LIFE on the PLANET LADAKH

Why Do We Love the Mountains? Recently, I took a short trip, surrounded by towering mountains. Each one inspired me, tracing the lines running down its face or simply sitting back to appreciate its mass. I pondered the same question throughout. Certainly, Everest is not the ultimate dream for me. Is climbing Everest a common goal for rock climbers? In my experience, even the average hiker rarely thinks about Everest. Climbers consider it a complete joke. Therefore, I hold a different opinion. Everest is not the ultimate goal, and in my view, it should never be. I think of myself as a mountaineer, but my ambitions are based on the […]

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For $13,000, Brendon Grimshaw, an Englishman, bought a small, uninhabited island in the Seychelles (East Africa) and decided to make it his permanent home. He was under forty when he quit his job as a newspaper editor and embarked on a new life on his island. No human had set foot on the island for fifty years. But then, Brendon, along with a partner named René Lafortune, began to make their new home habitable. While René only visited the island occasionally, Brendon lived there for decades and never left. Over the span of 39 years, Grimshaw and Lafortune planted 16,000 trees with their own hands and constructed nearly five kilometers […]

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What was the best thing about hitchhiking? I stood on the highway near the turnoff to Byron Bay, in northern New South Wales. I’d hitchhiked from Sydney over a few days and needed a lift for the last three kilometers into town. There was no rush. One shouldn’t hurry through Red Rock National Park. It was early December. Summer had arrived, and for a 21-year-old used to the cool climate of New Zealand’s South Island, the northern New South Wales summer was a revelation. The water was ten degrees warmer, and the air felt like it was floating. Two surfers in their late twenties from California picked me up. They […]

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Eric Weihenmayer: What might be the most unbelievable feat accomplished by human will? Do you fancy yourself hardcore too? Keep reading. Imagine being a healthy boy. Then, one day, imagine losing your sight… at the age of thirteen. He came to know it as retinal detachment. A disease slowly robbing him of his vision. Most would likely crumble under such an unexpected blow. Curl up in despair, wouldn’t you think? But this man was different. It was merely the first trial in an unseen life. Wrestling, a primal test of strength and will, became his outlet. Through high school, he grappled, even competing in national championships. Yet, compared to the […]

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Can a high salary compensate for a lack of job satisfaction? It’s possible. But in my case, it didn’t work out. I was a mountain rescue worker, and the pay was low. I worked in Norway, and even here, the pay for this job is low. Wanting to earn more, I ambitiously became the director of a major company’s Eastern European branch. With the right academic background, getting that job wasn’t too challenging. Additionally, I spoke Norwegian fluently and had a good grasp of Danish and Swedish, making it suitable for working in a Scandinavian company, mainly staffed in Poland. Financially, I became comfortable and made a lot of money. […]

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What do we call people who climb mountains? The term “mountain climber” is commonly used, but it doesn’t encompass the many styles of mountaineering. Each style has its own challenges, risks, allure, and community. Some devote their entire lives to mastering one style. Below, I introduce the various styles of mountain climbing: Hiking / Hiker Often involves walking on rugged terrain where basic route finding is helpful. Typically, there are established trails, and technically difficult sections are rare. It’s the most popular style, with routes like the main route of Ben Nevis, Grues Grind, and Plain of Six Glaciers being popular. Many people reach summits using this method. Trekking Trekking […]

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Do you prefer traveling alone or with someone else? Alone… for much the same reasons as many others have given to this question. Yes, alone — but always open to the offers of joining others for a day or two. Many things would have remained unseen and unexperienced otherwise. Although (when I was still wandering here and there) I was already among the older members of the backpacking tribe, age did not seem to be a barrier. If you carried a backpack, you automatically belonged to their “brotherhood” (… almost invariably a nice, relaxed, very international group). When the younger folks were heading somewhere, whether it was for a beer […]

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If it is true that God is only good and also omnipotent, why then do we have evil in the world? Why does evil exist in the world? I wrote the following to answer this question in a way that makes sense to me. Fresh out of university, I took a job in the outback of Australia. It was a difficult adjustment, and my eighteen months there raised more questions than answers. Two years ago, I returned for the first time, seeking answers. What follows is from my journal. It attempts to tackle the difficult question of why evil exists in the world. The picture at the end is of […]

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My father used to say… To understand who a true friend is, you must throw a party. Host a magnificent gathering with fine beers and wines. Prepare delicious food and set the background music just right, welcoming to all. Let the music play, but not too loudly. Don’t force anyone to stay, don’t persuade, never prolong the party. Parties have origins older than us; they know when to end. Invite many friends, and when the party’s over, let each take their preferred path. Then, observe. Notice who willingly stays to help you, who aids in washing dishes, who assists in tidying up. These will be your true friends. They’ll stand […]

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Why is it that abroad, it seems so much easier to be oneself and talk to strangers? Especially when traveling alone. In my experience, even just traveling with one other person (let alone in a group) tends to form a kind of “closed circle”. Within that circle, locals, whether in city streets or mountain villages, usually hesitate to let you in. As a result, interacting with them isn’t easy unless you actively “break the ice”. On the other hand, when you’re walking alone with a backpack (looking relaxed and open), it often feels like they’re waiting for their turn to talk—you end up having tea together several times a day, […]

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Why must I have the will to live? I understand that I am neither intellectually gifted nor valuable in various aspects. It seems unlikely that these qualities will help me or aid in achieving a meaningful life goal. The beginning of this might not be very encouraging, but I must tell you a true story: When I was eighteen, I lived with my parents. One day, as I was about to take a shower, I noticed an ant near the drain. Without much thought, I picked up the ant and released it into the grass in our garden, then went back inside to take my shower. Four years later, at […]

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I have no desire whatsoever to visit Tahiti or any other sun-drenched locales. Is this normal? Upon receiving tickets, one might assume everyone would immediately yearn to go. I felt the same way. Why? Because I’ve already traveled extensively across Europe, America, Asia, and Africa—Oceania was the only continent left unexplored. From May to June last year, I spent precisely 28 days in French Polynesia, not just in Tahiti. I harbored prejudices: that it would be flashy and garish. Yet, it proved otherwise! Having lived in Saint-Tropez for eight years, I know it differs greatly… The landscapes are breathtaking, the sea’s clarity akin to a vast pool, abundant vegetation, Polynesian […]

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What’s it like to live in four seasons? For someone like me from Northern Europe, living with four seasons is just the norm. We expect ongoing change in nature, temperature, and precipitation patterns, with short periods of stability. But we always know what’s coming next because we’ve seen it all before. Right now, for instance, here in northern Sweden, spring is on its way. It’s mid-April, and there’s still snow around, which is normal, but it’s retreating, revealing brown grass underneath. We know the grass will turn green as soon as the temperatures hit double digits. You can watch it happen. Yesterday afternoon, I sat on my veranda with a […]

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Where is the island farthest from any mainland? It is said that the most isolated island, the one that requires the longest journey from any other landmass, is Bouvet Island, a Norwegian territory located in the southern hemisphere. Bouvet Island – Wikipedia. Excluding a small rocky outcrop near the coast, Lars Island, the nearest land to Bouvet Island is Queen Maud Land in Antarctica, 1,700 km to the south. To the north, the British territory of Gough Island is 1,600 km away. To reach a populated area, one must either sail 2,200 km northeast to the Cape of Agulhas in South Africa or 2,000 km to Tristan da Cunha. Tristan […]

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(A photo of the aforementioned spot, taken on the way back. The wind was fierce up there.) What is your greatest experience that no one else knows about? Last weekend, I returned to the glacier I had photographed the previous year. I had heard whispers of an ice cave, unknown to me until now, and felt compelled to seek it out. The conditions were perfect. The temperature had plummeted well below freezing, and it hadn’t snowed for some time. The path across the glacier to the cave was clear, and the avalanche risk was relatively low. With snowshoes on my feet and a heavy backpack on my shoulders, I trudged […]

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Which wild animals do you think have the potential to become pets? Foxes. Unlike dogs and cats, foxes (with the exception of the friend in ‘The Little Prince’) have not yet been domesticated. Their wild nature triumphs over human attempts to tame their spirits. Those who have tried to keep a fox at home know well the challenges involved. An intriguing experiment with foxes conducted by Russian scientists attempts to replicate the process of domestication. In the late 1950s, geneticist Dmitry K. Belyaev endeavored to create a population of domesticated foxes. Through a breeding program at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, Russia, he aimed to trace the […]

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Have you ever heard a remarkable story about a farmer and a lawyer? A farmer named Angus from Newfoundland had an unfortunate car accident. He was hit by a truck belonging to the Eversweet Company. In the courtroom, the Eversweet Company’s lawyer interrogated Angus. “Didn’t you tell the police at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine’?” the lawyer asked. Angus replied, “Well, let me tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite cow, Bessie, into the trailer…” “I’m not asking for details,” the lawyer interrupted. “Just answer the question. Didn’t you say at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine’?” Angus said, “Well, I had […]

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🌳 According to African legend, the Creator planted the baobab (the African baobab) in the valley of a river, but the tree was discontented with the moisture. So, the Creator transplanted the baobab to the mountainside, yet still, the tree remained unsatisfied. Angered by the tree’s constant complaints, the Creator uprooted the baobab and threw it onto the dry ground of Africa. Ever since, the baobab has grown with its roots reaching skyward. 🌳💦 The baobab is a tree that holds water within. A fascinating fact: The baobab is known as the thickest tree in the world, with its trunk reaching up to 9 meters in diameter, and the largest […]

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Do You Believe in Coincidence? There is no such thing as coincidence! One summer day, Mr. Yüksel missed a ferry he had never missed before, on his way to a goose farm across the river. Unable to bear the scorching heat while waiting for the next ferry, he decided to postpone his plan to buy a few geese until the following day and headed back home. On his drive back, he encountered a flock of geese. Believing that following them would inevitably lead him to his destination, he started to trail them. With the geese leading the way, Mr. Yüksel ventured down the dusty village road. Eventually, they reached a […]

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What does trekking really mean? Let’s explore the ancient origin of this word, its meaning, and understand why it is not synonymous with hiking or excursions. The Meaning of the Word Trekking Every enthusiast must have wondered about the meaning of the word trekking. For many, it simply means walking or traveling on foot, often used synonymously with hiking and excursions. In Italy, these terms are used interchangeably, but they actually have very different origins and meanings. In this article, we will delve into the true origin of the word trekking and understand why it actually has a rather unique and specific meaning. Where does the word trekking come from? […]

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Experience an extraordinary voyage through time and space! Imagine immersing yourself in a realm of cutting-edge technology and the boundless expanse of the universe. A trip to the NASA Space Center isn’t just a visit—it’s a chance for students to dive deep into the world of science and fuel their fascination with the cosmos. If you’re planning an educational tour, LIFE on the PLANET LADAKH Educational Tours is your ideal partner. Discover NASA: Unraveling the Mysteries of Space 1. Introduction to NASA Delve into the world of NASA, short for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a pioneering organization dedicated to space exploration since its establishment in 1958. 2. What […]

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The Benefits of Hiking Every Week Repetition of good things is a necessity. Hiking is not just a lifestyle but a rediscovery of the joy of walking and a chance to closely observe the beautiful world we live in. Hiking outdoors is beneficial and leads to improved physical fitness. This holds true even for those with noticeable grey hair or those who need assistive devices for mobility. While it would be fantastic to hike every day, the demands of our current life rhythm impose constraints on location, time, and available spaces. A weekly hike is sufficient, but more frequent hikes would be better, as our bodies crave and need them. […]

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How to Simplify Complex Thinking Reduce your obsession with seeking absolute certainty. One of the reasons our thinking becomes convoluted and circular is a strong desire to find the absolute truth or certainty about something. However, in this world, many things are relative, not black and white. Therefore, loosen your standards for seeking total truth and accept the presence of uncertainty. This way, your mind becomes more flexible and relaxed. Avoid having too many options. Have you ever heard of “the paradox of choice”? The more options you have, the harder it is to decide, and the more stressed your brain becomes. Instead of exhausting yourself by choosing, it actually […]

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What is it that only you can do? 1. There are three kinds of people who speak the truth: children, the drunk, and the angry. 2. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. 3. Sometimes, those who wish to be part of your story are only characters for a single chapter. 4. Do not be swayed by sweet words; let your heart be moved by sweet efforts. 5. Life is ironic. To know happiness, you must know sadness; to savor silence, you need noise; to appreciate presence, you must experience absence. 6. Nothing feels as good as doing your work. 7. […]

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Recently, I had the chance to talk to someone through Kora. It had been about a year and a half since our last conversation. As we reminisced about events from a year and a half ago, we found ourselves talking for nearly five hours. A sense of satisfaction, which I hadn’t felt in a long time, spread through my heart. The heaviness that once weighed down my spirit was lifted by this conversation. People change with opportunities and circumstances. Feelings are never constant; they shift according to the situation. What is precious today might be unnecessary tomorrow. What I once rejected and discarded might become essential after some time. The […]

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What are some psychological hacks to find out if someone likes you? Of course, I have them. So, every problem has its tricks. The same goes for people who are interested in you. From my experience, here are a few small tricks. 1. Removing objects between you According to Psychology Today, when someone likes you, they will unconsciously try to eliminate small objects (like cups, bags, plates, cushions) between you to get physically closer. 2. Maintaining personal space Psychologically, people tend to lean towards someone they like and away from someone they don’t. 3. Observing foot direction One of the most powerful signs is the direction of their feet during […]

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What is the Plateau of Pamir called? Plateau of Pamir: Overview Plateau of Pamir: Unveiling the “Roof of the World” Geographical Position of Pamir Introduction: The world is adorned with stunning natural landscapes that leave us in awe of their beauty and grandeur. Among these remarkable features, the Plateau of Pamir stands as a geological wonder, renowned for its breathtaking vistas and significant cultural and historical significance. Situated in Central Asia, this high-altitude region holds many secrets and is often referred to as the “Roof of the World.” In this article, we will delve into the unique characteristics, geographical importance, and cultural heritage of the Plateau of Pamir, shedding light […]

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Today, I read a fascinating story about a young man studying in Russia. In his tale, he explains that in Russia, the highest score for many exams is 5. Even if a student does not answer a single question and returns the exam paper blank, they receive 2 out of 5 points. When he first arrived at Moscow University, he knew nothing of this system and was astonished. He asked Professor Theodor Medraev, “Is it fair to give a student who answered nothing a score of 2? Why not give them zero? Isn’t that the right way?” The professor, with a gentle smile, replied in profound words, “How can we […]

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In the island of Kyushu, life breathes within the ancient caldera. The green hills turn grey, and a faint smell of sulfur wafts in. You can sense it approaching. However, encountering an active volcano, especially one of the world’s largest that regularly spouts minor eruptions, is an unexpected shock. I don’t know if the dome-shaped bunkers, speakers, 24-hour surveillance, and strict access regulations are reassuring or unsettling. Perhaps both. Peering through the fence, I can’t see the red boiling cauldron like in a movie, but steam ominously billows out. Our usually chatty group is silent this time, and no one protests when it’s time to leave. We don’t want to […]

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Which is the most intriguing town in the world, and why? Rochefourchat France. This tiny town even deceives Google. How? Read on. Since the census of 1999, this town has had only one inhabitant, making it the least populated commune in France and the world, excluding those destroyed in World War I that now have zero inhabitants (List of French villages destroyed in World War I – Wikipedia). In 1793, Rochefourchat had 220 inhabitants. That was its peak, and since then, the population has steadily declined. Between 1990 and 1999, another inhabitant died. Did the remaining resident handle the funeral? If you’re tired of noisy neighbors, early morning visits from […]

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