Global News Podcast: The Happy Pod : The Norwegian Nepali duo reaching new heights

Hello, this is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service with reports and analysis

from across the world. The latest news seven days a week. BBC World Service podcasts are supported

by advertising. Hi, my name is Evie. I am from Nigeria.

I'm Monica from Poland. This is the Happy Pod. Welcome to the Happy Pod.

Welcome to this week's Happy Pod. This is indeed the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jackie Leonard and in this edition uploaded on Saturday the 5th of August,

the climbers who've completed the fastest descent of the world's 14 highest mountains in record time.

We got the harpist who played a concert at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The sun came out. The music was just so crisp and clear because the air was just so beautiful.

We'll be celebrating another musician, Felix Kleser, born without arms,

but able to wow concert audiences by playing the French horn with his feet.

When you make music, you make music for people, to make people happy.

When I have the feeling that the audience is happy and enjoys the concert, then I'm happy too.

Also in this podcast, the Nigerian prodigy seeking to inspire others to take up chess.

Chairs hope to have alternative plans to see the big picture, to control your emotions.

We have to think it is much just again.

The record to scale the world's 14 highest mountains has been broken.

Norwegian Kristin Harreller and Nepoli Tenjin Lama Sherpa completed their feet in 92 days.

That's three months and five days faster than the previous record.

The pair's final summit was K2 in Pakistan, the world's second highest mountain,

and all 14 peaks were above 8,000 meters.

Kristin told us about their extraordinary achievement.

It was very, very special and we were very happy.

We had a very tough and hard climb up to the summit of K2,

but most of all on the summit, we knew that we were halfway.

We still had to climb down, so we were happy, but we were focused on getting safely back down also.

So these 14 summits in record time, how did you manage it?

I know that there was a bit of controversy over the use of some very modern equipment

and that sort of help, but talk us through how you managed it.

I think a lot of the information that came out about helicopter were wrong information.

It sounded like we have been flying helicopter up, but of course we haven't.

We have been climbing the whole way from base camp to the summit and back.

And of course, it's a hard job when we're out there.

Sometimes we arrive base camp and maybe we rest a couple of hours and then we start to climb.

And sometimes we climb up to camp one or camp two and it can take us five to 10 hours.

And then we rest a couple of hours and then we continue to the next camp.

And then we go for the summit push and maybe that takes 28 hours or something.

I think the longest we have done has been more than 40 hours.

So it's not much rest. And of course, you get very, very tired.

I'm feeling exhausted just listening to that.

You didn't just break the record. You absolutely smashed it.

Were you confident throughout that that was the way it was going to go?

Were you prepared to sort of allow yourself some more rest when you needed it?

As we climbed during the spring in first Tibet and then Nepal,

we kind of saw there was a chance that we could complete all the nine that we have in

Tibet and Nepal in the spring. Then we managed to do that,

but we knew that we still had the five months in Pakistan left.

And we know some of them are very challenging.

What is next for you? How do you, how do you, how do you cap this?

What do you do next?

I'm going to be home and get children and get married.

Do you have someone in mind for that?

Yeah, I do. I do. It's been very, very hard to be away from my boyfriend and my family also.

So now I'm very glad that I can spend some more time with them.

I came back on Monday and we had a celebration here in Oslo.

And today we are actually going back to Nepal to have a celebration together with Lama and the team there.

Obviously, you have an incredible working relationship with Tendin Lama Sherpa.

Are you friends as well? Do you really get on?

Do you have to get on if you're doing something like this?

Yeah, we have to. And the nice and the funny thing in it,

just say so much about a human being, but when I met him in March,

he didn't speak a word English and I, a couple of words Nepali,

but we understood each other perfectly. And since then we have been together and spent so much time

together and really good friends. And he's just amazing and not just the strongest shirt

that I've ever seen, but he's also the kindest and taking so much care of me.

And we have had so much fun, nice time and also, of course, hard time together.

Norwegian climber Kristin Harreller and congratulations to her and Tendin Lama Sherpa.

Plastic is obviously really useful stuff, but hundreds of millions of tons of it are produced

every year. And that's bad news for the environment because it can take years for it to break down.

That's where scientist Eleftheria Rumeli and her colleagues come in.

They have come up with a new plastic using powdered blue, green,

cyanobacteria cells known as spirulina that can be used to make hard shapes,

but which in the right conditions will decompose like fruit.

We actually use food material to make it. So the type of biomass that we use,

because it is made of proteins, carbohydrates, fats,

and that's why we actually have it as a food supplement. You can eat it.

Wait, so you can eat your plastic?

Yes. However, we have done transformation heat induced. We have toasted it.

It does smell like burnt fish or something.

We have other plastics that we develop from fruits like from strawberry or banana.

These smell much nicer. So when we do these in the lab, you can come and it's more unpleasant.

So what can you actually make with this stuff?

You can imagine it for single use plastics that are in contact with your food,

for example, your cutlery, your plates. However, I think that these are not the best uses.

This material does have significant structural properties. So it can carry a lot of load before

it breaks. So you can actually build like your closet and it can carry the load of your books and

your clothes, your desk, your chair. I think those applications are a little better used

because they utilize the strength of the material. However, this is not a product.

We have not made a product.

So it's a step on the way, but it's not actually a product as such just yet.

And it is interesting as you were saying that other scientists and entrepreneurs are working

towards creating fully biodegradable plastic right now. Let's hear from Chun Lau.

He's the co-founder of an Australian company called Casava Bags.

So our magic ingredient is the Casava plant and more specifically we utilize the starches.

So there's no micro plastics when it breaks down and there's no toxins as well.

It can dissolve in hot water in under 60 seconds and it will compost in six to eight months.

So how important do you think it is that lots of different minds, different scientists,

different researchers and entrepreneurs are all coming at this problem from different directions?

It is very important that we find solutions that are approaching the problem from multiple ways.

So people are trying, I guess, from different points of view to give solutions to this problem.

So for us, what we have in our generation, I guess, is a thing called interdisciplinarity

because we need all of these different expertise to be pulled together.

I don't think that this specific material is going to change the world.

But I do think that our students and the people that we reach

and the way that we teach them how to think about designing materials,

I think this is going to have a higher potential and a higher impact.

And for me, that's the most important thing.

It's not that my team now at this one particular year made this contribution.

I don't think anybody's going to remember that. And I don't care for that.

I do care that all of these people then afterwards, they're going to make changes.

And little by little, that's how you get to results, I think.

Eleftheria Rumele of the University of Washington in Seattle.

That is French horn player Felix Cleaser, playing with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra,

a glorious sound by any measure. But all the more impressive when you realize that Felix was

born without arms and so instead of fingers, he's playing with his toes.

The 32-year-old German has just made his debut at one of the biggest events

for any classical musician, the BBC PROMs at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

And he spoke to us from there.

When you make music, you make music for people, to make people happy.

And this is the most important thing for me.

And when I have the feeling that the audience is happy and enjoys the concert, then I'm happy too.

And for this, it doesn't matter where you play, in which city, in which country,

the most important things are that people are having a beautiful time.

So you're horn, you play it with your feet, don't you?

So do you have to have an instrument that is particularly adapted for you?

How do you get around the physical issues of playing an instrument like this?

No, it's a normal horn. So everyone who can play the horn can play my instrument.

So now in the end, it's not an adapted instrument.

In the end, you know, the finger ring, the six fingers are doing,

it's not that important with the French horn.

It's not like a piano, like a violin.

When you play piano or violin, then the fingering is very, very important.

But with the French horn, the most important thing is the mouse.

And your lips, your air, how you breathe, and so on.

This is the most important thing.

So, and of course, this was also when I learned the French horn,

this was the most challenging thing.

So you started playing when you were a very small boy, didn't you?

Tell us a bit more about that.

Well, yes, I started to play the French horn when I was four years old.

And my family in the round is no one making music, so it's no musician.

And of course, there's no one playing the French horn.

And I was never in a concert where I've seen the instrument

and said, well, this looks so beautiful.

I want to learn this instrument.

So where I got a contact with this instrument

and from where I got the idea, this is a really big miracle.

It is. And I mean, you had some quite serious difficulties

to overcome in order to become a musician,

in order specifically to become a horn player.

Talk us through that.

At the beginning, I have to tell you, learning an instrument

and becoming a musician is very difficult.

It doesn't matter who you are, what you are, how talented you are.

It's something of the most difficult.

It's like becoming a professional football player.

Because when you grew up and when you want to learn an instrument,

then it can be really frustrating

because you have many, many problems in your life.

We have many situations where you have the feeling, OK,

there's a limit and you cannot overcome or jump over this limit.

And when you have to decide, OK, should I go on with the situation?

Should I go on with the instrument?

Or should I stop here and accept this lombard?

And this is something which is very difficult.

But in the end, it's something that's very difficult for everyone.

Do you think that the audiences for classical music

are becoming more diverse?

Would you like to see a change

in the way that people approach classical music?

The most important thing is where you play.

When you're travel to Asia, when you play in Asia,

the audiences are very young.

So I would say my age is the old age.

So there are about 20, something between 20 and 30,

you can find in a concert when you play in Asia.

When you play in Europe or specific in Germany,

then the audience is much older.

So it depends on why you play.

And what does music do for you?

What does it give you?

I think it's a good or it's the best way

how with which you can communicate emotions and way of thinking.

The way that you have the chance to learn new pieces,

this is something which makes music interesting.

So in the end, I cannot say this is my favorite piece

or this is my favorite composer,

because I would say in the end,

to be able to play as many things as possible,

this is the most beautiful thing in making music.

Felix Cleaser, and you can hear his prom

and most of the BBC prom season on BBC sounds.

Now, time for a listener.

Hey, happy team.

I wanted to share with you my happy sound

that accompanies me for three and a half years now.

When my daughter Inka was two years old,

she played around with video recording up on my mobile.

She walked around the house being beautifully cheerful.

And this is what she recorded.

This sound accompanies me every single day.

I saved it as MP3.

Now, every phone call I receive

is my happy two-year-old bubbling to me.

No phone call I receive has ever been a bad one

since the tune change.

Still to come.

I am proud of my daughter.

As a father, I have learned that it is not just

about winning trophies or accolades.

We will hear about a remarkable young chess prodigy in Nigeria.

Earlier, we heard about climbing mountains

and we've heard about a very impressive musician.

Now, let's combine those things

and meet Irish harpist, Siobhan Brady.

She is just back in Ireland

after hiking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

and then playing a 20-minute concert.

No mean feat when you consider the summit is 5,895 metres up.

She is hoping to beat her own Guinness World Record

for the highest altitude harp performance.

She told us about her ascent.

We started climbing at midnight.

In the complete darkness, all our water froze.

We had head torches on.

We were kept awake solely by our guides and porters singing to us

and dawn broke at 6am and we got to the summit at 8.

We had the most beautiful weather,

so I had a down jacket and down mittens and hand warmers

and I didn't end up needing them because the sun came out

and it was surprisingly warm, still very cold.

The music was just so crisp and clear.

The air was just so beautiful.

And how did you choose the music to perform?

So I got in contact with a few composers around Ireland.

So a few of them were written by my teacher, Janet Harbison,

who ran the school in Limerick.

She's actually a Grammy award-winning composer.

So I played a piece called by Strangford Water.

Here.

You talk about the magic of the performance

and the magic of the moment,

but getting there must have been a real test of resilience.

And you've talked about the harp as being more portable,

but who carried it?

And at any point, did you think I wish I'd learnt the Piccolo?

Well, it is the symbol of Ireland.

Like, it was just the most beautiful image.

It wouldn't have been any way as more beautiful

if it was any other instrument, I think.

We were going to carry it.

And so we had two years of practising.

We went once a month to various mountains around Ireland

and abroad and we did different methods of carrying the harp.

So we used like a flight box with poles

or then we tried to turn it into a backpack.

We were told by our guides when we got there

that if we attempted to carry it,

over half the team wouldn't make it to the summit.

So we decided to give the knowledge

that we had created to the African team over there.

We had six or eight porters and guides

who went up a very fast route with the harp,

so it only took two days to get up.

So we took five days

because we had to acclimatise to the altitude.

What sort of reaction have you had?

It's actually just been shocking.

I wasn't expecting anything at all.

When we got off of the plane,

the director of the airport of Kilimanjaro

had a dance troupe waiting for us on the runway.

Do you have a message for the people from Tanzania

who helped you make this incredible ascent

and perform the way that you did?

Just a message of thanks.

The phrase I got given was Tanzania Unforgettable

and it honestly does sum it up.

Harpist Siobhan Brady,

who's definitely heard the piccolo joke before.

Now, a few of the other things

that caught our attention this week.

You might have seen the tale of luck and unity from India,

where 11 women have hit the jackpot.

The women, all garbage collectors

from the southern state of Kerala,

couldn't afford individual lottery tickets,

so they pooled their money to buy just one.

Now they are sharing the jackpot of 100 million rupees.

That's around $1.2 million.

Congratulations to them.

And let's hear from farmer Lee Wilson from Kansas in the US

who has seriously raised the bar on anniversary presents.

We're celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary, August 10th.

And you know, what's a guy get his gal on their 50th?

And I put a lot of thought into it.

And she always liked sunflowers.

And I thought this is the year to plant sunflowers.

So we planted her 80 acres of sunflowers.

That's a massive field of 1.2 million sunflowers

as a surprise gift for his wife Renee

to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

And yes, I will get a picture of that

on various social media using the hashtag TheHappyPod,

because it's lovely.

To Nigeria now to hear from Yvie Urieto,

a brilliant chess player who believes

the game can be a positive force for social change.

She's eight.

She's already won numerous medals

and intends to be a grandmaster by the time she turns 15.

My dad and the department to start playing chess

at the age of four.

I realized that I was really good at chess

when I started beating my dad and going for tournaments.

I want to be a professional chess player

and I also want to inspire young children and adults.

Because it's not just about your own ambitions

and your own capabilities.

You're actually an ambassador for the gift of chess foundation,

aren't you?

What does that mean?

I go to schools of an age and local communities

to distribute the gift of chess.

And I also teach them how to play chess.

It is not just a game.

So what do you hope other people can take from chess?

What they can learn from this game?

Chess helps you to have alternative plans.

It helps you to see the big picture,

to control your emotions.

You have to think.

We asked your dad what he made of all your success

and I hope you can hear this little clip that he gave us.

I am proud of my daughter for her victories on the chess board

and the person she has become through the journey of chess.

She remained humble, kind, grounded,

always willing to help and support others.

As a father, I have learned that it is not just

about winning trophies or accolades.

It's about nurturing a child's passion

and watching them shine uniquely.

So what do your friends and other families say

about what you're doing with chess?

I think chess is a good game that I should keep on playing

and I should never give up.

Chess Grandmaster in the making Iwie Urieto in Nigeria.

How do you feel about Watermelon?

I'm betting you aren't as excited about it

as the good people of Takizawa City in Japan.

Thousands of people are descending on the city this month

for the Watermelon Festival

and spokesman Kenya Osawa,

with help from interpreter Katherine Nozawa, explained why.

So in order to increase the awareness

of Takizawa Watermelons,

we created the festival

and every year we continue to draw in more visitors.

It has gotten so popular

that now we have about 4,000 people visit

and sell about 3,000 Watermelons.

Now the reason we became aware of your festival,

we especially liked a photograph

that we saw in the press of the Mayor Saturo Takeida

wearing a very smart suit

with a very serious expression on his face

but wearing a big foam melon hat.

Is it fun, your festival?

At the festival there are some events for people to enjoy.

You can hear some music related to Watermelons

and also there is a watermelon splitting contest for children.

Can you just explain that for us?

So first you put on a blindfold

and then the watermelon is maybe about five meters away

and you have to walk up to it and hit it with a stick

and try and break open the watermelon.

But this year at the festival

they won't be using a real watermelon

but a beach ball instead

as part of like an environmental policy

to not to waste any of the delicious watermelon.

Very wise, very wise!

So it sounds like at least initially

the festival has been for farmers

and people who want to buy watermelon

but you're talking to the world now

is this something you would like tourists

to come and share in?

We want everyone to be able to come

and enjoy the watermelon in our city.

Our thanks to Kenya Osawa

and interpreter Catherine Nozawa

and it all kicks off on August the 11th

in Takizawa City if you are in the neighborhood

and if you know about an unusual festival

please get in touch, maybe invite us.

Now we don't do a great deal of sport here

but it does make a lot of people very happy.

As we record this edition

the Women's Football World Cup

is now into the group stages

making dreams come true for some

and we can't let English cricketer

Stuart Broad retire without a mention.

Some of the newspaper headlines tell the story

fairy tale finish, way to go Stuart

and that's how you say goodbye.

He ended in style, bowling England

to another dramatic victory

in the fifth test against Australia

to leave the ashes series level at 2-2.

Another cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar

tweeted a phenomenal career draws to a close.

Let's hear Stuart Broad's reaction to his last moments.

It's always a really difficult decision

to walk away from a game you love

but ultimately I wanted my last ball

and my last bat to be playing in an environment

that's so special

because my lasting memories

will be just of pure joy and pure happiness

and that's exactly how I feel right now.

Stefan Schemilt, BBC Chief Cricketwriter was watching.

I think the funny thing about that moment

was the anticipation that everyone had around it

and the shared experience

that everyone knew what was possible

but I guess the happiness in the moment

from an England point of view

was this perfect storm of England

trying to draw the series

and the knowledge that this great warrior

Stuart Broad was bowing out

to win the test match for England

to bring this amazing series

to a really dramatic and fitting finale.

The stars really aligned

for what was a really joyous moment.

Looking more generally at sport

we experienced don't we

that the emotional heights and depths

when we're watching it or participating in it

what is it about sport?

It's a really unique thing isn't it

in terms of a collective experience

in that we all buy into

the possibility of sharing together

our joy or our despair

or our anger or our disappointment

and that is kind of the deal that you sign up to

when you go to watch a sporting event

and I suppose the only thing I could compare it to

is if you're watching a stand-up comedian

on the TV at home

you might laugh out loud a couple of times

but if you're in the auditorium

or you're in the theatre

you're much more likely to laugh out loud

because everyone with you is laughing too

and I think that's the thing with sport isn't it

that when we're all together

our emotions become heightened

and the lows are lower

and the highs are higher

and you should never underestimate

what the crowd does to a sporting event

and when you have a moment of that pure joy

like we had with Stuart Broad on Monday

it's quite perfect isn't it?

Yes it is.

Steph-Anne Schemelt, BBC Chief Cricketwriter

And that's it from us for now

remember if you'd like to be part of the happy pod

you can email us the sound that brings you joy

we would also love to hear if you have any stories to share

that will make us all smile

as ever the address globalpodcast at bbc.co.uk

This edition was mixed by Chesney Forks Porter

and the producers were Anna Murphy and Tracy Gordon

our editor is Karen Martin

I'm Jackie Leonard and until next time

a bit more of this

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