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ABOUT US Sherpa Adventure International has been in business in Nepal since 2005. Our sister company in USA is Of Global Interest LLC Adventure Travel. We are passionate about serving your need to experience the world. Twice a year we organize and lead customized, small group tours, trekking and exploring in the Himalayas in Nepal. We also organize tours to India, Tibet, China and Bhutan. Over the years we have gained valuable experience while leading several trips and treks in Nepal and the Himalayas. Our culturally sensitive guides and tours are for people interested in traveling the world who want a meaningful encounter.Sherpa Adventure International is owned and operated by Pem Dorjee Sherpa and Heather O'Neal. We offer tours trekking and mountaineering and a combined service of trekking expeditions. These are peaks that require some mountaineering skills but are mostly a strenuous hike. Our goal is to give you a personalized experience that allows you to interact with the locals and understand their culture first-hand. With an English and Nepali-speaking guide who understands the nuances of American and Nepalese cultures, your vacation will be insightful and unforgettable. Trips vary from one week to one month in length in order to accommodate every traveler's schedule. Contact us and we will help you choose the trip that best suits your desires. If you are looking for a first class adventure company with affordable prices, you’ve found it! Why Sherpa Adventure International:Unlike larger trekking companies, we personally lead every trip and strive to keep the groups small. Your team leader will hike or climb with you—. He or she will not run the trip by phone or radio from an office or base camp. Of Global Interest considers every detail carefully to help you endure the world's most hostile— and beautiful —environments. We believe that your comfort, health and safety are of the utmost importance. Comfortable, safe, healthy travelers will have a positive attitude, the most important factor in the success of any adventure trip. You won't find a better operator anywhere on the mountain.Our Guides:Pem Dorjee Sherpa grew up in a village, high in the Himalayas in the Everest region. He is a member of the ethnic group called Sherpa, the indigenous people of that area. Pem Dorjee has been organizing and leading tours, treks and expeditions to Nepal twice a year since 2005. He climbed Mt. Everest the first time as a climbing Sherpa in 2004. In 2005 he organized an expedition for the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club. His team took a Rotary flag to the summit in celebration. On that climb, he and his climbing partner - now wife, Moni Mulepati, held their wedding at the summit of Mt. Everest at 29,035 feet. They made world news with their marriage and hold the record for the world's highest wedding! Pem also hiked 3,100 miles along the Continental Divide Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border during a fundraising campaign to build a continuous trail. Now he and his family live in Ann Arbor and run The Himalayan Bazaar gift shop on Main Street. Pem Dorjee has a wealth of experience and many stories to tell.Heather O'Neal, a vetern traveler and former Peace Corps Volunteer, lived in Kathmandu during her Junior Year Abroad in college through the University of Wisconsin. While living with a Nepalese family, she learned to speak the language and was so captivated by the Nepalese culture, religions and traditions, she received a degree in South Asian Studies. Having written a book, "Writes of Passage through Nepal", Heather is passionate about sharing her experience and expertise. She has been leading tours to Nepal since 2000.Tours:Every year in the spring and fall, one of our guides will be available to accompany you and others for an adventure of a lifetime. We will acquaint you with the rigors and wonders of far away places. We will help you develop your travel plans, ensure your comfort and safety and free up your time by making local arrangements. We look forward to working with you to customize your itinerary and get you on your way. Let us know when and where you want to go for your adventure of a lifetime. Either recurit your friends, coworkers or fellow adventurers - or we'll advertize through our maiing list and our cirlcle of friends to find fellow travelers for your trip. We like groups of six or more.

OUR TEAM Heather O’Neal grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After high school, she attended Washtenaw Community College for one year and continued studying at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She spent her junior year in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1986, wrote a book about her adventures and learned to speak Nepali. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1989 with a degree in English and South Asian Studies.In 1990, Heather joined the Peace Corps and spent two years teaching English and learning Hungarian in Salgótarján, Hungary just after the fall of the Iron Curtain. As part of the Returned Peace Corps Fellows Program, Heather completed a masters degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso while teaching English as a Second Language for four years in El Paso, Texas.In 1997 Heather spent one year learning Spanish and teaching English at the American School of Madrid in Spain. The next year she quit her job to finally travel back to Nepal. In 2000 she started her company, Of Global Interest LLC Adventure Travel. Since that time, she has organized and led several professional tours to Nepal, including one Mt. Everest expedition.As part of her business, Heather operated a bed and breakfast in her home called The Eighth Street Trekkers' Lodge. In her garage was the Himalayan Bazaar where she sold imports from Nepal that she brought home from her numerous trips. In 2011, Heather and Pem Dorjee Sherpa joined forces and opened The Himalayan Bazaar on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Today they operate their tour company from that location.
Pem Dorjee Sherpa was born in 1982 in a small, remote village south of Mt. Everest. In 1998 he met, Heather O'Neal and began working for Of Global Interest as well as other large trekking companies.Pem has climbed Mt. Everest twice, the second time with his girlfriend Moni Mulepati. On the summit, they followed through on a plan they had kept secret from everyone, including their parents. Sharing their wedding vows at 29,035 feet, they became the first couple to be married on top of Mt. Everest. They also hoisted the flag of Rotary International, a club with which Pem has frequently been involved, in honor of its centennial year.Aside from his mountaineering achievements, Pem has demonstrated an admirable commitment to improving the quality of life in his home village of Chayangba. Pem is certified as a Trekking and Mountaineering Guide by the Nepal government. He is also an active member of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), American Alpine Club, Nepal Mountaineering Association, and Everest Summiteers Association. Pem recently completed his goal of hiking 3,100 miles along the Continental Divide Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border as part of the Rotary CDT Challenge, a fundraising effort to build a continuous trail.
No Frame

Pem & Moni during a hike in Colorado

GUIDE & OWNER USA

HEATHER O'NEAL

GUIDE & OWNER

NEPAL & TIBET

PEM DORJEE SHERPA

GUIDE & OWNER

USA

HEATHER ONEAL

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIAL

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BARRY TURNER breey tuner

Barry Turner

Grass Valley Ca. USA

I can't quite figure out how to phrase my appreciation for the expertise of Pem Sherpa and his crew for supporting our September-October 2008 Rotary International medical/dental project and subsequent trekking and climbing expeditions. If I tell the literal truth it will sound like too much, but the reality is that our volunteer group of 21 California volunteers (mostly Rotarians) had complicated arrivals, departures, tour needs, etc.). We had 2000+ pounds of medical and dental equipment and supplies that had to be transported to the remote Chyangba worksite. Following the work project, Pem Sherpa orchestrated our successful climb of Lobuche Peak (20,070'). He followed the perfect altitude acclimatization profiles in getting us to the summit. His team provided a "fixed rope" route for most of the summit climb day, giving climbers the same technical challenge for climbing the mountain while increasing the safety if any climber were to fall. His attention to detail and the devotion of his climbing guides were second to none I have ever experienced in my many guided climbs. I would highly recommend Pem Sherpa and his Sherpa Adventure International organization and wish him and his staff good luck.Barry Turner

CHARLES R FRANCK rotary dental camp 2008

CHARLES R. FRANCK

Clio, California, USA

In 2008, I participated in a Rotary International service project traveling to Nepal where I met Pemba Dorjee Sherpa and Moni Mulepati for the very first time. Somewhat unsure as to what to expect being so far from my comfort zone, I was immediately impressed by Pem’s warm and enduring personality, punctuated by his calm, confident and friendly manner. As our journey progressed, it became even more evident that he is dependable, resourceful, knowledgeable, and most of all trustworthy in what he does. Pem helped make my time in Nepal a most memorable life experience and I would surely recommend his services. We have kept in contact since that time and I am proud to call Pem and Moni my friends.Charles R. Franck - Clio, California

KAREN-STEVE LEIGHTY steve nepal

Karen and Steve Leighty

Grass Valley, Ca. USA

Our experience with Pem Sherpa and Sherpa Adventure was in Nepal in September 2008. Our group of 24 was made up of five dentists, a physician, three nurses, plus other professionals who went to a remote village called Chyangba to perform medical/dental/vision mission along with building and supporting the village school. Some in our group were experienced campers, hikers, and explorers. While we being 50-something (in good shape), have limited hiking and absolutely no camping experience at all. Pem’s people met us at the Kathmandu airport and transported us and our gear to a local hotel, where Pem arranged tours for us to explore the surrounding area for a couple of days to get acclimated and enjoy the sights and sounds of Nepal. Our flight to Lukla went without a hitch, as was our two-day hike to Chyangba. Pem’s colleagues transported our personal gear plus many packs of medical equipment including compressors, generators, surgical instruments, and medical supplies. Our porters prepared a nice balance of foods familiar to our Western palates, with plenty of authentic regional dishes, they even baked the first cake made in Chyangba which we shared with the on looking villagers. Our sleeping tents were set up for us, along with the dining tent, showers, and latrines. Upon packing to return when the mission was completed, we were similarly spared breaking down and transporting all the equipment. Pem is very articulate and sensitive when dealing with his clients. He makes use of the internet and cell phone technology to communicate in a modern fashion. His English skills are superior and he was able to guide us through the unfamiliar airport and ground transportation the entire trip through Nepal. Pem is very organized, efficient, and in control. He has the ability to meet the individual wants and needs of our group, while providing leadership for the porters, and organizing and addressing the needs of the village. He and his workers work ‘behind the scenes’ to prepare campsites in advance of our group. Direction and assistance was given as needed to those of us who are tender footed, while allowing space to those with more advanced skills. Our group split into three subgroups upon the completion of our mission trip. Some of us returned to the States, five went with Pem to climb Lobuche, while the third group went on a weeklong trek. We were impressed of how Pem was able to keep the supplies, equipment, and connections organized for the multiple groups. Thus the experience was easier than we imagined, and we felt safe during our 10 days in a very foreign culture.It is easy to recommend Pem Sherpa and Sherpa Adventure with no reservation. We had a great experience, and Pem is the only one we would trust to organize and conduct any trip/hike/climbing adventure in the Nepal region.Karen and Steve Leighty

PEMELA YAZELL pamela nepal

Pamela Yazell

California, USA

One of the all time best experiences I have ever had...I am a novice trekker and with Sherpa Adventure Company I had an easy time, considering my age of 64 that's pretty good. The food was fabulous too!Pamela Yazell

MARIUS KLEE

Marius Klee

Germany

In the summer of 2008, I had the wonderful opportunity to Trek to Everest Base Camp with Pem Dorjee Sherpa. The overall impression was that Pem’s team was organized, professional, and kind. We felt treated exceptionally well throughout the entire time, and it was a true joy to spend every moment on the Trek with them. The food was delicious, and the advice that we gathered throughout the trip was very helpful for the assent of Island Peak at the end of our trip. Pem was not only a professional and trustworthy trekking guide, but developed very close relationships with all the team members throughout the trip. He met us in Kathmandu and flew to Lukla with us. All the itinerary details were carefully planned, and not once did we have any sense of the trip being unorganized. Pem was open to any of my questions; I very much felt that Pem’s team helped me understand the Nepali culture better. I recommend Sherpa Adventure Travel to anyone who seeks a well-organized and intimate traveling experience in Nepal.Marius Klee

MIKE FERGUSON mike nepal trekking

Mike Ferguson

California, USA

I have made two trekking trips to Nepal. On my last trip to the Everest Region I had a wonderful time with Sherpa Adventure International. The staffs were pleasant and courteous and took great care of all the trekkers. They made sure we stayed in comfortable guest houses and ate good food. They were knowledgeable about the history and culture and all had a good sense of humor. Sign on with Sherpa Adventure International. I guarantee you will have a fantastic experience.Mike Ferguson

TERRRY -ROBIN PRECHTER robin - tarry nepal

Terry & Robin Prechter

California, USA

My wife, Robin and I were members of a Rotary International medical/ dental Project in rural Nepal during the last of the monsoon season in 2008. We had the very good fortune to have Pem Dorje Sherpa and his Sherpa Adventures International outfitting company organizes and equip our project. From flight arrangements, visas and exchange rates to tents, sleeping bags and rain gear this company performed well beyond our expectations. Pem has twice summated Mount Everest and proved to be every bit as responsible and determined to see that each in our party of 22 was comfortable and safe. We had a day and a half hike into the village and treated several hundred villagers during our stay, many of whom had traveled days to receive care. Our trip was a huge success and would not have been possible without the oversight of Sherpa Adventure International. Following the Rotary International project, six of us left to trek in Nepal's Langtang National Park. The ten-day trek of over a hundred miles was an awe inspiring and memorable experience and once again we had Sherpa Adventures International arrange our equipment, porters and evenings in beautiful Teahouses along the way. This was a photo trip beyond compare. We highly recommend Sherpa Adventures International for anyone looking to enjoy a lifetime experience in Nepal.Terry & Robin Prechter

PATRICK OUVRARD tibet tour

Patrick OUVRARD

Vice President of the SFTG

French

The first time I met Pem Dorjee Sherpa, in Kathmandu, I realized he was a great professional providing all that he did for my group of 20 French Physicians (working in Medical Anthropology) across Tibet. He respected my requirements. All group members were charmed and delighted with his professionalism, his effectiveness, his discretion, his kindness. Pem thank you for everything. I hope (I’m sure!) we will travel again with you and that many people in the future will enjoy your very high skills.Patrick OUVRARD Vice President of the SFTG

STEPHEN FORTE

Stephen Forte

New York, USA

I traveled with Sherpa International to Mustang, Nepal in April 2011. The trip was very well organized and we had tremendous flexibility in organizing the itinerary before we committed to the trip. Once in Nepal, Pem Dorjee Sherpa and his team ensured that we had a great time and catered to our needs. The food was great and our camp equipment was good. The guides were attentive, focused on safety, and also a lot of fun (as well as good photographers.) As the trip progressed and we reached our destination, Pem and his team kept us motivated and went out of their way to make sure our needs were met. Once we made it back to Pakhara and ultimately Kathmandu, Pem and his team made sure that we were well looked after, including arranging a much desired hamburger. I have traveled with Sherpa International once before in Nepal in 2009 and had the same experience. I highly recomend Pem Dorjee Sherpa and his team at Sherpa International.Stephen Forte

ROYAL ROBBINS

Royal Robbins

California, USA

This is a letter of recommendation for my friend, pem Dorjee sherpa. I had the pleasure last year of hiking with Dorjee on the Continental Divide Trail in July, 2007 and of climbing with him in October of that same year on the 1,000-foot high Third Flatiron near Boulder, Colorado. I was very impressed by the mountain knowledge and expertise of this man who has spent so much time climbing high and serious mountains around the world. He clearly is a reliable person who can be trusted with the well-being of anyone placed in his care. Pem Dorjee sherpa is a good man to have in this country as he will add value to any enterprise in which he is involved. I heartily recommend him. Royal RobbinsLearn more about Royal Robbin.

GERRY CASE

Gerry Case

Colorado, USA

Pem, I wanted to take a moment to tell you that the month that I spent with you and Sherpa Adventure Int’l in Nepal this past month will always be one of the most memorable months in my life. I was very impressed with the degree of organization that you and your company brought to the adventure…both in Chyangba and on the trek to Lobuche Peak (and our subsequent opportunity to look down 1500 feet upon Base Camp for Mt. Everest). It seemed to me that you were constantly being forced to juggle the adventure to comply with requirements of the weather (4 rain days in a row was unusual) and at no time did it seem like you were in less than 100% control of every element of the trek (including food, lodging, personnel, and the idiosyncrasies of your patrons). Thanks very much again for such a memorable experience. I would recommend you and your company to ANY one who might wish for an opportunity to visit Nepal or any of the other destinations and trips that you offer. Please feel free to have them contact me if I may be of further assistance. Warmest regards! Gerry Case (303) 618-0104 OR gerry.case_caseworks1.com.

STEPHEN FAWCETT

Stephen Scott-Fawcett

For the past 10 years I have been trekking and climbing in the Himalayan region. I have enjoyed every single trip and the have marveled at the agility of the porters and appreciated the expertise of my Sherpa guides. However, my recent trek (a return to Everest) with Pem Dorjee Sherpa and his team from Sherpa Adventure International exceeded all my expectations and previous experie nces. Quite simply, Pem is a first-class guide with excellent mountain knowledge. Just as impressive are his ‘people skills’ – nothing is too much trouble for him. He will accommodate the whims and ambitions of anyone, it seems. With Pem and his team you are in safe hands and when you travel high and remote THAT is what matters most. From now on the idea of trekking without Pem Dorjee Sherpa is unthinkable. Stephen Scott-Fawcett

ROLAND KWOK Upper Mustang Trek

Roland Kwok

Ann Arbor, MI. USA

This summer, I joined Pem Dorjee Sharpa and his team to trek to Lo-Manthang, the former capital of Mustang located at the middle Northern part of Nepal. It was a 14-day trek. At first, I was apprehensive about joining a big group of which I knew no one, except Pem whom I met in my first trip to Nepal a few years before. Joining a trip like this would be like entering an arranged marriage -- we know we will be together, but we do not know what it is going to be like. Our team was 20 plus men strong, clients and sherpas included. Despite the big group, the itinerary and the organization of the whole trip were superb; Pem planned everything in detail and also managed to handle things in emergency situations. Pem always put his clients' interest first. For instance, food safety is a major concern when travelling abroad, but the food on this trip was excellent and safe because Pem brought along a kitchen crew to prepare food and ensured that we ate well and did not get sick. None of us got sick during the whole trip. In another instance, when we were in Lo-Manthang, one member of our group wanted to purchase some souvenir, but Pem found them too expensive and low quality. He argued with the local merchant about the price and selections. Pem’s easy-going style made the whole trip much more enjoyable for us and for those who worked for him. For trekking experience, it is hard to top this. I will definitely join Pem again on future trips, and I will highly recommend Pem and the Sherpa Adventure International to anyone who want to gain ultimate trekking experience in Nepal and the surrounding regions. Roland

BARRY TURNER
CHARLES R FRANCK
KAREN-STEVE LEIGHTY
PEMELA YAZELL
MARIUS KLEE
MIKE FERGUSON
TERRRY -ROBIN PRECHTER
PATRICK OUVRARD
STEPHEN FORTE
ROYAL ROBBINS
GERRY CASE
STEPHEN FAWCETT
ROLAND KWOK

NEWS

News & Highlights

ROTARY DENTAL PROJECT IN NEPAL
WEDDING ON TOP OF MT EVEREST
WEDDING ON THE WORLD
AMONGST THE CHAOS
NO MOUNTAIN TOP TOO HIGH

ROTARY DENTAL PROJECT IN NEPAL

2008 49er Rotary Club of Nevada City Dental Camp to Nepal ( Chyangba Village)

2009-11-02 :- After a rain-soaked 10-hour trek through the middle mountains of Nepal — about 80 miles south of world-renowned Mt. Everest — a hearty but exhausted band of California Rotarians arrived in the tiny village of Chyangba, where 65 homes cling to steep hillsides.The 21-member group of Rotary volunteers had flown halfway around the globe to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, and then took a bumpy, half-hour flight aboard Yeti Airlines (named after the reputed mountain creature) to Phaplu, a village in central-eastern Nepal that would serve as the group’s trailhead.There, they joined 75 Nepalese porters and 21 donkeys that would pack equipment and supplies deep into the mountains where no vehicle could travel.When the Rotarians walked into Chyangba, they were greeted with welcome banners and smiling villagers, who helped them pitch tents in hillside cornfields and set up dental and medical treatment areas at the local school, which serves as the village center.The September 2008 mission, organized by the 49er Breakfast Rotary Club of Nevada City and Rotary District 5190, brought dental and medical care as well as home and school improvements for the residents of Chyangba, a very remote village in a nation where the per capita income is less than $470 per year.Multiple ethnic groups inhabit Chyangba (elev. 8,030 ft.), but the primary residents are Sherpa people, who are well known in the West for their mountain guiding expertise. It was a mountain guide connection that led to this Rotary project in Nepal.Dental care, medical screeningsDuring a week in Chyangba, 325 local residents registered for dental and oral surgical services provided by volunteer Rotarian and non-Rotarian specialists. Four dentists and one oral surgeon performed 218 restorations and 312 tooth extractions, while a dental hygienist provided X-rays and oral hygiene.Medical treatments were administered to more than 300 children and adults, and included antibiotics, vitamins, pain and anti-worm medications. Screenings helped a four-year-old boy, who was sent to Kathmandu for cleft palate correction, and a seven-year-old girl, who was referred for cardiac evaluation.A vision evaluation clinic provided nearly 600 pairs of corrective glasses and sunglasses. Medical and first aid supplies also were distributed to representatives of neighboring villages.Six volunteers built eight school desks, using hand-hewn lumber from the village. They also built book shelves and toilet seats and completed numerous building repairs.In a region where many residents cook and heat with open fires inside their homes, the Rotarians packed in and installed two smokeless stoves, custom-made in Kathmandu for $500 each. The volunteers hoped the demonstration project would reduce respiratory ailments and irritated eyes among villagers.A school exchange brought books, drawings and posters from sixth-graders at Seven Hills School, in Nevada City, to the children of Chyangba. More than 100 books were packed in.Many handsThe Rotary International Service Project was organized by 49er Rotarians Barry Turner, a dentist; Hal DeGraw, a lawyer; and Larry Meek, a retired educator who spent three years as principal of an international school in Kathmandu. There, he was a member of the Kathmandu Mid-Town Rotary, one of 70 Rotary clubs in the mountainous Asian nation.Additional participants included 49er Rotarians Harry Auld, Mike Ferguson, Steve Leighty and Pamela Yazell. Other volunteers were past district governor Bob Hartsfield and his wife, Marge; Dan and Patsy Bibelheimer, Chuck Franck, Karen Leighty, Ken Marti, Terry and Robin Prechter, Larry and Sue Sage, Sharyn Turner, and Ed and Barbara Weiss. All are from Nevada City and nearby towns.Funded by 49er Rotary and District 5190, the International Service Project was budgeted at $10,000 and completed for $9,840 in supplies and equipment. Each volunteer covered his or her own airfare of about $2,000 and expenses in Nepal of another $1,500.“This was my fourth trip to Nepal,” said Turner. “Even though our connection with Rotary International adds a certain comfort level, traveling there is still an adventure.”“It turned out to be a very interesting and rewarding project for each volunteer,” said Meek, who has traveled to Nepal several times. “Anyone who goes to that country leaves a little bit of their heart behind. The people are just wonderful.”Climbing LobucheFollowing the work, the group returned to Kathmandu, where some members returned home.Others joined a 12-day guided trek through the Himalayas. A five-member group of climbers tackled an ascent of Lobuche, at 20,075 feet one of the highest peaks in the region.“Without exception, everyone in the group talked about going back,” Meek added. “It makes me really happy because there are more people to lend a helping hand.”Planning an international projectIn celebration of Rotary’s 100th anniversary in 2005, the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu, Nepal, sent Pem Dorjee Sherpa, a 23-year-old Everest guide and Chyangba resident, and Moni Mulepati of Kathmandu to plant the Rotary banner at the highest point on earth, the 29,035-foot summit of Sagarmatha, or Mt. Everest.The world learned later that Pem and Moni planned to and were married on the top of Mt. Everest, the first such marriage ever. The young couple quickly became celebrities in their native land.Nevada City 49er Rotarian Larry Meek, who had lived in Nepal, invited the couple to Nevada City, where they told their story to Rotary members and local students. Their visit inspired the formation of a local Rotaract Club, a Rotary organization for professionals ages 18 to 30.While in Nevada City, Pem met dentist and former 49er Rotary president Barry Turner, an avid mountain climber who had been to Nepal and was anxious to return. Thus began two years of planning that resulted in the 2008 international project to take dental care and medical screening to the remote village of Chyangba.Pem was in charge of all travel and outfitting arrangements in Nepal — his first venture in establishing his own trekking company Sherpa Adventure International. He also organized the climb of Lobuche by a group of Rotarians after the Chyangba mission and the trek through the Lang Tang and Helambu regions.Dave Carter is a 49er Rotarian and freelance writer who lives in Nevada City. Visit Link:http://www.theunion.com/article/20090109/FEATURES/901089973/1057/RSS- The Union

WEDDING ON TOP OF MT EVEREST

Pme & Moni's Wedding on top of Mount Everest 29035 ft.

2009-10-04 :- Wedding on top of Mount EverestPem Dorjee and Moni Mulepati kept their plans secretA Nepalese couple have exchanged wedding vows on top of Mount Everest, the first people ever to marry there.They briefly took off their oxygen masks and put on plastic garlands, while the groom symbolically applied red powder on the bride's forehead.Moni Mule Pati and Pem Dorjee Sherpa were part of the Rotary Centennial Everest Expedition earlier this week.They had kept the plan secret as there was no guarantee they would reach the top of the world's highest peak.Arriving back in Kathmandu, the bride said it would not have been possible to meet all the religious requirements, so they did what they could with what was available. The couple stayed on the peak for a mere 10 minutes which gave enough time for the ceremony and for friends to take photos.Other climbers were "very surprised, they are really shocked" Ms Mulepati told the BBC's Newshour programme.They plan to hold a more formal ceremony soon.Interracial marriageMr Dorjee said other couples had wanted to do the same in the past, but none had managed because they could not get up on top of the peak together.Fearing the same possibility, they had kept their own plan secret.The surprised families have welcomed the marriage, which is also unusual because it cuts across Nepal's deep-rooted caste and ethnic divisions."If some people are loving each other they have to get married," Pem Dorjee told the BBC. "That's why we want to give all Nepali people [the message] that people are people so there's no problem about caste."One Nepalese paper joked that this was a marriage which, if not made in heaven, was solemnised closest to it.RecordIt has been a busy week of mountaineering at Mount Everest at the start of the popular spring climbing season.On Monday, 45 climbers scaled the 8,850-metre (29,035-feet) peak - including Pem Dorjee and Moni Mulepati.Nepalese Appa Sherpa broke his own world record by climbing it for the 15th time while two Iranian climbers became the first Muslim women on top of the peak.A helicopter also crashed at the Everest base camp but there were no major injuries. View Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4605711.stm- BBC News

WEDDING ON THE WORLD pem- moni on top of mt. everest

Wedding held on top of the world

Ap Associated Press

Wedding held on top of the worldCopy from: Ap Associated Presshttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8084432/ns/world_news-weird_news/KATMANDU, Nepal — Two Nepalese climbers were on top of the world this week — not only because they reached the top of Mount Everest but because they got married there in what was believed to be the first wedding on the summit.It was a brief ceremony with no procession, champagne or band — only piles of snow and a breathtaking panorama for bride Moni Mulepati, 24, and groom Pem Dorjee, 23, as they exchanged their vows at 29,035 feet on Monday.“We were there only for 10 minutes, just enough for us to get married and our friends to take pictures of us,” Mulepati told The Associated Press on Friday.The couple was part of the Rotary Centennial Everest Expedition and scaled the peak with 45 other climbers.Temperatures at the summit were bitingly cold and the weather treacherous, so they had to make the ceremony quick.Masks removed They briefly took off oxygen masks and donned plastic garlands while the groom put traditional red powder on the bride’s forehead — for Nepalese the equivalent of exchanging rings.The couples had not told friends and relatives of their plans and were to hold a more formal wedding later in Katmandu, although the date was not set.On Thursday, a Russian-built MI-17 helicopter crash-landed at Everest’s base camp as it tried to collect the married couple and other climbers who had scaled the peak earlier this week. No one was seriously injured, although some suffered bruises and cuts, said Prakash Adhikari of the Himalayan Rescue Association.Another helicopter was sent to bring back the passengers and climbers.Likely first wedding at peak Mountaineering officials in Katmandu said they don’t keep such records, but they have not heard of anyone getting married on the summit in the more than five decades that people have been scaling the slopes.Relatives spoke of their surprise.“We only knew they were going to climb Everest and nothing about the wedding plans. But it is fine with us,” said Mohan Mulepati, the bride’s father.The wedding was unconventional not just for its locale: the bride was from the Newar community and the groom was a Sherpa — an unusual pairing in a country where most marriages are arranged by parents and people tend to stick to their castes.“With our interracial marriage, we also wanted to give the message that caste and race has no barriers when it comes to marriage,” Dorjee said.More mountains to climb On their return from the mountain, the couple spent their first night at the bride’s house in Katmandu.“We both want to continue climbing mountains,” she said.The wedding came amid a busy climbing season on Everest.At least 21 climbers from four different expedition teams reached the summit and returned safely to the highest camp on Thursday, according to the Mountaineering Department in Katmandu.Climbing season on Everest traditionally ends May 31, as warming temperatures make the snow soft and dangerous for climbers.However, a long spell of bad weather recently broke, offering many hopefuls a late chance at the summit — so climbers have agreed among each other to keep the route open for a few more days. As many as 73 climbers reached the summit Monday and Tuesday, said Mountaineering Department official Umesh Singh.Since New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first reached the top of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, more than 1,400 climbers have scaled the peak. About 180 people have died trying.

AMONGST THE CHAOS student in chyangba school

AMONGST THE CHAOS

By Julie Lilienkamp

AMONGST THE CHAOSBy Julie LilienkampPhotos courtesy of Gerri Kier EnlargePem and Moni Sherpa hiking on Cottonwood Pass — the hike that put the wheels in motion and evolved into Education Elevated — www.educationelevated.org.Education Elevated's Trek to Mount Everest“Free Tibet,” “Support the Monks,” “Boycott the Chinese Olympic Ceremonies!” Those are common shouts heard in and around Nepal, India, and Tibet, not to mention the rest of the Hindu-supporting world. Since 2001, not only have the Tibetan people taken refuge in the mountain ranges of Nepal and into India, but daily the Nepalese encounter war and turmoil from Maoist aggressors. And recent land mines have injured and killed hundreds — including children. The children of the world — even in third world countries — are our future. What can we do to help?In 2006, a seed was planted, has sprout in 2007, and now in 2008, blossomed into reality. Pem Sherpa had a heartfelt idea to change to world, one child at a time by helping the children’s schools in Nepal. Pem and Moni Sherpa are native Nepalese and were the first couple to ever be married on top of Mount Everest and they now reside in Kathmandu. Pem grew up in the Chyangba Village, which is in the Everest Region, Solukhumbu District, and his family still lives there. This is his story of how he met an amazing woman who has taken an idea and made it into a reality.Gerri Kier (a native of Colorado) met Pem and Moni Sherpa on a Rotary hiking day in July of 2006. As the three hiked around Cottonwood Pass outside of Buena Vista, Colorado Pem suggested that Gerri hike to Everest Base Camp. After much prayer and consideration the wheels started to turn and a trekking trip to Everest Base Camp was added to the schedule for May 2008.As Pem and Gerri talked more about the Mount Everest trek they decided there should be a fundraising opportunity connected with the event — Education Elevated was born. The concept behind the name, Education Elevated, is for every vertical foot of elevation gain that trekkers and climbers ascend, their supporters will contribute an agreed upon amount of money for education in the country where the mountains they climb are located.Education Elevated's Trek to Mount EverestChyangba Village, which is in the Everest Region, Solukhumbu District. The month long trek will begin at Lukla Airport and end in the Chyangba Village where the team will meet the children, their parents and teachers and experience the exhilarating joy of meeting those whose lives will be changed through the efforts of their climb.The possibilities of what can be accomplished through Education Elevated will not stop with the Chyangba Village in Nepal. Any country where there are mountains to ascend, trekking and climbing teams can raise money for schools in that country. The number of lives that can be touched and changed with Education Elevated is just minded staggering!One day at a time we can help change the lives in Nepal, the surrounding countries, and our very own. By supporting Education Elevated, know that the repairs to schools, added teachers and books, along with possibly building new schools, will make our world a much safer, peaceful place to grow. See how you can help at www.educationelevated.org or www.sherpaadventureintl.com You can see our current climbing team and join a team for future climbs by contacting us directly. Thanks for your time, support and prayers. Remember to love too much, and never stop dreaming.

NO MOUNTAIN TOP TOO HIGH wedding on mt. everest

No Mountain top too high, my Love

No Mountain top too high, my Lovehttp://www.mounteverest.net/story/NoMountaintoptoohigh,myLoveJun42005.shtmlstory mounteverest.netJun 4, 2005 13: 20 EST "Wherever you go my love, I will follow too, No mountain top too high, my love No arctic night to fierce, For I will follow you, my love Till death my heart does pierce..." So goes, (or something like it), a favorite explorers' love poem. There are folks who really mean it too and here are the pictures to prove it! Bride Moni Mulepati, 24, and groom Pem Dorjee Sherpa, 23, exchanged their vows at the summit of Everest on Monday. “We were there only for 10 minutes, just enough for us to get married and our friends to take pictures of us,” Mulepati told The Associated Press on Friday. The groom put traditional red powder on the bride's forehead — for Nepalese the equivalent of exchanging rings. According to local media, the couple had kept the wedding plans secret - it was an inter-caste marriage without the consent of the parents (hey, what's wrong with Las Vegas?). Well, in the end it's all good. The world media broke the news to the couple’s folks leaving them little choice but to agree, and the newly wed are now heading for a honeymoon at the North Pole (just kidding). The couple was part of the Rotary Centennial Everest Expedition. Moni also became the first non-Sherpa Nepalese girl to summit Mt Everest. Wedding pictures of bride Moni Mulepati, 24, and groom Pem Dorjee Sherpa, 23 at Everest summit May 30, 11 a.m. local time, courtesy of Pemba Sherpa.

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