Porter Power

I don't know how much this thing weighed, but I'm sure it's more than OSHA would approve of.

I caught these boys on a much needed break during their mission. They carry these 132 lb (60 kg) water distribution pipes for eight days up to 14,600 ft (4450 m). Also consider that most of the porters weighed in at 115 lb (52 kg) or less.

When you come up behind them swaying along on the trail they look like the broomsticks from Fantasia, minus the buckets of water of course.

One of the travel rules I've come up with is that you can never get to know the people until you do what they do. In this case, I only got to know them for about 45 seconds... do you have any idea how badly my neck hurt after this? No way could I carry one of these with my head for days.

You could almost smell these guys before you saw them. Carrying huge loads of live chickens. I did NOT want to try this task.

Apparently some of the chickens were dying from heat stroke on the way. I know just how they felt.

Oh my God. Yeah, that's basically an entire tree this old man is carrying. On his head. Where the Hell is the Blue Ox when you need him?

This is heavier than it looks. I believe he may also be carrying a supply of needles inside, but I couldn't find them.

I finally found a guy who had shoulder straps as well as a headband. That made this 220 lb (100 kg) load easier for me than the pipe. I mean hey, if I can hold a 350 lb (158 kg) guy on my back and ride a unicycle...