Posted by Per on March 31, 2001 at 07:45:27:
In Reply to: Re: Mountain biking the Annapurna Circuit may at worst be subject to a little private "tax". Well I never! posted by brian on March 31, 2001 at 05:35:39:
Hi again Brian
: Who am I to argue the veracity of what you say. I can only reiterate that it says in ACAP rules that it is Prohibited.
Well, my sources are direct, met quite a few bikers on the circuit, and we have talking quite a bit with a Gurung who runs an MTB business at KGH.
Would those ACCAP rules you are referring to be available somewhere on line?
Admitedly, the first time I saw some one with an MTB carrying it across Shingo La in Lahul in 1983 I thought it was a joke, but since then I have changed my mind, and presently we think it is more fun than trekking.
BTW I feel ambiguous about ACCAP. The idea may be good, but I also saw that they were doing quite a bit of damage and were not particularly liked in many places. I happen to speak nepalli and from what I could understand the arrangement is pretty much seen as an outside imposition in many places.
Among the really stupid things are that they try to encourage cartels. We donīt mind if there are expensive places, with nice rooms etc, but when you arrive in a village and you realise that ACCAP has instructed everyone to charge the same regardless if it is luxury or a real dump something has gone wrong.
To me ACCAP seems similar to CITS the chinese state tourist organisation. Frankly, if it fills a need it is for employment for certain strata of the Gurung.
Per