Landcruise Program: Fill & Download for Free

There are two routes to reach Mt. Kailash/ Mansarovar Lake. One can either go through Ministry of External Affair (MEA) or through private tour operators in Nepal & Tibet.Ministry of External Affair Program (MEA):Advantages:1. Well planned and organized by the government agencies like Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Ministry of External Affairs and Uttranchal Police.2. It is organized under a bilateral agreement between India & China Governments, thus all the pilgrims get the diplomatic protection, medical facilities and security en route.3. Economical. The total tour cost comes to approx 65,000 INR out of which 20-25,000 INR is sponsored/subsidized by many state governments.4. The route ensures excellent high altitude acclimatization opportunities so minimum health related problems. Moreover all the pilgrims are required to undergo a comprehensive medical test before selection.5. The yatra route is through the most scenic landscape of India’s Himalayas. Since the yatra is done on foot, the pilgrims have ample time to enjoy, absorb and assimilate the joy of being in the lap of Mother Nature.6. The pilgrims get the opportunity to see The Om Parvat which otherwise is not visible from any other place.7. The pilgrims get an opportunity to enjoy the company of “Police’ (ITBP), Hospitality, Self less Care and Affection of the ITBP Jawans from across India, cross over an international border through a natural high altitude Mountain Pass on foot and to test one’s physical, mental & spiritual strength.Disadvantages:1. Most part of Yatra is completed on foot or ponies. Infact one has to cover a total distance of 170-180 Kms (besides Mt. Kailash Parikarma which is 55 kms) on Foot or on Ponies.2. There is a selection process for this program. MEA has the mandate to send a total of 16 batches of 60 pilgrims each. Thus a total of Max 960 people can go through MEA program in each year. One gets little choice/ flexibility in batch/dates and batch mates.3. It takes a total of 29-30 days which includes 3 days for the medical check-up at Delhi. The days can extend by 1-2 days in case of a lanslide en route.4. One has to stay in basic (though highly comfortable) fibre glass huts with mattresses on the floor for most part of Yatra. Facilities are minimal in terms of electricity, mobile connectivity and Hot Water for Bathing.Process:The process gets initiated through advertisements of MEA published in the leading newspapers in the month of January every year, inviting applications for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. There is NO application fees. The only requirements are the application form, 2 passport size photographs and a copy of valid passport which should have a minimum of 6 month validity w.e.f. May of the Year.The closing date for applications is usually between 15-20 March and a computerized draw is held in the month of April selecting the applicants according to the batch.The selected applicant gets the telegram confirming his/her selection in the last week of April and is supposed to confirm back his/her participation usually before 3rd week of May by sending a DD of 5,000 INR in favour of KMVN which gets adjusted against the total yatra cost. However this fee is non-refundable if one does not go on Yatra due to any reason including failing in the medical fitness test.Nepal/ Tibet Route:Other route to reach Mt. Kailash, Mansarovar Lake is by travelling through Kathmandu and crossing over to Tibet through Nepal-China Border.Advantages:1. Easy. The jouney is completed in LandCruiser Jeeps. So the pilgrim does not have to walk except for if one wants to complete the Kailash Parikarma. Though one can choose to ride a chopper to have kailash Darshan.2. It takes only 16-18 days to complete the yatra through this route.3. No Limit on number of pilgrims. So anyone and every one who can afford, can go through this route as per one’s own convenient time schedule. Infact one can plan/choose one’s own group of pilgrims and date schedule.4. Though it is always advised to have a thorough Medical Check up, it is not mandatory in case of going through Nepal/Tibet Route.5. The pilgrims enjoy the comforts of nice & cosy accomodations with electricity, phone connectivity and Hot water in the Rooms.Disadvantages:1. Most of the tour operators are private so no assurance, control or standardization of services promised & offered. The standard of services also varies between tour operators/ travel agencies. Most of the travel agencies are just the sub-agents of the big tour operators.2. No government involvment. So the pilgrims are at the mercy of the tour operator/ travel agency. No government assurance or assistance regarding rescue/safety/medical assistance.3. Costly. The total tour cost comes to approx 1,25,000-1,50,000 INR depending on the tour operator/travel agent & negotiation skills.4. No proper opportunity for high altitude acclimatization. Since one gets to travel only in a Jeep so the body does not get acclimatize as good. Infact the Altitude Related Sicknesses occur more frequently due to this reason.5. One does not get the feel of a REAL PILGRIMAGE as one simply disembarks from the Jeep and sees the Mt. Kailash & Mansarovar Lake. There is little time for spiritual growth, self introspection/meditation.6. One does not get time to enjoy the nature because of long & tiring journey and motion & high altitude related sicknesses.7. Since the pilgrims do not get into the practice of high altitude trekking, so few of them who go through the nepal/tibet route get/dare to complete the whole Parikarma of Mt. Kailash.Process:There are number of tour operators/ travel agents who arrange the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Nepal/Tibet Route. One can find lots of advertisements in the newspapers as well on internet. Infact most of the search results on Google will lead to sites of these tour operators/ travel agents. One has to be smart negotiator to get the best deal & services.

Get marketable skills you can use for short-term work between traveling, schooling, and figuring out what you really want to do.I'm 28 and wish I would have focused on building some solid easily sellable skills or learning a craft (early on). A skill/craft could be something 'blue collar' like welding or painting houses. Or it could be something like Wordpress design, programming, translating or wedding photography. Could be nannying, bartending, or waiting tables (well enough to make great tips). The skills/crafts I recommend worth pursuing should pay approximately 25-30+ per hour USD. Some will take 5-6 months to learn while others might take 1-3 years. There are many options.I see friends who have learned a skill/craft be able to have a lot more freedom both in where they work, how often they work, and who they work for. I meet people abroad in their late 20s who have been exploring the world for years thanks to being able to do translations or wordpress design. My friend Heath is a decent welder and makes great money welding for a couple months (I'm betting $50+ an hour), then lives out of his Landcruiser vagabonding around for a year or so.The skills/craft you learn don't have to be something you want to do forever but having them will enable you time/freedom/money to work on what you do want to do. They are also a fallback option should your 'career' falter (happens a lot!). I know Heath doesn't want to weld forever, but he can easily use that to support himself while he works on a whatever random art, festival, music thing he wants to get going.Skills buy you freedom.A couple caveats with this. If you make good money with your skill, you might be tempted to stick with it forever (to the detriment of pursuing what you really want). Also, if you know you want to be a doctor/lawyer/other long-term career path early on, you might be better off going right for it.But hey, take it from me. I messed around with too many things throughout my 20s and didn't learn enough solid skills. So when I come back from my vagabonding excursions, I have to scramble/scrimp a lot more than I'd like. I wish I'd invested in something solid and marketable earlier on.If you're curious what skills are marketable, check out this question on in-demand freelance skills: What are the most in-demand skills for freelancing?

Well, who am I allying up with? The choices are essentially today:- EU- USA- Russia- ChinaThe EU and US are nominally allies, but they have many different interests. The US wants a civil war in Ukraine for example, and the EU does not. (Remember when the US diplomat said "fuck the EU" before they started the whole thing?)China and Russia are getting along rather well out of necessity, and perhaps mutual disgust of US foreign policy.But let's say that I'm going for something between US and EU.In that case, we need rifles, cars, tanks, helicopter, and a uniform.The uniform will be made by local industry, just like the socks and so on. No reason to fuel another country's jobs program if I can fuel my own instead.As for the tank, the choice is between the Leo2, Abrams, and the Leclerc.The Germans are pretty much giving them away these days. They're all good enough. As for helicopters, I'll take the Bell ones, off the shelf. Now that both countries makes money off of me, they'll both like me.As for rifles, the choices are really the H&K 416/417 or the some AR-15 platform from the US. The US offering is going to be cheaper, and the German version is going to be more expensive. However, the optics and other Las Vegas bling is going to cost more than the gun regardless. So why not go for the good stuff.As for the utility vehicle, I'll be brutally honest, you need a cheap car and an MRAP. The new US MRAP seems to be very nice, and if it works out, it's what I'd go with. You'd also want a cheaper thing that can get places for utility work. Toyota Landcruiser is probably what I'd go with. This way, I get decent kit for my army, and both sides will like me.