August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: Inside a typical Kurdish tent on the slopes of Mt. Ararat. Families cook, eat, and sleep in tents like these. The bedding-like area along the back wall doubles as seating during the day. They are kept very tidy inside by the women.
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: around day 11 on the mountain…my final ascent on this expedition…the air was quite thin at this altitude, and it made me very tired. I traded this Kurdish man $20 USD and my Leatherman to let me ride his horse part of the way up. It was hard not to fall off that horse as we went uphill - there was no saddle, only a blanket..and nothing to hold onto but mane.
The Kurdish guide I used on my second expedition on Mt. Ararat in Sept behaved reprehensibly..truly awful. Even tried to make me let him sleep in my tent with me. Also charged me for this, which he claimed was a climbing permit. I could tell it wasn’t official permission, and later translated it. It’s only a typed request for permission. His name is Nursin Ceylan.
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: Lower base camp
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: Off to learn how to milk cows…
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: This little Kurdish girl was fascinated by my camera, my sunglasses, my iPhone, and my blonde hair.
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: End of expedition. Flight from Kars to Istanbul, overnight in Istanbul, then home.
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: Crossing an icy rock field.
August 2012 Mt. Ararat Expedition: Happy to be back in my tent after 14 hours of climbing.
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