OJM Travel Blog

We recently had our latest dose of Crisis Management training to sharpen our skills, update our procedures, and get some practice in too.

Many thanks to the very capable Colin McGregor of Tranquilico.com

The Rt Hon Ken Clarke MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, was good enough to give an hour of his time to tell us about his party’s plans after the impending election, he also took questions from the audience.

Oliver contributed the following question to the discussions, “I, like other businesses here, am concerned that the tax rises after the election coupled with more unemployment to come from the public and private sector will make it difficult for businesses to hold on to employees and create jobs, would you agree that policy needs to focus on this and the motivation of pupils and school leavers.” Mr Clarke gave the best answer he could, as a politician.

Other people we had constructive talks with were representatives of Visit Scotland and members of the trade delegation to Delhi’s 2010 Commonwealth Games. It was also nice to meet other local Morningside businesses such as, Houseproud and Toys Galore.

Ken Clarke (left) with David Cameron (right)

2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations’ International Year of the Child, a great opportunity to make 2009 a year in which the issues, injustices and challenges facing young people today can be highlighted.

A chance for OJM to work with children and young people to celebrate and to facilitate new initiatives.

OJM are helping two organisations come together with the aim of educating children through a cultural exchange; Writing letters, learning about festivals, food, and singing songs. OJM setup and support the relationship between Forbes Nurserys, in Edinburgh and Rainbow Childrens Homes, in Nepal.

On the 14th November 2009 there was a Year of the Child Celebration at Duncan Place Resource Centre, Edinburgh, OJM staff members, Sakila and Josie went to support the event and raise awareness and sponsorship for children in Nepal.

Well done to the children at Forbes Nursery who put in the hard work of learning a traditional Nepali nursery rhyme and singing it so beautifully on stage!

OJM will be in London on the 11th and 12th November to meet with tour operators and travel companies from all over the world.

This is an annual event, we use it to build and maintain good relationships directly with the people and companies who will be looking after our customers, to improve services and value for our customers.

OJM welcomes the fantastic support and co-operation  from the staff and parents of Forbes Childrens Nursery, Edinburgh.

Working together we will raise more money to sponsor poor and marginalized children of Nepal.

Our Director, Oliver, met with Michael and Tharese, owners of Forbes, on Friday 11th Sept.

Money raised will go to Rainbow Childrens Home in Pokhara, Nepal.

Staff from OJM Travel will also be involved in supporting staff at Forbes to teach Nepali kids songs, cooking Nepali recepies and discussing the culture and different lifestyles of Nepal.

visit Forbes Childrens Nursery
visit Rainbow Childrens Home

Thanks to all those who organised the excellent programmes, it was nice to talk to people who took such an interest in the Himalayas and took home our leaflets.

OJM will be at the Mela Festival Sunday 9th August.

 Pilrig Park, Edinburgh 12.00 – 17.00.

This is taken in Dunche, Nepal where we started our Gosainkunda trek. These are two of the assistant guides that accompanied us on our expedition, Laxman Rai and Khem Rai , it was a pleasure to get to know them and their help was invaluable.

Without them, or people like them, trekking groups like ours would never get up the Himalayas, (or if we were to get up, we’d likely be very lost, tired and hungry!) They also made sure we all returned safely, their knowledge and fitness was incredible.

Whilst we were coming back down through the Helambu region I hurt my big toe by kicking a rock when I was preoccupied with the view. I had to go a little slower, also my boyfriend had pulled muscles in his knee and we were split from the main group, Laxman and the head Sherpa Tshering stayed behind and found us places to sleep with local families and made sure we were watered, safe and foot sure.

They kept offering to carry our bags and finally near the end of one day I gracefully gave my bag to Laxman  who carried it to the next place to sleep without even breaking a sweat!

The Sherpa Guides have had some tough times with tourists in the past, and it is really good to see that there are appropriate organisations now that make sure pay is fair and also what is expected of them is realistic. The International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) has a good porter guide i can recommend and worth taking into account when planning your trek.

We invited all the staff to come and eat with us on our last night in Nepal and this was really nice to sit together and eat. I hope to be able to work with some of this team again next year, great company and the dal bhat (the local staple food) was amazing!

Here at this tea house I met this friendly couple and helped them sort through their sacred tea.  I was helping pick through the sacred flowers from the plant, and taking out the stamen/stigma, as this makes the tea bitter.The tea in Nepal is beautiful, it is very similar to Darjeeling tea in India.

There are four flushes of tea in Nepal:

• First flush – light and delicate
• Second flush – more flavour but still delicate
• Monsoon flush - very intense and dark
• Autumn flush – strong

A flush is the first picking season of the year

The tea in Langtang National park is grown only for consumption in the park and is for locals and teahouse use, what a great example of subsistence farming. The tea plant is also a used as a traditional  Buddhist  blessing.

I t was such a privilege to and drink some of the highest tea in the world, my recommended best cuppa is at 4,500m (14,400ft).

If you want to find out more about Nepalese tea click here.