I was saddened to read this
New York Times article on the Annapurna Circuit. Until now, the Circuit would have been on my short list of top trips to recommend to travelers. (Ignoring the fact that it was the most horrific trip we've ever taken due to a tropical cyclone-induced blizzard that wreaked havoc across the country, killing 100 people including a man in our group.)
In 1995, the trek was 150 miles ascending from 3,000' to almost 18,000' and back down again, usually taking about 2.5 weeks to allow for acclimatization and exploration. Back then, we were told Nepal had already been totally changed by tourism - but it turns out that was nothing. Whereas we only walked past a public telephone twice during our trek, there are now Internet cafes in roadless villages. Teahouses have been built along remote sections of trail. Worst of all (for trekkers, but not for Nepalis), roads have been built that will reduce this incredible trek to a mere long weekend by 2012. Great news for Nepal (except for the tourist industry) - bad news for trekkers.
People always talk about visiting third world places before they change, and this is a wake-up call that huge changes can take place in a short time. Guess it's time to write down a life list and identify the places that need to be visited sooner rather than later!
P.S. For those who know her, the Canadian occupational therapist referenced in the article is Lenora Delaney.