Traveller’s Teacup

A short story, I wrote about my recent snow leopard horse trek in Russian Altai’s remote Argut Valley was published today on the UNU’s Our World 2.0 site.  Enjoy and please share with friends!!

“The Altai mountain pony below me stumbles on a wobbly rock. I breathe in sharply as loose shale slides off the cliff’s edge and bounces towards the frozen Argut River below. Aduchy, my indigenous Altaian guide, twists around in his saddle and re-counts his travel companions. He motions for me to lean forward. Over the Siberian wind’s howl, my interpreter Irena loudly translates in her thick Russian accent: “Sit forward to help the climbing horse.” … read more here

As some of you know, I was in Russian Altai (again) in March. This time, learning about the UNDP conservation and tracking of snow leopards in a remote valley about 40km from the Kazakh/Chinese border.

The story (with slideshow) is due to be published this week on Our World 2.0, and I promise to update it here for you as well.

I was really compelled to share this particular wilderness adventuress story. It left a lasting impression on me and I hope in some small way, I can eventually contribute to a larger climate biodiversity adaptation project being discussed.

During the trip, I learnt the Altai mountains are also full of wild wolves. As we slept in our pup tent, they sniffed about our camp at night leaving tracks which our guide Adduchee later pointed out. We never heard them, but as @andibartz points out on her blog, this little video is 500 times more rad than Wolf parade!! heehheeheee

To follow on from the previous post… an invite has been extended for 3 of the Our World 2.0 Indigenous climate films to screen in Moscow at the H20 film festival from the  27-30th May, 2010. I think our 3 films will be screening on the Friday night (28th May) around 7:30pm. For more information check out the festival’s site:  http://www.kino35mm.ru/

I also found a short Moscow times article listing the 4 day program. After finally finishing the Russian subtitles for these beauties, oh, how I wish I could be there to cheer everybody’s stories along! Raaaaa!!!!!

Here’s a little report on our festival from the United Nations University’s website. I’ll upload a photo gallery shortly

Writing from a hotel room in Stockholm… the film festival was a success, lots of people, lots of discussions, and much opportunity to further tour the stories within international festivals, human rights events, community centres, museums, universities etc…more later but in the short term just wanted to share with you the blog and photo posted on the UNU’s website.

Generally as you may already know, we are all felling sad with how things have stagnated at the climate negotiations currently.. I hope this week, the real leaders in the room will stand up and be a wise global council for the people of the world!… and…. decide to reevaluate the pile of “not negotiable” market agendas that were decided weeks before this event.

If only plants and animals could lobby!

Below is a mobile phone photo i took when Tuvalu’s negotiator Ian Fry (Australian) voiced his concern for the negotiations direction. He was immediately backed by PNG and also China asked for further considerations. You can just make out the COP15 Chairperson Honorable Connie Hedegaard talking (off-microphone) with UNFCCC colleagues. If you have time, please watch the link to Ian Fry’s later speech on youtube  below. I have also pasted the UNU Carterets video if you are interested at seeing the current situation first hand.