Trekking Arrangements
All the trekking arrangement
were expertly made by Mr Nima Thundu Sherpa and Mrs Dadoma Tenzing of Nima
& Neema Treks (P) Ltd, P.O. Box 9194, Kutubahal, Chabahil, Kathmandu,
Nepal. Tel: + 977 1 480 327, Fax: + 977 1 497 953.
Trek Staff:
| Sirdar | Pema Temba Sherpa | Cook staff | Lok Bahadur Katuwal |
| Cook | Kumar Katuwal | Cook staff | Bhola Bahadur Khadka |
| Sherpa Guide | Suhraman Tamang | Cook staff | Pemba Tamang |
| Sherpa Guide | Tara Katuwal | Cook staff | Take Bahadur Khadka |
Income (GB£)
| Source |
Amount
|
| RBGE Expedition Fund |
2,527.83
|
| SEERAD Flexible Fund Project: Microsatellites as Population Genetic Markers (David Long) |
1,400.00
|
| Royal Horticultural Society, Blaxall Valentine Bursary (David Long) |
1,000.00
|
| Royal Horticultural Society, Blaxall Valentine Bursary (David Knott) |
1,000.00
|
| Royal Horticultural Society, Blaxall Valentine Bursary (Mark Watson) |
1,000.00
|
| Royal Horticultural Society, Blaxall Valentine Bursary (Simon Crutchley) |
1,000.00
|
| Edinburgh University, Peter David Fund (David Long) |
800.00
|
| The Merlin Trust (Simon Crutchley) |
750.00
|
| Percy Sladen Fund (Mark Watson) |
600.00
|
| Oleg Polunin Memorial Fund (Mark Watson) |
500.00
|
| Gordon Fraser Trust (David Long) |
500.00
|
| William Steel Fund (Simon Crutchley) |
250.00
|
| Total |
13,827.83
|
Expenditure (GB£)
| Budget Head | Sub-Head |
Sub-Total
|
Final Total
|
Original
Budget
|
| International air fare | Tickets |
2,973.60
|
||
| Airport tax |
40.45
|
3,014.16
|
2,600.00
|
|
| Excess baggage | International flights |
0.00
|
||
| Local flights |
40.74
|
40.74
|
600.00
|
|
| Photographic film |
673.28
|
673.28
|
400.00
|
|
| Food & Medicines | Food |
377.49
|
||
| Medicine |
251.20
|
|||
| Vaccinations |
305.89
|
934.58
|
400.00
|
|
| Trekking costs | Fees (including permits) |
4,868.54
|
||
| Porter tips |
82.48
|
4,951.02
|
3600.00
|
|
| Transport & local costs |
18.25
|
18.25
|
400.00
|
|
| Internal flights |
0.00
|
0.00
|
480.00
|
|
| Hotel bills | (incl. some food, laundry, etc) |
448.88
|
448.88
|
600.00
|
| Liaison Botanist costs | Trek fees |
962.00
|
||
| Salary allowance |
715.86
|
1,677.86
|
1,200.00
|
|
| Personal Equipment |
920.00
|
920.00
|
800.00
|
|
| Miscellaneous | Visas |
86.50
|
||
| Batteries |
128.39
|
|||
| Digital camera miscellaneous |
221.63
|
|||
| Maps |
122.14
|
|||
| Collecting equipment |
318.83
|
|||
| Other |
271.56
|
1,49.05
|
600.00
|
|
| Grand Total |
13,827.82
|
11,680.00
|
The overspend was primarily brought about by the enforced change of plans during the expedition. In the Arun valley we met a band of armed Maoist guerrillas who posed a severe threat to the expedition. As a result we had to pay for extra internal flights, extra days in a hotel in Kathmandu while we arranged an alternative trek to Central Nepal, and additional transport and trekking costs due to that change of plan.
Also contributing to the overspend was the decision to take a digital camera with us to record the collecting processes. Although we were able to borrow the camera itself, we had to purchase memory cards and a large number of batteries. Over 300 digital pictures were recorded and within days were contributing to newspaper articles and RBGE publications. The ease of acquisition and distribution of these images was very instructive, and digital cameras will certainly play an important part in future expeditions.
The potentially greater overspend was mitigated by negotiation of a waiver of excess baggage charges from Gulf Air.