Booking a Trip with Norbu and Bob


Those of us in Serka Zong to catch the Flying Yak to Everest Base Camp must first check in with the Himalayan Escapes Booking Office. Himalayan Escapes organizes a number of tours and expeditions in the nearby mountains, but the one departing today is among their most popular offering: Expedition Everest.


The Booking Office is a cramped space, but serves its purpose. A look around the office reveals dozens of tiny details, all of which help tell the story of this place. Clockwise from the top left, look for a portrait of the Rajah of Anandapur and his wife, the first rupee they ever earned, old photos from their first expedition, a business license, alerts for trekkers, a map of the Himalayan region, a pack covered in patches from past trips, a computer and radio (older models, but still functional) and a safe.

On the wall to the right, you'll also find this letter from a Colonel Edward Blanchard (fictional) to the owners of Himalayan Escapes, identified as Norbu and Bob. It's a great example of how Imagineering storytelling is revealed through details.


In the backstory developed during production on the Expedition Everest attraction, a complete history was imagined for entrepreneurs Norbu, a native Anandapuri, and Bob, a Brit, and how they came together to build the business known as Himalayan Escapes. Stories like this serve as a guide for the various Imagineering disciplines involved in creating an attraction. With everyone following the same blueprint, every element ultimately works in unison to help tell the story.


The backstory for Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain also describes that Himalayan Escapes operates a number of different tours. This part of the story is brought to life not only in the "temporary" banners and signs welcoming the Expedition Everest group, but also in details like this tour board in the Booking Office. It lists all the tours currently underway, along with their status, number of members and staff, the name of the guide and their current location. Expedition Everest is listed on the top row, with the current location being Serka Zong. Our tour is about to depart.


Patches and stickers displayed in the office also allude to previous tours offered by Himalayan Escapes, such as the Anandapur Polo Club Expedition and All American Women's Expedition, as well as certain affiliations, like the Anandapur Mountaineering Association. Look closely, and you may also discover a bit of Hidden Disney in the patch for the Mouseketeer Mountaineer Expedition.

Anandapur Rail Services Reopens


Tea has been an important export for the Kingdom of Anandapur for centuries, but it wasn't until the early-20th century, when Anandapur Rail Lines initiated a service route through the Forbidden Mountain, that the tea plantations saw their greatest success. The 1922 file photo above documents the arrival of the first train in 1922.

The line closed in the mid-30s, after a series of incidents some attributed to the legendary Yeti, but it has recently been reestablished by a pair of entrepreneurs. Here's the story, as it appeared in The Anandapur Reporter:


FORBIDDEN MOUNTAIN RAILWAY REOPENS
Locals Fear Wrath of Yeti

SERKA ZONG - Despite dire warning from irate local residents, the old Anandapur Rail Services route through Forbidden Mountain was reopened today. Closed since 1934 under mysterious circumstances, the railroad, formerly operated by the Royal Anandapur Tea Co., was refurbished by Himalayan Escapes Tours and Expeditions. The intent, say the operators, is to provide safe, efficient transport to base camp at Mount Everest and environs. Hundreds of western trekkers and climbers are expected to make the journey to Serka Zong to book passage on the new service.


In the heyday of the great tea plantations that flourished in the region, private rail lines were established to carry produce to distant markets. The Royal Anandapur Tea Company used the Forbidden Mountain route extensively in the 1920s and early 1930s. However, beginning in 1933, the railroad was plagued with accidents. Some drew a connection between the mishaps and increasing British expeditionary attempts to reach the summit of Mount Everest, invoking the spirit of the guardian of the sacred mountain. By 1934, continual equipment breakdowns and track breakages caused the tea company to shutter its facilities and pull up stakes. The legend of a sacred beast continued to loom large among locals, coming to a head in 1982 with the tragic disappearance of the Forbidden Mountain Expedition.

However, warnings and naysayers aside, the daring entrepreneurs behind Himalayan Escapes were determined to put on a loud, colorful show to celebrate their achievement. Local government officials in attendance trumpeted the event as a landmark enterprise, marking a new era of prosperity and opportunity for Serka Zong. It is indeed our hope that this is the case.

Welcome to the Himalayas


Approaching the village of Serka Zong, we catch our first glimpse of the breathtaking peaks of the Himalayas. Everest, called Sagarmatha or Chomolungma by the locals, is the most well-known of these, with its claim to fame as the highest mountain in the world (just over 29,000 feet). There are many other mountains in the region worth exploring, though, including the sacred Mt. Kailash and the second highest peak on Earth, K2.


Most mountaineers coming to the region, however, have their sights set on Everest (actually the broad, lower mountain seen in the distance at the right in the photo below). To get there from Serka Zong, expeditions must first traverse the Forbidden Mountain (the jagged peak in the left foreground of the shot), legendary home of the Yeti.


Of course, most serious explorers don't give much credence to the Yeti stories told by local people. The tales of a Yeti who protects the mountain from intruders are nothing more than myth, cooked up to frighten children or explain seemingly "mysterious" events. There's nothing more to it.

Right?

While in Serka Zong, Stay at...


Travelers visiting Serka Zong have a number of choices for lodging. One of the more popular spots, just on the outskirts of the village, is the Shangri-La Trekkers Inn. For western visitors especially, the Shangri-La offers moderns conveniences such as its Internet Cafe.


Shangri-La isn't the only game in town, though. In fact, they're about to get some stiff competition right next door, where the new Yeti Palace Hotel is set to open next season. Right now, the hotel is still an active construction site. Take note of the cement mixer, pulley system for raising materials to the upper floors and the stack of handmade bricks, imported from India and awaiting placement in the walls of the new building.


The marquee painted on the wall of the Yeti Palace Hotel is credited to Bhavani Sign Painting. Bhavani is an aspect of the Hindu goddess Parvati. It means "giver of life" and is considered the source of creative energy. It is also the name of a town and river in India.


Several services have been provided for travelers staying in the area, including access to pay telephones operated by Anandapur Telegraphy. There is also a source of fresh drinking water, along with an advisory to "not drink from streams and wells."


Those heading on mountaineering expeditions will want to stop by Gupta's Gear. This small shop at the base of the Shangri-La Trekkers Inn offers "First Class Mountaineer Equipment," including backpacks, boots, oxygen tanks and anything else one might need to conquer the Himalayas.


Gupta's has also become an informal gathering place for parties heading out on expedition. A bulletin board at the shop allows group members to leave messages for one another and provides other important information, like the map of the area. Take time to read some of the notices, though, and you'll also discover there's a bit of an argument brewing. Some are insisting that the local legends about a Yeti that protects the mountains are true and should be taken seriously, while others are quick to dismiss the reported sightings as cases of mistaken identity.


Is there a Yeti on the "Forbidden Mountain?" Only those who dare to take the journey may ever know for sure.

The Road to Serka Zong


In modern times, the Kingdom of Anandapur has become a destination, both for ecotourism in the area of Anandapur Township as well as for adventurers with their sights set on conquering the highest peak on Earth, Mt. Everest. As such, all manner of tourist-focused enterprises have sprung up in town and along the road to nearby Serka Zong, the point of origin for many mountain climbing expeditions.

In the world of the theme park, some of these businesses are functional, while others exist in graphic form only to help further create the sense that this storytelling environment might actually be a real place. We can't actually stay at the Leopard Lodge or Kataka Tiger Camp, no matter how enticing the mountain views may sound.


Most of the signs are in English, since most of the tourists speak it, but English is not the native language here. Because of that, you sometimes come across some interesting wording. "For Home Stay & Economic Tourist" and "Human Fit Tailors" are just two examples the Imagineers actually came across on research trips to Asia.


Some entrepreneurs have gone to great lengths to attract the interest of passing tourists. The operator of this vending bus has decorated every inch of his vehicle with murals and metallic art, depicting some of the wildlife and other famous sights of Anandapur.


Look closely. In addition to camels, monkeys, peacocks and tigers, you'll also spot paintings of the royal towers and the Tiger Temple along the Chakranadi River.


A nearby ice cream vendor has similarly decorated his cart, this time with an image of Kali enjoying frozen treats among the peaks of the Himalayas.


Tucked in the bushes just behind his business cart, you may also notice this more modest wagon. This contains the vendor's personal things. In order to make enough money to support his family, the ice cream vendor would push his cart out to the roadside early in the morning and stay there most of the day. Having this wagon handy allows him to prepare a snack or lunch for himself, without having to close his cart to potential customers.

Ancient Rulers of Anandapur


While Asia at Disney's Animal Kingdom may have only opened in 1999, the history of the Kingdom of Anandapur goes back centuries. Some of this history is evident on the walls of the Maharajah's Hunting Palace, in portraits of several of Anandapur's early kings (or rajahs). Follow the portraits, and you'll see they tell a tale of the people and their transition from a mindset of controlling nature to one of coexisting.

The first rajah (above) is King Bhima Disampati, who initially closed the forest as a private hunting ground and commissioned the construction of the Hunting Palace. He's depicted with a bow and arrow. Nearby, birds flee and blackbuck antelope cower in the bushes. There are also a pair of cheetahs in this portrait, but notice they're wearing collars. Today, cheetahs are found almost exclusively in Africa, but they once covered a wider range where aristocrats often acquired them for use in hunting.


The first rajah was succeeded by his brother, who was lazy and didn't care for hunting. He had an appreciation for nature, but still in a very controlling sort of way. This king built the palace ballroom and created the pleasure gardens on the grounds. He is standing alongside one of his gardens (the ruins of which can be found nearby), holding a plucked flower and a string of pearls. He's also shown wearing a headdress adorned with exotic bird feathers.


Later in Anandapur's history, a new dynasty of rulers came along, bringing with it a period of peace (indicated by the pair of doves in this next portrait, above). This is the rajah who built the Red Temple, the model for which he holds in his hands. He may have had a certain reverence for nature, but his push for development often put him at odds with that. Note that he's standing on a bed of fallen palm fronds, indicating that portion of the jungle cut down to build the temple and expand the village.


Finally, we come to a portrait of a later rajah, who actually stepped down from his post and went to live out his life among the forest creatures. He's depicted in calm meditation, surrounded by birds who accept him as a friendly presence. It was he who turned the Royal Forest over to the people of Anandapur in the 1940s, so everyone might gain an appreciation for the region's natural treasures.

The Maharajah's Hunting Palace


Among the ruins to be found in the Anandapur Royal Forest are those of the ancient Maharajah's Hunting Palace. Once King Bhima Disampati decreed the forest a royal preserve in the 16th century, this area became a popular hunting ground for the royal family and their guests.

Some of the early murals which adorned the palace walls can still be seen, depicting hunters on horses and elephants or up in blinds taking down tigers for sport. Close observers will even spot the large doors which once led from the horse stalls and elephant paddocks.


The origins of the palace predate any enlightened sense of conservation of nature or wildlife for the Anandapuris. As such, the murals also depict a period in which tigers seemed plentiful, rather than endangered as they find themselves today.


Ironically, one mural includes a structure which would later become known as the Tiger Temple, a site which can be visited today in Anandapur Township (along the queue for Kali River Rapids). Of course, in modern times a different sort of boat is typically seen plying the waters of the nearby Chakranadi River, and sadly, tigers have long since been driven from that part of the country.


Back in the Anandapur Royal Forest, however, the tigers are now protected. Modern day visitors are advised to remain on the designated paths. If they do so, they may just be rewarded with a rare sighting of one of Asia's most beautiful and majestic creatures.

Nature, the All-Powerful Force


One of the principal themes in the land of Asia at Disney's Animal Kingdom is the power of nature. This is especially evident along the Maharajah Jungle Trek, where ancient ruins of Anandapur's royal past have been overtaken by plant and animal life.

The pleasure gardens on the grounds of the former Royal Hunting Palace are crumbling now. A few fountains remain, and the citrus trees once planted by the rajah continue to flourish. Most of the rest, however, is but a shadow of its former glory, now reclaimed by the jungle.


This reclamation is nearly complete at the palace ballroom. Once a grand structure with ornate columns, tiled floors and a spectacular central fountain, the ballroom's domed ceiling gave way ages ago, leaving it open to the elements. Now, trees grow from cracks in the floor and the space has become a haven for species of exotic birds.


The rajahs and people of Anandapur eventually learned their lesson. Rather than trying to control or destroy, they now coexist peacefully with the natural world around them.

Water for Travellers


Placemaking is one of the key elements of the Imagineering art. The designers of a set or location strive to fill it with details, some subtle some not, to help make it look lived in and authentic. In the words of Disney's Animal Kingdom Executive Designer Joe Rohde, "Detail is there to make you believe in the reality of the story you're immersed in."

The land of Asia has some of the finest examples of this work. The visitor doesn't feel that he or she is in an artificial theme park environment. Asia provides an escape into another world. Everything contributes to the creation of that illusion. Take the scene above as an example: the old stone floor, the crumbling brick and plaster walls, the layers of prayer flags, the harvested bamboo, the bicycle. This is a place inhabited by real people going about their daily lives.


One important aspect of daily life in Anandapur is the need to acquire fresh water. Since good sources of potable water are scarce, locals come to a place like this to stock up. Rather than standing in a long line and waiting for the water, though, they simply leave their vessels here. Different colors and designs identify individual owners, and since this is a community water source, people work together in a spirit of cooperation. When someone passes by and notices that a jug is full, he will replace it with another. If you left an empty jug in the morning, come back in the afternoon, and it's likely to have been filled.

Of course, this sort of detail is only possible because the team working on the Asia project for Disney's Animal Kingdom actually travelled throughout Asia for research. Observing a cultural practice such as this, unique to that part of the world, inspired designers to add another layer of detail and storytelling to what otherwise would have been a simple theme park drinking fountain.