http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Everest_North_Face_toward_Base_Camp_Tibet_Luca_Galuzzi_2006.jpg

Everest

Today is my first day in Nepal and things are going splendidly. The weather is brisk and cold, but the sky is clearer than crystal, perfect for photography. I have nestled down into the home of Abhimand, a highly respected village leader living near the everest base camp. I have already learned many of the cultures and ceremonies of these people, and have started to teach some of the children about the wonders of journalism. I have made an especially good bond with the daughter of my host, Ratna.

http://lamakarma.net/wp-content/uploads/people-nepal-himalayas-trekking-mountains-adventure-3.jpg

Ratna

Tomorrow I will begin scalling the mountain range, and today I am learning about it's formation. As it turns out, Mount Everest and the Himalayas, along with many other major mountain ranges are formed by convergent collision. Convergent collision is when continental tectonic plates collide head-on, using the oppositional force to drive one of them upward, creating tall, non volcanic  mountains.

http://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/physics/images/continental_continental.gif

Convergent Collision

http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/pltec/contvscont289x153.gif

Convegent Collision

This is very interesting to me, as it seems like the plates were almost battling for superiority. This war of plates has had its its latest show of force with a strong earthquake on September 22, 2011. Strong surface earthquakes happen frequently, as the plates are still pushing against eachother, one driving deeper, and the other driving upward. Anyway, it is very late now and I should probably get some sleep before my trek at sunrise. See you next time!