaculately and adorned in fabrics and jewels of every colour.

We head back to the hotel for lunch and all opt for local cuisine over the choice of burgers and pizza. Another check for the bucket list. Eat curry in India! It was gorgeous!

This afternoon we are taken on a tour of the city. Raj, our guide, is knowledgeable beyond belief! His love and enthusiasm for his country is endearing but he treads on a fine line between expressing his views on religion and offending this team, who have fundraised for the Uniting church of Australia. Discussions at dinner proved that most were not offended but his remarks had not gone unnoticed and sparked lively and thought provoking conversation at dinner.

Visiting the sites and world heritage sites of this city was delightful but for me the highlight was seeing the city parks and attractions teeming with families, young men playing soccer and an overwhelming feeling that Sundays here really are sacred, regardless of your religion or beliefs – they are for family, for fun and for sharing.

SATURDAY 15 SEP: ARRIVE IN DELHI.

The team arrived into Delhi, on time and predictably tired but excited to be in India at last. We were welcomed by Joseph and Amit – and torrential rain! Apparently this would bring us luck for the trip…

PRE-DEPARTURE

In September 2012, Team UnitingWorld will head to northern India on a trip of a lifetime. This incredible group of people have fundraised over $33,000 for UnitingWorld projects supporting rural education.

During their Inspired Adventure, Team UnitingWorld will:

Reflect on spirituality and the environment as they trek through the Indian Himalayas;
Learn first hand the root causes of poverty as they visit UnitingWorld’s Education Program for Disadvantaged Children;
Witness inter-faith engagement in action through the work of Christian leader Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy;
Immerse themselves in the tranquillity of Dharamasala, the home of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader;
Fund projects that empower women, girls and communities and
Experience the grandeur of the exquisite Golden Temple nestled near the border of India and Pakistan.

Stay tuned for more updates.

FEELING INSPIRED?

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Dharamsala Destination Guide
Visit the Inspired Adventures Calendar and find a Charity Challenge perfect for you.

Destination in profile: Dharamsala

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Inspired Adventures

This month, Inspired Adventures would like to take you on a journey to Dharamsala, India. This little town in northern India has become a bustling hub for a Tibetan community who have settled here and life revolves around the spiritual teachings of its most famous resident – His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

We take you to Dharamsala this month because Tibetan New Year is just around the corner and more importantly, because this is ultimately where Inspired Adventures was born.

The impetus to launch Inspired Adventures came about after a chance meeting with a Tibetan monk who had suffered many human rights abuses. Justine Curtis, Inspired Adventures’ Director, met Palden Gyatso when he was living in exile in Dharamsala.

Palden Gyatso’s story was moving and his determination, resolve and simplicity invoked an epiphany within Justine that could not be ignored. From that chance meeting, Inspired Adventures grew. It made sense that our first ever charity challenge was the Trek for Tibet in November 2005 to support the work of the Australia Tibet Council. This first trip saw 20 passionate people take up the call to raise funds and trek the Indian Himalayas. Today, Inspired Adventures continues to offer trips to this amazing destination that invokes spiritual feelings and creates cherished memories.

The town and its people

The word Dharamsala is a Hindi word that is difficult to translate directly into English. A loose translation means ‘spiritual dwelling’ or ‘sanctuary’. The indigenous people of the area are the Gaddis, a predominantly Hindu group. Due to their nomadic nature and lack of permanent settlements, the Gaddis lost a significant amount of their land when the British and Gurkhas arrived to settle.

The Tibetan settlement in Dharamsala commenced when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 and the Prime Minister of India allowed him and those who followed him to settle in McLeod Ganj (Upper Dharamsala). In 1960, a ‘Tibetan-Government-in-Exile’ was established and since then many institutions have evolved to protect precious religious, cultural and historical documents from Tibet. Today, McLeod Ganj has become known as ‘Little Lhasa’ (after the capital of Tibet) and many thousands of Tibetans call it home. Brightly coloured flags featuring a striking snow lion in the centre are ubiquitous. This is the Tibetan national flag, which flies freely in exile but is outlawed in Tibet.

Dharamsala has also become a thriving tourist destination for spiritual seekers, human rights activists, volunteers and genuine travellers keen to absorb the vibrant atmosphere and enjoy some scenic treks in the Kangra Valley.

For food lovers, Dharamsala is a-dream-come true. Not only can you treat yourself to tasty Indian curries, you can tantalise your tastebuds with the delights of Tibetan and Nepalese food. Momos (dumplings) are very suitable to the western palate and are available in abundance at street stalls and in restaurants. Thukpa is a rich soup popular in Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Of course any dish must be washed down with a chai tea, a lassi, Tibetan butter tea or even a local beer.

For history and culture buffs, no trip to Dharamsala is complete without a visit to the Norbulingka Institute. The main building is shaped like the Dalai Lama’s traditional summer residence in Tibet. The purpose of the Institute is to preserve and protect Tibetan language and its rich cultural heritage.

The Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) is often the highlight of any visit to this region. TCV takes care of and educates orphans and refugee children from Tibet. It is now part of a network that has spread across India and cares for over 12,000 children.

The trekking

Dharamsala is the starting point for many treks into the surrounding mountains and in particular, over the Dhauladhar range and through the Kangra Valley.

A typical Inspired Adventures trek takes you on a five-day journey into the mountains and villages beyond Dharamsala. Starting with a 14km trek to the picturesque Kareri Village, the trek continues through mixed forests of oak, rhododendron and pine on to Triund, an alpine meadow located on the top of a high ridge. From here, the views are second-to-none: the perpetually snow-capped Dhauladhar peak on one side and the Kangra Valley on the other. Day four takes you to a shepherd camp at Laka Got, situated at the snout of a glacier. Caves and pastures dot the mountain creating a dynamic layered landscape unique to this area. The last day of the trek offers epic views of the valley below and the peaks above as you descend down a grassy ridge to the village of Bhagsu Nag where a vehicle awaits to take you back to Dharamsala for a celebratory dinner.

Upcoming trekking trips to Dharamsala

‘Trek for the rights of women and girls’ 15-28 September 2012:

Immerse yourself in the tranquillity of Dharamsala, trek the Himalayas and learn about the root causes of poverty through the work of UnitingWorld. You will have the opportunity to visit project sites and while raising vital funds to support projects that empower women, girls and communities.

Journey for Genes – Trek to the home of the Dalai Lama 3-15 November 2012:

Support the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI)’s vital work in researching, treating and preventing childhood illness. You will visit Dharamsala and trek the Indian Himalayas as well as visit dynamic Delhi.

Read more trip stories from India or visit the Inspired Adventures Calendar and find a Charity Challenge perfect for you.

International Human Rights Day

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Administrator

Our first Inspired Adventure

Saturday 10 December is International Human Rights Day. It marks the 63^rd anniversary of the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is also an important day for us as the impetus to launch Inspired Adventures came about after a chance meeting with a Tibetan monk who had suffered many human rights abuses. When we met him, he was living in exile in Dharamsala, India.

Palden Gyatso’s story was moving. His determination, resolve and simplicity invoked an epiphany within that could not be ignored. From that chance meeting, Inspired Adventures was born.

“The human body can bear immeasurable pain and yet recover. Wounds can heal. But once your spirit is broken, everything falls apart.” Palden Gyatso

It made sense that our first adventure was the “Trek for Tibet” for the Australia Tibet Council, an organisation working hard to promote the ‘human rights and democratic freedoms of the Tibetan people’. In November 2005, I took a group of 19 people to the home of the Dalai Lama and together we trekked through the Indian Himalayas to raise money almost $40,000 for the Australia Tibet Council. Although each and every trip that Inspired Adventures has organised, this first trip was very dear to me and became the motivation to keep on keeping on.

Recently, Inspired Adventures has teamed up with Amnesty International Australia. Amnesty fights hard against injustice and is a staunch defender of human rights abuses. They campaign on violence against women, promote the rights of Indigenous peoples, defend the rights of refugees and demand dignity using human rights as the key to releasing people from the trap of poverty.

Inspired Adventures isn’t just about raising funds for our charity partners. Every step of the way we are championing the cause of each and every partner. Our causes are diverse and range from defending human rights to working towards a cure for cancer and other diseases; raising awareness of SIDS and promoting disability inclusion as well as rebuilding the lives of youth in crisis and putting an end to animal cruelty. Every day we are working with participants who are doing incredible things for our charity partners. We know that none of these problems can be solved overnight. However we do believe that together we can all make a difference.

Justine