Yummy

Went to the market today in northern Sulawesi (previously called Celebes) and looked at the cooked dog, yummy rat on a stick, plump and tender bat with the wings on the side, python, intestines etc.  Good way to lose weight as appetite not so sharp!
Active volcanoes all around us.  Walked around the rim of one today than to natural hot springs -nice.
Dan

Update

Laura sent me some more info this morning.
The hike through the jungle was very challenging.  Lots of roots, moss and fallen trees.  The path was none existent most of the time.  It took them 6 days to reach base camp, 2 days to summit and 4 days to hike out. The last day was very long, 12 hours, and there were some really steep down hills.  Laura pulled a muscle in her right quad which was painful but seems to be better today.  Dan caught a chest infection - that sounds familiar.
As they were flying into Timika they could see their plane for Bali on the runway getting ready to take off. They will leave for Bali today and spend 2 days there.  Then they fly to Sulawesi where there is an active volcano and some excellent diving.
This was the most technical climb they have done and in many ways the most challenging.  I think they have short memories!!!

At Last

Laura voxed me and her brothers today.  Dan and Laura are both well and heading towards civilization. They will be in Timika tomorrow.  From her short message it sounds as if the hike through the jungle was the most exciting part of their trip.  It rained constantly, they were in rubber boots for days and there was no visible path.  She said all she wanted was a hot shower after 12 days of bird baths and a hamburger.  I am curious as to what they ate en route.

Success

They did it.  According to the Adventure Indonesia website they summited on November 20th.  

"We are more than happy to inform you that ADVENTURE INDONESIA November 2013 Expedition finished successfully. All clients and guides successfully summit. Congratulation to all climbers !

FIRST SUMMIT – 20th November 2013
Daniel Wilbert Mallory (Canada) – Seven Summits Complete!
Laura Catherine Ruth Mallory (Canada) – 06th Summits from Seven Summits"

We will have to wait until they get back to an area where there is internet or cell phone service to hear about their adventure.

Technology bah hum bug

After the initial contact with Dan and Laura via Voxer I thought communication would be great.  I obviously was wrong and this region is not technologically with the times.  In one way that is hard because I do not know what is happening but in another way I am glad there are still places on earth where life does not revolve around texting, chat rooms, and the internet.  Maybe people will actually carry on meaningful conversations and look at who they are talking to or sitting across from during this adventure.

Rain forest jungle

There are two ways to get to base camp - trekking from Sugapa village or flying in by helicopter.  Dan and Laura will have the privilege of hiking through virgin rainforest for up to 7 days.  According to my reading, it should be like going back in time to when the early explorers cut their way through jungles.

The island of New Guinea has one of the largest tracts of tropical rainforest left in the world.  This area contains species of plants and animals common to Australia and several new species have been discovered here.  Dan being a bird watcher should be in his glory if he can see the birds through the dense vegetation.  

Hopefully, man's greed for money does not ruin this area and a huge track of land is preserved.  If not, the human race may be signing their own death sentence.  I recently heard a wonderful quote from Jonas Salk, a famous biologist, “if all insects on Earth disappeared, within 50 years all life on Earth would end.   If all human beings disappeared from the Earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.”

Glaciers near the equator!!!

Carstensz Pryamid lies 4 degrees south of the equator.  However, there are four glaciers in the mountain range near Carstensz Pyramid. With global warming the rate of glacial retreat in this area is rapid.  It is estimated that within a decade these glaciers will have disappeared.  Then the greater Australia continental plate will become  the first completely ice free continent on the planet in 100,000 years.