Permit-dodger on bail in Nepal

– A South African who was detained in Nepal for trying to climb Mount Everest without a permit was released on bail yesterday after paying $10 (R132) bail.

Ryan Sean Davy, 43, spent six days in police custody after being caught hiding in a cave near Everest base camp without the permit costing $11 000 needed to climb the world’s tallest mountain. He was arrested during questioning under Nepal’s strict public order laws for swearing at tourism officials – allegations he denies.

“I paid them 1 000 rupees ($10). That’s what I had in my pocket,” Davy said at the Kathmandu district office, where he was brought for the bail hearing.

The South African, who has no prior mountaineering experience, said he could not afford the hefty permit fee but wanted to scale Everest and document his experience in a book and film. He still faces charges related to his summit attempt, which carries a maximum $22 000 fine – double the cost of the permit he was trying to avoid.

“The decision against him is in process but once the government decides the fine amount, he can pay and collect his passport,” Dinesh Bhattarai, head of the tourism department, said. “We are looking at the laws to decide on action against him if he fails to pay.”

Davy has said he cannot afford the fine.

When caught two weeks ago he told officials he climbed as far as Camp One – at 6 000 metres – despite not having proper equipment. His passport was confiscated by government officials, who ordered he return to Kathmandu to collect it and pay a fine – a journey he made by foot because he could not afford a plane ticket.

Johannesburg-born, but USbased, Davy moved to Colorado six months ago to prepare for his Everest bid, living out of a van as he was short on cash. He taught himself to climb by reading mountaineering books and watching YouTube videos. Davy said that had he reached Everest’s summit he planned to cross to the Tibet side – a move that would have landed him in trouble with Chinese authorities too. – AFP