Geotagging Pictures of Himalaya

One of the reason I put picture on Flickr is 'Geo tagging'. Basically you've add another metadata about geographic information where you've took the shot. You've not have to have GPS receiver to do this but as long you know the location quite well you can add it directly. Oh you can link the camera with GPS and store it with other digital information (date, time, ISO, exposure etc) but only D200 and another D's pro series (D2X, D2Xs, D2H, D2Hs) able to do it.

For this purpose I carried along GPS receiver to actively track me during the trekking. Start from Lukla (2840m) until Gorak Shep (5125m) I also put waypoints to determine the places I thought the most important. On my hand is a very good map from National Geographic which is show contour and elevation. GPS did the job to record the tracking and my duration of walk. For direction I relayed on the intuition and common senses. The path quite easy anyway, you will not getting lost there.

So if you see my pictures on Flickr go to the Nepal : an ordinary women journey set. Then you will see on top click "Map" under the title. From there the page turn to Yahoo Map and the pink dot showed the number and location of my pictures. Note : choose 'satellite' rather than 'map' on the right bar.


To put the location about right I'm using data I collected from GPS to compare the map. I transfer GPS data into Google Earth (GE) then it will produced the path of the trek I've done. GE is lots better in term of pixel resolution compare with Yahoo Map. And also has similar photo tagging with Panoramio. As you might see GE has very high resolution map on top of Khumbu glacier and Everest. I even can see walk path from here.

Adding geographic information on photos basically to help people imagine the place I went. But for me mainly to help build memory back of what I have done. Gosh ! why I am so forgetful....

Taking pictures in Himalaya

I put most of pictures on Flickr with regard of few things. It's likely easy for me to crossposting into blogs, store it as the main photo page. Also I was able to 'geotag' the pictures so people can trace the location from Maps or Google Earth. Not many pictures produced during 12 days trekking. Roughly about 800 pictures for 3 weeks is nothing. I brought several CF along with me from 1GB to 4GB but barely use them all. I shot on RAW format, edit with Lightroom to change in medium resolution.

I took my beloved camera with me. Due the wight and battery life I prefer my own than the lavish D200. To better range I choose Nikkor 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 VR which I borrowed from Mr C and also new Nikkor DX ED Fisheye 10.5mm F2.8.

The camera and battery works very well on the rough environment like Himalaya. It's been tested in Borneo and Yosemite. But the lens seemed been created for D200 not D70. It became less responsive and strange behaviour (stop focusing on the corner I want). I was tried to make the lens and body works together while in Singapore but not enough time. It simply refused to get on together.

Suprisingly the battery was great but that's because I did not use camera so often. I thought we will facing electricity problem for charging battery on the high altitute. Namche 3440m might a big place to regain all the equipment back to life but turned out you can get electricity even until Lobuche 4910m. On some points you've got to pay for charging which is about Rs 100-150 an hour -that similar with the price of 1lt mineral water. I was prepared with 2 spare battery with other 2 uncharchable. But during the trip I only used one battery.

My main concern about camera is the sensor clearance. It turned out that the trekking path was so dusty. Even for human was unbearable. To add my misery I lost my lens cap while we had a cup a tea at Pangboche. I managed use my fleece to cover the lens all along the trek.

The fisheye lens was forgotten. It was buried under the stuff that porter carry all along. I simply couldn't find it. May be I am not a good photographer (ie did not have enough effort to change my lens or got out from sleeping bag), but the point of traveling is enjoy yourself. I was able to absorb what the Himalayan magic, not just snapping pictures for personal collection. I am happy as I enjoyed the trekking. Obviously it was hard work but I am glad I did it.

Himalaya : a little note pasca trekking

I am just back from three weeks traveling at Everest Region in Nepal. Being in the Himalayan's range was a great experiences for me. Now I understand the lure of travelers or mountaineers who seeking their aim to conquer those magnificent peaks. I have been reading Maurice Herzog, Sir Chris Bonnington, Jon Krakauer, Arlene Blum, Anatoli Boukreev even Harrer to give me enough background history of people's race in mountaineering or just simply like Sir Hillary who dedicated himself for education in Nepal.

Also enduring my stamina, challenge my ability in such harsh environment led me to understand that nature can not been fight. It has to be our human's ability to cope and survive to continue our life. The best thing about the journey was I am getting know the Nepalis cultures (apparently there are more than 40 tribes vast spread from mountains to low land area), about people, about their way to life.

I will write the journal in Bahasa Indonesia since I did not found references available for the public in those language. Indonesia put their foot on top of Everest exactly 10 years ago, but no further attempts in Himalaya. Hopefully it will endure another people to pay respect the greatness of nature, make another trip to Himalaya. I am just ordinary woman, fit and kere enough to walk up into 5600m high. I believe you can do it as well !

Sembunyi di Kampung India, Nginep di Backpacker Singapura

Kembali menginjakkan kaki di negara kecil ini rasanya kok seperti de-ja-vu. Pating tratap gituh…inget dulu suka nyepeda, inget dulu sering bela-belain ke Little India untuk beli nasi kari yang ampuh itu.

Kamis dini hari (atau sudah masuk Jumat 27 Maret 2007) saya nyampai juga di Changi. Sempat menengok negeri mas Jackie Chan selama 12 jam membuat saya enjoy tidur. Lha capek klinong-klinong sendiri. Malam itu tukang taxi saya seorang malay. Malapetaka datang ketika ia tidak tahu tempat penginapan saya.

Hah? Takjub saya. Ini kan penginapan paling terkenal. Disebutnya satu-satu hotel berbintang ceria. Saya bilang, “Tidak..bukan itu” sembari susah payah mejelaskan apa itu “ho(s)tel dan backpacker. Saya juga tidak bisa mengingat nama jalan. Yang saya tahu hanya daerah sekitar Little India.

Setelah berhenti di pinggir jalan, menanyakan sesama sopir taksi sampai juga saya di Dunlop St. Tadinya saya agak khawatir jam segini sudah tutup, tapi ternyata masih banyak yang nongkrong di depan. Salah satu cowok nanggung bahkan nyamperin kami. “Are you lost dear?”

Yah saya tinggal di Inncrowd Backpacker, hostel yang menjadi singgahan pengelana dunia. Beruntung banget saya dapet double room setelah booking beberapa minggu sebelumnya. Padahal musim begini lagi rame-ramenya. Lah ngapain sih tinggal disini? Banyak banget alasan, salah satunya adalah saya kangen suasana hostel backpacker yang ramah. Kesan informal dan kekeluargaan terasa banget. Biasanya untuk hostel jenis ini ada ruang komunal (dipakai bersama) seperti ruang baca, ruang nonton teve, ruang makan, ruang internet dan dapur. Ohya ada dapurnya juga karena kita dapet free breakfast asal masak sendiri. Teh , kopi, telor, roti, air panas ada semua. Kulkas dan mesin cuci juga ada.


Ini sangat saya rindukan. Iyah kita bahkan bisa ngobrol dengan sesama backpacker disini. Berbagi pengalaman dan tips. Ketemu dengan orang-orang dari negara entah berantah.

Alasan lainnya adalah convenient alias enak banget buat kemana-mana. Ngg tau kenapa hampir semua markas backpacker itu ditengah pemukiman penduduk seperti layaknya Sosrowijayan sana. Dunlop St ini cuma 5 menit jalan ke MRT Station, dan 10 menit ke Victoria Bus Station menuju Johor Bahru Malaysia. Kalau mau belanja sih bisa ke Sim Lim untuk elektronik (tapi ngg saya sarankan karena banyak penipu disana), atau ke Mustafa Centre yang buka 24 jam. Saya juga nengokin Sultan Mosque dan Golden Mile Food Court (tempat jualan alat-alat outdoor murah). Semuanya dengan jalan kaki. Hemat banget kan…

Di sepanjang jalan Dunlop ada dua lagi losmen sejenis. Yakin Fragrance Backpacker (yang baru buka) dan Prince of Wales. Letak Inncrowd sendiri persis diantara keduanya. Yang menyenangkan adalah di Inncrowd ada Tourist Information. Isinya sih paling pamflet dan peta banyak sekali. Tapi itu berguna banget …apalagi kalau lagi ngg dapet ilham mau kemana hari ini.

Inncrowd juga suka mengorganisir perjalanan bareng dengan sharing taxi. Ada white board yang berisi agenda besok, lengkap dengan daftar orang yang mau ikutan. Kadang ke Big Splash Sentosa atau Night Safari. Nah mayan kan dapet barengan…

Satu lagi selain free breakfast, ada lagi yakni free locker. Nah ini membantu banget terutama kalau nginep di dorm (asrama). Soalnya karena nyampur kadang keamanan rucksack ngg terjaga. Kayak kamera, laptop, hape, passport, duit enaknya memang diamankan tersendiri.


Nah masih mau yang gratisan lagi? Ini nih gratis internet. Ada 3 biji komputer disini yang biarpun gratis harus tenggang rasa memakai. Artinya jangan ngendon kelamaan kalau ada orang nunggu. Bagi yang bawa laptop itu adalah anugrah tak ternilai. Karena dengan wi-fi laptop bisa nyambung setiap saat 24 jam. Saya bahkan bisa browsing di dalam kamar saya tanpa perlu duduk manis di ruang komunal. Uenakkk….kan?

Bayangin di hotel berbintang 3 atau 4 tarip wi-fi internet adalah SGD$30-50/hari (kadang dibatasi 2-3 jam kecuali di business lounge). Payah banget. Dibandingkan dengan Vietnam, Singapura ini terlalu matre untuk urusan internet. Vietnam negara ndeso itu saja di losmen ecek2 terdapat wi-fi gratis. Jadi sesumbar Singapura tentang ‘the most aggressive internet penetration in Asia’ adalah gombal belaka.

Sejak tinggal disini saya berteman dengan Daisy, seorang ibu separuh baya dari Malaysia. Hah ? ibu-ibu kok backpackeran. Oh bukan. Ia hanya ke Singapura untuk mengurus visa US dan Canada. Beliau berencana akan tur dengan kapal (cruise) mengunjungi Alaska (wadowww..impian saya juga auntie). Aslinya beliau dari Kinabatangan di Sabah. Saya sendiri pernah kesana mengunjungi sungai Kinabatangan melakukan pemotretan proboscis monkey. Baca jurnal saya disini Uncle Tan Jungle Camp : This is not Hilton.



Auntie Daisy ini mengaku sudah sering nginep di Inncrowd. Dia juga bilang bahwa keakraban dan bertemu dengan orang baru adalah sangat menyenangkan. Dulu Daisy bekerja sebagai reporter untuk kasus pengadilan (court) di Singapura. Anehnya beliau ini punya apartemen disini tapi menjadi pelanggan setia losmen ini.

Staff disini juga enak banget. Masih muda dan penuh energik. Mereka juga sangat membantu dengan memberi informasi yang kita butuhkan. Cuma karena seperti rumah maka yang menghuni juga bisa berbagai karakter. Ada yang baik, ada yang sembrono, ada yang pemalu, ada yang suka cerita.

Jadi ngg ada salahnya toh tinggal di tempat murah, enak lagi. Ohya ada sisi negatifnya juga. Misalnya : siap-siap begadang kalau ada acara rame2 atau tiba-tiba bangun dengan bentol di tangan…