Doubt it was real AMS

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Posted by Pe on May 21, 2002 at 17:39:52:

In Reply to: truth, stranger than fiction... well, sometimes posted by yakshaver on May 21, 2002 at 16:52:20:

Leh, lost Tibetan Kingdom that does not cost 700 $ a week to visit

Seems You are on the right track. Jomosom is definitely not in the AMS risk zone. Although most of us would feel a bit fatigued flying right into Jomosom from the sea level, AMS would be extremely rare, perhaps one (probably less) out of a thousand would get significant symptoms of AMS. The story does not tell where they had been or what they had done but I find the AMS story unbelievable. In fact if it was AMS it would at that altitude have passed in a day. I am not saying they were not sick, how would I know, only that it was not AMS. It could have been a compounded version of dysentery, flue, and cultural shock, the fact that they paid 150 dollars a night for a hotel is an indication of the latter. No one in his, or her, right mind would.

If there is a 150$ place it is probably there for the foreigners who go to the human zoo the Nepalese government has instituted in Lo Manthang (Mustang). No wonder they want to keep this lucrative trade for a few Kathmandu based trekking agencies.

Per

: Could well be a furphy, but it is not inconcievable. I have heard of people which were so desperate of comfort after a couple of weeks of trekking, that they went to the trouble of faking some altitude sickness + diahorrea and other major complications, in order tot get the helicopter out. Apparently they paid by Credit Card, hoping to get a doctor in KTD to endorse their "sickness" and therefore being able to claim the costs from the insurance. Else they stood to lose about 1200 US dollars, and that did not seem to worry them unduly. Hence, someone willing to pay way over market price for some comfy accommodation in Jomsom is not that far-fetched. Especially if they were Americans. I loath to stereotype, but I am willing to bet my last 10 Euro on this assumption. Which, by the way, is the most I would pay for a night accommodation in Pokhara... provided they have TV in the room for me to watch Indian musicals, there is hot water at some stage, and the loo is not stuffed.

:
: : : I don't believe a word of this. Who do you work for?

: : This sounds like one tall story....

Ladakh - Zanskar - Kishtwar

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: Leh, lost Tibetan Kingdom that does not cost 700 $ a week to visit : Seems You are on the right track. Jomosom is definitely not in the AMS risk zone. Although most of us would feel a bit fatigued flying right into Jomosom from the sea level, AMS would be extremely rare, perhaps one (probably less) out of a thousand would get significant symptoms of AMS. The story does not tell where they had been or what they had done but I find the AMS story unbelievable. In fact if it was AMS it would at that altitude have passed in a day. I am not saying they were not sick, how would I know, only that it was not AMS. It could have been a compounded version of dysentery, flue, and cultural shock, the fact that they paid 150 dollars a night for a hotel is an indication of the latter. No one in his, or her, right mind would. : If there is a 150$ place it is probably there for the foreigners who go to the human zoo the Nepalese government has instituted in Lo Manthang (Mustang). No wonder they want to keep this lucrative trade for a few Kathmandu based trekking agencies. : Per : : Could well be a furphy, but it is not inconcievable. I have heard of people which were so desperate of comfort after a couple of weeks of trekking, that they went to the trouble of faking some altitude sickness + diahorrea and other major complications, in order tot get the helicopter out. Apparently they paid by Credit Card, hoping to get a doctor in KTD to endorse their "sickness" and therefore being able to claim the costs from the insurance. Else they stood to lose about 1200 US dollars, and that did not seem to worry them unduly. Hence, someone willing to pay way over market price for some comfy accommodation in Jomsom is not that far-fetched. Especially if they were Americans. I loath to stereotype, but I am willing to bet my last 10 Euro on this assumption. Which, by the way, is the most I would pay for a night accommodation in Pokhara... provided they have TV in the room for me to watch Indian musicals, there is hot water at some stage, and the loo is not stuffed. : : : : : : I don't believe a word of this. Who do you work for? : : : This sounds like one tall story....

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