TOPtoTOP expedition reports

Arrived in Kathmandu

Here our 20100311_presss-relase_kathmandu.doc

Our new contact number in Nepal: +977 98 08 50 57 10

More coming soon.

Impressions of India

We are in Motihari: N26.38.844 E084.55.717. Yesterday we have been in Muzaffarpur N26.06.996 E085.23.079. Tomorrow we go to cross the border from India into Nepal.
Thanks to Simona Blosi - here a map.

Where ever we stop there are people. We always start at 3.30 a.m. to avoid the traffic and do the first stop not before sun rise. That's the time when the traffic explode and it's getting really hard to make your way even trough small towns.

In the country the bicycles are still the most important means of transportation.

India is full of contrasts:

Yesterday we did 130 km and crossed a 7 km long bridge over the Ganges. At night Matteo became a doctor to examine Vitterano's bloody bottom.

This morning everybody was fit again (here at the photo shooting at 3.30 a.m.). Many thanks again to TVSICS and ITIL: we are looking forward to meet many Indian schools again after the monsoon when the exams are over. Thanks also to CANYON. It is just the best bike for this kind of roads! .... and finally many thanks to Neethi and Santhosh, our loyal Indian companions, here on a electrical bike manufactured in India: US 1000.-, max. speed 30 km/h, range 6 to 8 h.... another good solution for our climate!

Results - Feedbacks - Samples

FIRST: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

On the way from the Sea to clean the Top of the World we arrived today in Bihar Sherif at position N25.11.744 E085.31.181 after 125 km in the saddle. Yesterday we have been in Bahri at position N24.18.138 E085.25.425

After 11 a.m. it is very hot, so that we always start at 4 a.m., getting up at 3 a.m.

Fabricio doing some exercise during a rest after sitting for hours in the saddle

Road is blocked for hours after an accident - but not for us and we have finally a traffic free and enjoyable run to Bihar Sherif

RESULTS:

Near the starting point at the sea: tries get planted to protect the shore line and minimize the erosion

Here a FEEDBACK of a presentation:

"Dear Mr Dario,
• It was our pleasure meeting and hearing you on 27 th Feb 2010 at VSSU - Ullon (West Bengal).We gained a lot insight from you the use of Solar Energy and its positive impact on Climate Change.
• "Petroleum Conservation Research Association" or "PCRA" in short, a body under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt of India, is engaged in Energy Conservation in all fronts of fuel/energy usage.
• We would like to join "Energy Conservation" efforts by way of conducting Tech Seminars any where in the Globe since it affects us all and addresses "Climate Change" directly.
Since you are Globally connected, we request you to kindly introduce us to such groups with similar mission so that we can take our activity further not only in India but in other countries also.
With warm regards
prabir chattoraj
Addl Dir PCRA-ER; chattorajp@pcra.org"

SAMPLES:

Taking the first sample at the sea N21.42.037 E088.22.971: I like to compare it with the water on top of Everest

Impacts and Solutions

We are on the way to clean up Everest cycling. We are on position N23.54.882 E086.10.709 in Topchanchi.

The biggest Impact of Climate Change near Kolkata was Cyclone Aila at the 21st of May 2009. It hit the Sunderbans causing floods and coastal erosion. The social worker Palash Sinha showed us where the coast line was located before. People try to build dams to be prepared for the next impact.

The salty sea water destroyed the farm land and it is very hard to grow something and to have enough grass for the cattle.

building dams

protecting the shore line

Ground water gets more and more salty after every flood and the higher the sea level is raising. Drinking water is a problem. With a donation of US 1000. - a filter system can be installed to produce drinking water for a whole village. Get in touch with TOPtoTOP, if you like to do a donation.

This people are very environmental and climate friendly. They hardly produce CO2 and recycle everything. A lady showed me her kitchen where she cooks with biogas that get processed by the cattle dung and the waste water flows in a pipe directly back in the vegetable garden.

Kitchen

Biogas converter and pipe into the kitchen

The biking is going well. We do an average of 100 km a day. Matteo has some knee problems...

Solutions from Students

Our progress towards Everest:
26.2.2010: N21.42.037 E088.22.971, Gobindapur Abad
27.2.2010: Ram Ganga, close to Gobindapur Abad
28.2.2010: N22.30.984 E088.19.475,Kolkata
01.3.2010: N23.14.824 E087.57.284, Barddhaman
02.3.2010: N23.41.85 E086.59.220 Asonsol

Our last articles: Hinduathan Times.pdf and Times of India

Students from the Sunderbans region, where the Ganges flows into the sea, participating in the TOPtoTOP Climate Solution Drawing Contest.

Presentation at Cambridge School Kolkata

In India we gave already 7 presentations. Students come up with great ideas to protect our climate. Here some solutions from Sunderbans students:

Start at the Sea for Everest

Matteo and Dario at the start "sea to Everest": beach on Gobindapur Abad, N21.42.037 E088.22.971 on the 27th of February 2010

Volunteers Fabrizio and Vittorino joining Matteo and Dario cycling towards Everest; thanks to SGS, Victorinox and TVSICS / ITIL in India and our outfitter Mammut:

MEDIA: Article in Indian Times

TOPtoTOP in India

Dario's mobile in India: +91 900 7386 778

Ishani, Dario and Silvia infront the Victorinox tandem at the conference
Thanks to Ishani Chattopadhyay from Artic Holdings and Silvia Hofstettler from Swissnex India, TOPtoTOP was invited as a guest speaker at the Brightest Yong Climate Leaders Conference in Delhi.

In Delhi Dario and Silvia had also the opportunity to meet Swiss Ambassador Welti to discuss the TOPtoTOP events in India in 2010 and give him our book „Die Schwörers" as a present.

Now we are in Kolkata to start to go from the Seat o the Top oft he World to do a Clean Up....

Noe is recovering

MEAN WHILE:

Thanks to Stefan Pfander we had a great presentation tour trough Switzerland:

Salina and Andri were able to enjoy the snow. This, thanks to Annemarie, Vandy, Martin and the whole family.

Finally, thanks to Gabi Baumann we had a greatmedia coverage to promote our book. We have still a lot, please order some more...it's a great gift.

Posted by dario at 4:34 PM | TrackBack (0)