IR ZDM4A 219 Sandeep Rana 52471 AHJU 150318
Mr Sandeep Rana poses with ZDM4A 219 at the summit of the line, Ahju, and 1300 metres above sea level. Gradients on the final stretch from Baijnath to Joginder are a frightening 1 in 25. He had another five hours in a bus from Joginder to reach his destination! Train 52471, the 02:15 Pathankot Jn - Joginder Nagar "Kangra Valley" Passenger. Thursday 15th March 2018.
Sandeep was lovely and knew his stuff (an environmentalist) with great English skills. I learned so much from him, I had to take (not very good) notes. We spotted eagles, hornbills, jasmine, roses, rhododendrons, cotton trees (Bombax ceiba or kapok, the buds of which produce a wool finer than Merino, provided you comb all the little seeds out!), Buddha trees and more.
He also pointed out the encroaching non locally native plant species and dried up river beds - both apparently the result of climate changes.
We discussed the evil Asian Hornet after seeing some massive nests in trees. Apparently as few as five can kill a man. They bite as well as sting and jumping into and under water won't help as they wait for you to come up for air and attack again! They predate on honey bees and can kill 50 each at a sitting. Hence why they're such a threat to us beekeepers, now they're in Europe. Locals tie rags soaked in petrol to long metal poles with wire, draw a single thread to the ground and once carefully positioned under the nest light it - kaboom, an incinerated nest with few escapees.
Shepherds live up in the mountains with their sheep and cattle for 5 or 6 months of the year, bringing cheese, milk and butter down on horses. In winter they have to retreat to the lower levels. They're very isolated communities: the other side of the Dhauladhar mountains a few miles away in Chamba District is only accessible by going back to Pathankot and all the way around!
it's not a good area for fruit growing, despite the suitable climate, as the frequent hailstones knock any buds off - this is a good thing for tea though, as it reacts by producing yet more buds. Sadly, there were lots of disused tea terraces and gardens, as it's no longer economically viable to farm.
IR ZDM4A 219 Sandeep Rana 52471 AHJU 150318
Mr Sandeep Rana poses with ZDM4A 219 at the summit of the line, Ahju, and 1300 metres above sea level. Gradients on the final stretch from Baijnath to Joginder are a frightening 1 in 25. He had another five hours in a bus from Joginder to reach his destination! Train 52471, the 02:15 Pathankot Jn - Joginder Nagar "Kangra Valley" Passenger. Thursday 15th March 2018.
Sandeep was lovely and knew his stuff (an environmentalist) with great English skills. I learned so much from him, I had to take (not very good) notes. We spotted eagles, hornbills, jasmine, roses, rhododendrons, cotton trees (Bombax ceiba or kapok, the buds of which produce a wool finer than Merino, provided you comb all the little seeds out!), Buddha trees and more.
He also pointed out the encroaching non locally native plant species and dried up river beds - both apparently the result of climate changes.
We discussed the evil Asian Hornet after seeing some massive nests in trees. Apparently as few as five can kill a man. They bite as well as sting and jumping into and under water won't help as they wait for you to come up for air and attack again! They predate on honey bees and can kill 50 each at a sitting. Hence why they're such a threat to us beekeepers, now they're in Europe. Locals tie rags soaked in petrol to long metal poles with wire, draw a single thread to the ground and once carefully positioned under the nest light it - kaboom, an incinerated nest with few escapees.
Shepherds live up in the mountains with their sheep and cattle for 5 or 6 months of the year, bringing cheese, milk and butter down on horses. In winter they have to retreat to the lower levels. They're very isolated communities: the other side of the Dhauladhar mountains a few miles away in Chamba District is only accessible by going back to Pathankot and all the way around!
it's not a good area for fruit growing, despite the suitable climate, as the frequent hailstones knock any buds off - this is a good thing for tea though, as it reacts by producing yet more buds. Sadly, there were lots of disused tea terraces and gardens, as it's no longer economically viable to farm.