1. Skyrest travel pillow

Skyrest travel pillows inflate easily, turning your tray table or lap into a comfortable place to rest your head.

Sure, you’ll look like a freak. But if you wrap your arms around the pillow and rest your head in a forward position, its manufacturers claim you’ll enjoy the ‘ultimate in on-board comfort.’

Until the guy in front reclines his seat, anyway.

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2. Gas-b-Gon flatulence absorbing pillow

With research revealing that the amount of intestinal gas produced by the average human triples at 25,000 feet, it is surprising that there haven’t been calls to make on-board GasBGon travel pillows mandatory.

Using cutting-edge carbon filter technology the GasBGon muffles the sound and the smell of inflight flatulence, absorbing more than 90% of the odour emitted for most end users.

Thanks to GasBGon, you’ll clear the air, not the plane.

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3. Slumber mitt

You could be forgiven for thinking that the slumber mitt is just a lump of foam covered in fabric, hanging clumsily off the end of your arm. Not so, says its inventors. It’s travel comfort in the palm of your hand.

Just remember to take it off before scratching that itch on your nose or handing over your passport to the guy in immigration.

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4. Tugo luggage drink holder

Looking for somewhere to stow your latte while you fumble for your ticket and your passport? The Tugo is a pliable moulded drink holder that nestles a drink in-between the telescoping handles of an upright suitcase, swinging to match the angle of your bag as you use it.

Just remember to remove your coffee before stowing it in the overhead locker.

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5. Ultra mini on-board air supply

Let’s face it. Aeroplanes are basically tubes full of tainted air. This wearable air purifier will kill bacteria and viruses, reduces pollutants and dust and disperses the overpowering smell of Lynx from the chav sitting next to you, as well as the horrid stench coming from the galley as the inflight meals are prepared.

Use in conjunction with the Gas-B-Gone for a truly fragrant in-flight experience.

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6. Knee Defenders

“If airlines will not protect people from being battered, crunched, and immobilized – very real problems according to healthcare professionals, medical studies, government agencies, and even some airlines – then people need options to protect themselves.”

So says Gadget Duck, inventors of the patent-pending, duly trademarked Knee Defenders.

Basically a pair of chocks you stick either side of your fold down table to thwart the thoughtless recliner ending up in your lap. The thinking is that after a few attempts at reclining the person in front will give up, accepting, once again, that they’ve been stuck with a broken seat.

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7. Plane Sheets personalised airline seat covers

Are the interiors of today’s airliners just not doing it for you? Maybe the lurid yellow of Ryanair is ruining your inflight aura. Perhaps you should bring along your own personalised airline seat cover.

Available in Cattle Class and Pointy End sizes, as well as a range of designer patterns, Plane Sheets offers today’s travellers an innovative and practical way to personalise their travel space while keeping germs, crumbs and spills from previous passengers at bay.

But seriously, with so many flights already delayed by people trying to cram their over-sized hand luggage into crowded overhead lockers, do we need fashion-conscious germophobes trying to get their plane-sheet looking ‘just-so’?

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8. Deluxe seat back organiser

What better way to keep all your new inflight travel gadgets in their place than with a deluxe seat back organiser?

The fact that it comes with not one, but two pen loops, tells you the kind of traveller that the product is aimed at. Sure, it’s got a pocket that would be perfect for your book of Suduko puzzles. But do you really want to be known as that kind of traveller?

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9. Micro Samsonite luggage travel scooter

Described as the ultimate ride-on luggage, Micro Samsonite luggage travel scooter is a specially designed scooter-luggage case with a built-in Micro scooter. When you are done scooting, the scooter folds up, turning it into conventional wheeled luggage. When folded, it fits in standard size overhead bins.

Its creators say they designed the Micro Samsonite luggage travel scooter to help high flyers move quickly and effortlessly through airports. Until they get embarrassed from everyone pointing at them or laughing. Or the airport health and safety officer tells them to put on a helmet and knee pads.

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by Weird@Wanderlust

A Walking With The Wounded spokesman said unseasonably warm conditions meant that it was not safe for the group to continue, with an increased number of avalanches and falling ice hampering their efforts.

They will make a live broadcast from Everest on Thursday and withdraw the following day, the charity spokesman said.

He added: “The safety of our expedition is of the utmost importance for us.”

The five current and former soldiers, who had suffered gun-shot wounds, horrific burns and amputated limbs, arrived in Nepal at the end of March before setting off on a trek to the Everest Base Camp. They had been due to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, which stands at 8,848m (29,028ft) above sea level, towards the end of the month.

The charity spokesman said it was the “warmest season ever” on Everest, with a lack of snow meaning that there was nothing binding the rocks together, leading to rock falls. He added: “We have to climb through ice crevices as well, and they keep falling and crashing.”

Prince Harry, patron of the charity, who last year joined a Walking With The Wounded expedition for the first four days of a successful trip to the North Pole, had paid a surprise visit to the men as they left the UK.

He said at the time: “The expedition to the Himalayas – of which I am so proud to be patron – is raising money to train and educate those with physical and cognitive injuries suffered in war to manage their transition into civilian employment.”

The team has been led by Martin Hewett, 31, from Widnes in Cheshire, a former Captain in the Parachute Regiment, who was shot twice through his right shoulder in Afghanistan in 2007, which paralysed his arm.

The rest of the team is made up of Captain Francis Atkinson, Captain David Wiseman, Private Jaco van Gass and former Private Karl Hinett.

I have been regularly asked by other people planning trips for advice on how to go about securing sponsorship.  That is why I am writing this,  these are the things I wish somebody told me 2 years ago.  I hope anybody planning a trip finds it helpful and I hope it may inspire people to take that drunken conversation about doing a big trip through to the sobriety of the next morning and onwards from there to the actual planning and implementation!

1. Think like a sponsor. 

You must figure out WHY somebody is going to give you money.  People are not just going to give you money to go on holiday; they must get something out of it.  This could be a range of things, but almost always it’s for publicity, they will invest in your idea if it sounds like the kind of idea that will appear to the greater public.  Will people talk about you in bars, will they read your blogs, will they write articles about you in newspapers?  If not, then your chances of getting a sponsor are slim, go back to the drawing board and make it more unique.  If it will appeal, then you must comprehensively outline to a potential sponsor the predicted exposure from the trip, including all the different mediums you plan on using (newspaper, radio, TV, internet, social media, online video etc.) and how you will use them (I recommend using all of them!).  Add to this by promising to name drop them whenever possible in everything you do, that’s what we did when approaching our Insurance Company.

2. Use personal contacts.

This is THE BEST WAY TO GET SPONSORSHIP.  Tell everybody you know about your idea (and some you don’t).  You never know, they may work for a company who could sponsor you or if they don’t, they may know someone who does.  The most important thing to do is ask; they will never rack their minds for contacts if you don’t ask them if they have any ideas for possible sponsors for your project.  The best part about personal contacts is that you have a nice warm contact who’s far more likely to say yes…

3. Credibility.

It’s all about credibility. You need to ensure you appear credible to potential sponsors (even if you’re not).  One way to do this is to show that other sponsors are already giving you things. Nobody wants to be the first to take a big and expensive leap, so before you go for the big money sponsors, try and get a few well known brands to give you a small amount of low cost goods.  This is easy to achieve, and once you have a big brand as a sponsor, it gives you credibility (nobody needs to know Duracell only gave you four rechargeable batteries for your camera in return for that big sticker…).  Another way is to get celebrities involved (more about this in tip #5).

4. Charity.

If you have a charity involved (and i’m presuming and hope you do!) then make the most of it.  A charity association makes sponsors look good, it makes them feel good and it gives you a legitimate reason for carrying out your outlandish scheme, so make sure the sponsors know the full details about the chairty.  My advice would be to ensure trip sponsorship and charity sponsorship (donations from friends, family etc.) is kept clearly separate.  This means making sure people donating to your charity know they are not giving you money to ‘go on holiday’ and companies sponsoring you are sponsoring the expedition and not sponsoring the charity directly.

5. Celebrity endorsement. 

If you get a celebrity on board, it gives you a huge amount of credibility and makes sponsors and potential media outlets (which in turn help you to get sponsors…) sit up and take notice.  The ‘It’s on the Meter’ expedition Patron is Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the “World’s Greatest Living Explorer (according to Guinness World Records).  Now that sounds impressive, doesn’t it?  He is a living legend and a household name in the UK.  Now here’s the secret bit- we have never met Sir Ran.  We dropped him a line, told him what we were doing and asked him to be our patron.  We outlined that he would not be required to do anything at all.  He agreed, and that was that.  It was made especially easy with the charity angle.  In our case, he was even interested in getting a ride in the cab (although on the only date he could make, the Taxi had no wheels, no seats and no steering wheel, so we missed our chance).  The hard part is getting their contact details- that dark art is down to you I am afraid but charities always have various patrons and celebrity supporters.

6. Go to relevant expositions and shows. 

These are attended by people in the industry who can make decisions and every one is a potential sponsor.  It is a lot easier to talk to someone at a stand and call them back a week later saying “Hi, do you remember me?” than it is to simply cold call them.  Here’s a tip: Try and blag your way into the trade day, on these days there are no members of the public, so no queues to talk to people and people from high up in the company will be there- not just sales assistants.  We got five sponsors from one day at a motor show, but we did speak to every single stand there so persistence is the key.

7. Find people giving money. 

Even in this time of austerity there is money to be had.  Marketing budgets may have been cut, but almost all companies spend some money on marketing.  Seek out companies willing to give their money away for just this kind of thing e.g. companies who have sponsored something similar to your project already. Some companies sponsor sports players, explorers, sailors etc., some have sponsorship communities (energy drinks etc.) and some have competitions.  Approach them all.  We won a partner for simply sending an application and being nominated as having the best idea for pursuing your ‘Motoring Dream’.  Easiest and biggest sponsor of all! (apologies for the second shameless plug, but hopefully you get the message)

8. Think creatively about sponsorship deals. 

Offer various opportunities.  For example, match funding approaches (the company matches the money raised from other sponsors, thereby halving their exposure and risk of being involved in the expedition).  You could always agree on payments to be made at different times so they spread over two tax years, or they only pay you certain amounts as you reach certain legs of your trip (so if you fail they minimise their exposure).  You can always turn a no into a yes (forgive the clichéd sales phrase) but not necessarily the yes you thought you were looking for.

9. Think big. 

How are you going to launch/finish your expedition? Sponsors are not going to be interested in an event launching from your mothers front garden with the local paper covering it; it needs to be national.  We launched from one of the largest tourists attractions in London.  Why? Because we deserve that kind of publicity?  No! We simply asked.  We found a few possible, grand, impressive sounding venues and asked them.  If they tried to charge us we went to the next one.  After carrying out a risk assessment (the venue will often have a template already done for you) you’re good to go (but ensure there are no insurance issues).  If you can get a celebrity to attend then even better. Invite your friends, invite the press, invite your sponsors and make an event of it!

10. Don’t expect much. 

Do not expect to get any sponsorship at all, this way you will be pleasantly surprised.  If you need funding for a crazy idea, get a job and start saving.  I know it sounds cold and un-inspirational, but if you want to do something awesome, this is the GUARANTEED route to achieving your dream. If you want to do it, you can, but you may have to do it in a few years time. We have managed to get sponsorship to cover around half the cost of the trip, the rest of it is paid for by working hard and saving money (and all of our savings and overdrafts and credit cards…  but that’s a different story!).

I hope you have found this helpful. You just have to be very, very, very persistent. There’s a reason why ‘everybody’ doesn’t go on these kind of trips, or convert their pub-dreams into something more.

It’s hard work, but completely worth it in the end. Believe me.

by @Itsonthemeter

The Himalayas of NEPAL:

Owning nine of the world’s fourteen highest mountain peaks, Nepal is a true place for trekking in Himalaya. The Himalayas cover three fourths of the land in Nepal. It is home to some of the maximum, remotest, and most rugged and difficult trekking terrains in the world. 

1. The Extravagant Everest Base Camp Trek: 

Altitude: 8848 m
Duration: 18 to 22 days
Difficulty Level: Extremely Strenuous
Best Season: February to June and September to mid November

 2. The Daunting Dolpo Traverse of Nepal:

The Great Himalaya trek is a network of electrifying treks and trails which together form one of the longest and highest walking trails in the world. Dolpo is a high altitude region in the mid-western Nepal and had been isolated from the world till 1990. Dolpo-pa , the original Tibetan inhabitants of Dolpo, are thought to have settled here over two thousand years ago. It was a forbidden land with an authentic Tibetan culture largely unchanged. It passes through the lush green valleys, parched high plateaus, magnificent landscapes and raw beauty of the land and innocence of the people. The journey dominates several high- passes into the seemingly endless remote villages, truly an unprecedented adventure. One will be thrilled to encounter nomads and yak caravans on the way and the whole trekking is a true delight.

Altitude: 5093m
Duration: 24 to 27 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: March to May and September to October

3. Classic Manaslu Circuit Trek, Nepal – A classic Himalaya Trek:

The Classic Manaslu Circuit is known for its isolated and most challenging trek, and is the eighth tallest mountain in the world at an altitude of 8163m from the sea level crossing Larkya La pass. The journey passes through one of the splendid mountain panorama, culturally fascinating vicinity of ancient Buddhist monasteries and undeniably challenging passes. This high altitude valley is one of those “Clandestine Lands” of pristine Himalayan ranges and definitely appeals to anybody who is looking for an audacious trek.

Altitude: 8163m
Duration: 22 to 24 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: October to May

 4. The legendary Nar and Phu valleys of Nepal:

Altitude: 5416 m
Duration: 23 to 27 days
Difficulty Level: Easy
Best Season: March to May and September to October

 5. The Sacred Tsum Valley of Nepal:

Altitude: 1905m
Duration: 18 to 22 days
Difficulty Level: Easy
Best Season: March to May and October to December

 6. Langtang Valley – The Valley of Glaciers:

Langtang is a narrow valley lying in the southern part of Tibet that lies between the main Himalayan ranges to the north and range of snowy gigantic peaks to the south. This region is considered the Nepal’s third largest trekking locale and is rightly called ‘the Valley of Glaciers’. The trek throws in ample amount of opportunity to explore the ethnic Tamang villages, to climb small peaks and to see the glaciers at a relatively lower altitude. Once you reach the valley, the mountain panorama looks exceptionally gorgeous. The Langtang trek also offers to get a glimpse of some of the oldest monasteries, vibrant Tibetan Buddhist culture and plenty of yak herds on the alpine meadows.

Altitude: 7246m
Duration: 12 to 16 days
Difficulty Level: Easy
Best Season: April to May and October to November

 7. The picturesque ranges of Annapurna Circuit:

Altitude: 5300m
Duration: 21 to 25 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: March to May and October to November

 8. The Mighty Mt. Kanchenjunga Trek:

Altitude: 8586m
Duration: 15 to 17 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: April to June and October to December

 9. The Majestic Lhotse Trek:

Altitude: 8511m
Duration: 21 to 25 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate to strenuous
Best Season: April to May and Late September to October

 10.   The Serene Grander of Helambu and Langtang Valleys:

Helambu trek is popular among the trekkers for its scenic grander and sympathetic climate. The serene Buddhist monasteries, the enchanting landscapes and local traditional culture plug in to one’s heart. Located about 72 kilometers northeast of Kathmandu, it extends from north of Taramarang to the trek limit of the Gosainkunda Lake and lower slopes of Jugal Himal. The Helambu circuit is one of the most convenient short treks close to Kathmandu and is moderately a low altitude trek. The original inhabitants are chiefly Tamang with Sherpa people dwelling in the higher villages of Melamchi Gaon, Tarkegyang and Sermathang. Beyond Hemalu traverse a mountain pass through the lakes of Gosainkunda opens out into the valley of Langtang. Gosainkunda Lake is situated at an altitude of 4380m and is a sacred valley for Hindus.

Altitude: 4300m
Duration: 11 to 14 days
Difficulty Level: Easy
Best Season: March to May and September to November

11. The Solitaire Kathmandu Valley Trek, Nepal:

Many visitors who make it up to Nepal leave for the mountains a little too hurriedly and never enjoy the affluence closer at hand! Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, offers ample amount of opportunity for short treks along the rims of Kathmandu Valley and tendering the view of snow-capped mountains and typical Nepali countryside life and ethnicity.  Hiking here is one of the most fascinating activities on one’s to-do list.  As the trail passes through Shivapuri, one can see the western mountains of Manaslu, Boudha Himal, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Dorjeelakpa, Shisapangama and Gaurishankara mountain ranges. One can get to see the dazzling sunrise and sunset along the glorious mountains and Nagarkot (2020m) is the best vantage point for mountains and sunrise views.

Altitude: 2100m
Duration: 4 to 7 days
Difficulty Level: Easy

Best Season: March to May and October to November

12. The Rarest of the rare – The Rara Lake Trek:

Hiking in the magnificent Rara Lake trail on the north-western of Nepal offers the best panorama. Rara Lake is 28 kilometers to the North of Jumla and in the vicinity one can find the Rara National Parks, the smallest park in Nepal, where in turn the country’s largest lake, the Rara Lake can be found is hovering on a high ledge on the northern flank of Ghurchi Lekh. Rara National Park flourishes in coniferous forest and is the perfect habitat for the musk deer, Himalayan black bear and other faunae. The serene ambiance is enhanced by the reflection of Ghurchi Lekh in its azure waters. The trek is very much “offbeat” and affords glimpses of ethnicity and quaint villages very different from the rest of the country.

Altitude: 2980 m
Duration: 11 to 14 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: February to Early December

 13. Humla – The Hidden Himalayan Expedition:

Humla, a world in itself, continues to be at a tempo untouched by the world, is a part of Karnali Zone, a landlocked country of South Asia. The Northern part of Humla District is inhabited by Buddhists, originating from Tibet, whereas the South is mostly colonized by the Hindus. Beautiful, blissful, holy, all but forgotten by the rest of the world, is the isolated territory of Humla which offers vistas that are boundless and eternally beautiful. Accessing Humla is perilous, but for those who survive the journey is blessed with beguiling vista and can get to see few of the oldest monasteries of about 400 to 1000 years old! Humla is the newest trekking route into Nepal’s least-visited region and is certainly an incredibly stimulating heroic Himalayan experience.

Altitude: 5630m
Duration: 17 to 21 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: : Late April to Late October

 14.   Espying the Upper Mustang Trek:

Altitude: 4010m
Duration: 18 to 20 days
Difficulty Level: Extreme Strenuous
Best Season: March to November

 15.   The Pallid Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek:

Altitude: 8167m
Duration: 26 to 28 days
Difficulty Level: Extremely Strenuous
Best Season: March to May and September to November

 16. Cho Oyu Trek – The Turquoise Goddess Trek:

Altitude: 8201m
Duration: 21 to 25 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Best Season: April to September

 17. The imperially Royal Trek of Nepal:

Down the foothills of Annapurna circuit, north of the Pokhara valley, is the Royal Trek route, a short trek following a shrub like path. It was so-named because HRH Prince Charles and his 90 person entourage had explored this route in the early eighties. This Royal Trek endows the opportunities for evocative cultural experiences with the diverse mix of people and culture that inhabit this region. The itinerary of Royal trek begins in the dazzling lakeside city of Pokhara passes through beautiful Gurung hamlets. The stunning views of the eloquently built hillside rice terraces, and the glorious Annapurna range, Machapuchhre [fishtail] and the Langtang Mountain views presents a perfect picture of uniqueness and allowing us the opportunity to immerse in the traditional lifestyles of the tribes whose ancient spiritual practices and mores have remained unchanged for thousands of years.

Altitude: 1760m
Duration: 8 to 10 days
Difficulty Level: Easy
Best Season: March to May and October to November 

18. The picturesque holy lakes of Panch Pokhari:

Altitude:  4200m
Duration: 12 to 15 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Best Season: October to May

The Himalayas of INDIA:

The Indian Himalayan Region is a mountain range that spans across ten states of India namely, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura
as well as the hill regions of two states – Assam and West Bengal. The region is the major source for many rives, providing water to a large part of the Indian subcontinent and contains varied flora and fauna. It is also the home of massive mountain system that includes the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and other lesser ranges that extend out from the Pamir Knot.

19.   The Mesmerizing Markha Valley Trek, India:

Altitude: 5150m
Duration: 12 to 15 days
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Season: June to October

20. The Frozen River Trek of Ladakh - Chadar Trek:

Altitude: 3850m
Duration: 17 to 21 days
Difficulty Level: Extreme Strenuous
Best Season: January to March 

by Thrillchimp.

Mother’s day is like a fully blown festival in Nepal, on this special day all the son and daughter respect their Mother, and giving them sweets, flowers and taking blessing from their mother, on this day mothers is worshiped like a God.

The children of RCH who cannot be with their birth mothers treat the lady who runs RCH, Goma, as their real mother and give her lots of sweets and flowers, respect and honour for giving them happy lives and love.

The move is part of an effort to make its finances more transparent and part of an ongoing push to modernise the ancient temple.

The temple has never declared the amount of donations made by devotees as part of their offerings.

But now, the temple authorities have said that all donations would be declared, The BBC reports.

Meanwhile, Culture Minister Gopal Kirati said that the declaration of donations would help the overall development of the temple, which badly needed restoration work.

According to the report, over the past few years, there have been attempts to force the temple to open its vaults, which are believed to have thousands of dollars worth of wealth.

The scene at the weekend, on the second day of Nepal’s New Year, was unique to Bode, a sleepy village of 8,000 people from the devout Newar community, who are thought to have been the early settlers of the saucer-like Kathmandu valley.

A crowd of thousands jostled for a glimpse as young dancers twirled in the dust of vermilion powder, beating cymbals and banging drums in a frenzied performance. “This is to keep our culture alive,” said Shrestha, who teaches fine arts in a local school and spoke to Reuters before the ritual started. Behind him, his wife sat on a bed and painted the eyes of their three-month-old son with kohl paste. “Performance of this ritual saves the inhabitants of Bode from disasters like earthquake, severe drought and famine.”

Some medical experts say tongue piercing may result in big gaps between front teeth or complications like infections. But Shrestha, who had his tongue pierced for the fourth time on Saturday, said his motivation came from his faith and he had not experienced any problems so far.

“I always wanted to marry before I started piercing my tongue,” Shrestha said. “Now I have a wife as well as a son. The god fulfils your wishes.”

The origin of the ritual lies with tales of a devil that harassed the residents of Bode more than 1,600 years ago. Legend has it that a religious scholar captured the evil spirit through his tantra, or the knowledge of ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, keeping him in custody for several days.

The spirit was freed after he had his tongue pierced in punishment and swore to protect the villagers from disasters. The ritual is believed to have been repeated every year since. In preparation, Shrestha abstained from sex for two days and fasted for 48 hours. On Saturday, he shaved his head. The ritual was performed in front of a small temple of the elephant god, Ganesh, worshipped for good luck.

“There is no pain, no scar and no bleeding, although it looks chilling,” said Krishna Chandra Baga, the man who inserted the metal rod through Shrestha’s tongue. “This is due to the divine power. Otherwise how can this be possible,” said Baga, who had his own tongue pierced 12 times.

In Bode, women in red saris with thin streaks of crimson red powder in their hairlines threw auspicious offerings of rice and flowers at Shrestha, who went round the village for over two hours before the metal rod was pulled out.

The scene wowed tourists. “It is scary but very impressive,” said Sophie, a 31-year-old French tourist from Paris. “You have to be very strong in your mind to do this. I would be really scared.”

By Gopal Sharma

The 65-year-old star of television show “Absolutely Fabulous” is on her second visit after leading a successful campaign for Gurkha soldiers who serve in the British army and their families to be allowed to settle in Britain.

Lumley will touch down in Kathmandu before heading to the country’s western hills to open a school built under the supervision of the British-based Gurkha Welfare Trust, the embassy said in a statement, without giving further details.

The actress is vice-patron of the charity and her impassioned lobbying in Britain earned her the adoration of the Gurkhas, who turned out in their thousands to greet her when she toured the country on her first visit in 2009.

The British government had announced ahead of that trip that all Gurkha veterans who had served at least four years in the army could apply for residency after a climbdown in the face of Lumley’s campaign.

Previously, only those who retired after 1997 had been eligible to apply.

AFP

Hundreds of people from Thailand and local residents gathered to attend the inaugural ceremony.

In his inaugural speech Lyonchhoen thanked the people of Thailand and said it was the most appropriate symbol to celebrate the 84^th Birth Anniversary of Thailand’s King, and the Wedding anniversary of His Majesty the King. Lyonchhoen said the statue would create the conditions to aspire the people to pursue for happiness

.

“Through this image of walking Buddha, it’s my hope and certainly my confidence that is, anyone who walks to this park and who enjoys this park will, firstly remember that there are two such wonderful people in our world today. Secondly that, this statue will serve to remind all those who visit the park of the wonderful friendship that our two countries and the two people enjoy. And thirdly that as people enjoy this park they will also have a spiritual experience that they will receive inspiration and that they will find cause to contemplate and mediate on the purpose and meaning of life here in our country, it is happiness,” said the Prime Minister.

The ceremony was followed by lighting of peace candles and recitation of prayers. The abbot of Thailand, Phrakhrusangkharak Boonsong, also offered gifts to the Prime Minister, and other dignitaries. This is the first ever walking Buddha statue in the country.