UKC

Hi, 

I was wondering if anyone has been to Hampi (India) since Hampi village was demolished a couple of years ago? Is bouldering still allowed and is there still a climbing scene there?

If so, does anyone have any recommendations for where to stay(/meet other climbers), rent crash pads from etc? 

Thanks!!

It’d be worth getting in touch with Goan Corner on Facebook. They were in the process of setting up a new guesthouse and will have more information.

Nick

Theoretically it should be alright and the main accomodation was over the river from the village. I was gutted when the demolished the village. All the same it is best ot check

Sadly, all the stuff over the river on the ‘island’ was demolished too.

I'd suggest that it's too far to go anyway. The climate crisis will demolish more than just the hampi village. Close to 1billion people in the region will suffer catastrophic damage in sea level rise (Bangladesh) and hunger caused by climatic heating damage to farming across the subcontinent if we do not achieve net zero.  Do you really want to be a part of that damage? 

Font is a great bouldering destination. And Norway has fantastic climbing of all types if you want a 'cultural' experience.

Thanks, that’s really helpful advice. I’ll send them a message - I’m not planning on going until October so I’ve got a while to figure things  out. 

Hiya - my best friend is getting married in India (where she’s from) in October so I was planning on taking a month off work and traveling round the country by train as a once in a lifetime opportunity - I wouldn’t go that far just for the bouldering and I’m pretty careful about not taking too many long haul flights in general .

Well I hope you enjoy your once in a lifetime experience. I wonder though who sets the limits on what 'too many long haul flights' means? Can you set a number on that for me please. 

Love miles are an exception I grant you but the CO2 is still emitted. 

Any other exceptions? Are those without any love in their lives allowed to take their quota in climbing miles instead?

Don't feel the need to justify yourself to strangers on the Internet! 

You seem to have already set it at 1

If you find yourself in Himachal Pradesh during your travels, the bouldering around Manali is good with some stunning settings, although maybe not worth making a dedicated trip just for the climbing from the South of the country.

There's a small local scene with pad rentals from a few places in Vashist and Manali and a cafe in Chattru with topos.

It's 10 years since I've been there (and to Hampi) so I expect there's been a lot more development since I've been.

Bet you’re fun at parties…

Coming home from a long-haul work trip last year - not something I make a frequent habit of thankfully - I was sat next to a man who makes that same journey to the Middle East, return, every fortnight or so. All year round. Many of my colleagues are on long-haul flights weekly. All year round. Hundreds of flights currently depart the UK monthly without passengers for entirely indefensible commercial reasons.

In absolute moral terms, making a climbing trip to India isn't great. In relative terms it doesn't even register, and as a one-off experience I'd say has the potential to enrich one's life far beyond the impact it makes on the planet. 

One has to pick the right battles. Being righteous at those making once-in-a-lifetime and potentially life-changing trips abroad isn't going to help, and isn't going to change a single thing. And aviation is but a small part of the equation. Do you eat beef or dairy, for example? Would it be fair for me, as a vegetarian, to preach at every opportunity to those who do eat beef? Would it be fair for my vegan friends to preach at me at every opportunity for eating dairy?

In reply to you questions, no I don't eat any meat or dairy in any form.. yes as a vegetarian you should object to societal norms that hide the cruelty done to animals and damage to the climate by eating beef or consuming dairy. And if that means calling out those who should be aware but choose to ignore those for their own comfort then so be it.

Your observations about the prevalence of flight are correct but every one of those passengers or aircraft operators is making a choice that their need are more important than every one else's. This is exceptionalism. It is the cause of the 40 years of inaction on climate disaster. And your position is ridiculous . Continue flying because flights happen does not make any sense logically or morally.