The Himalayan city of Darjeeling was the setting for an informative working holiday for Hampshire County Council's museums and archives service training officer.

Alan Johnston, who is also curator of Eastleigh Museum, was sponsored by the Indian Trust for Arts, Culture and Heritage and selected by the UK Museums Association to support its first overseas candidate to undertake training towards their professional Associateship award.

Alan has been providing student, Chandranath Das, curator of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Museum, with guidance on all areas of museum management, from conservation work, to collections management and visitor services.

The museum attracts over 250,000 visitors a year and is part of a complex which houses a breeding centre for Himalayan wildlife and climbing training facilities.

Alan also had the unique opportunity, as guest of honour at the annual Pujar Festival in Calcutta, to address thousands of people about Hampshire's cultural heritage policies and to acknowledge India's significant commitment and achievements towards similar goals.

Highlights of Alan's trip included a visit to the home of the Tibetan sherpa and institute director, Narwang Gombu, who was the first person to have reached the summit of Mount Everest twice. Narwang told Alan of the wild screams he heard as a child in the Himalayas, and footprints - both of which he thought belonged to the Yeti, which he believes to be nowextinct.

County council executive member for recreation and heritage, John Waddington, said: "The trip has also provided our museums and archives service with a valuable insight on the operation of a museum in another part of the world.

"We believe that exchanging information on best practice with museums and cultural organisations overseas will enable us to ensure that we are constantly improving our services and offering Hampshire residents the best in cultural attractions."