In five weeks time, I will be on a flight to Nepal. I can’t believe how quickly it is coming around and how well I am keeping my emotions under wraps. Well, behind closed doors I’m an emotional wreck but no one needs to see that right.
So, were walking the Everest Base Camp trail for 15 days. Why? Simply because I really really want to. I want to see the mountains, I want to wake up in the mountains and I want to experience that exact trail. I have been told multiple times to choose a different route because it’s busy or because another way is better etc but that is my dream trip, I have wanted to hike that trail since before I could remember. Also, I am heading there for sentimental reasons too. Last year, we lost a special soul, my Grandma decided it was time to reunite with her love in the sky and went to join my Grandad on a park bench in heaven. She knew how much I love to hike and how Nepal would be a dream destination for me so kindly left me a little Nepal fund. I just know how happy she would have been to hear all my stories and see our photos so for her, I’m hiking to Everest Base Camp.
Am I prepared? Mentally, I’m not sure how you mentally prepare yourself for a trip of a lifetime or for what I imagine will be a pure sensory overload. Am I excited? Hell Yes! I can’t quite believe that I will be stood under the tallest mountain in the world in less than two months. Am I nervous? I think it would be foolish not to be. This will be the first time I have ever multi, multi-day hiked and also ever been at such a high altitude so yes. Nerves are on my side, but nothing outweighs the immense feeling of pure happiness about embarking on such a mission.
Preparation in terms of Fitness. I have been hiking and walking almost every day. Not always uphill, but I walk every day. Sometimes with a pack, sometimes not. Sometimes in my Lowa Boots sometimes not. I feel like it’s all about balance. As long as you are walking fit, then one should be okay, but I have never been to Nepal before, so I hope what I am classing as training is enough. I am currently racking up around 50kms a week and alternating hill training and flat loop trails. I also started doing Yoga, just at home as I believe stretching your body after exercise is important especially when needing to unwind.
I have also started focusing more on my breathing. After reading multiple blogs about altitude sickness etc I thought best to be as prepared as possible. When I was a child I had really bad Asthma but upon moving to New Zealand it started to calm down and eventually the doctors said it was pretty much non-existent. A chest infection and Hay fever allergic reaction at Christmas however really hurt my chest and breathing. It scared me a little as I don’t want anything to hinder my hiking in the Himalayas. I now spend at least five minutes a day breathing in and out through my nose, controlling the breaths and the time inhaling and exhaling.
We are pretty lucky to have some beautiful companies on board sponsoring our trip. Kathmandu have kindly sponsored us with gear. I can’t wait to show you what we will be taking with us and training with before we depart for Nepal. The epic team at Lowa supply my boots and I am so stoked to be wearing such an awesome pair of boots during the hike, they are comfortable, durable and perfect for the hike ahead of us. My friends at Mons Royale have kindly gifted me some merino goodness to keep me warm on the mountain. Super important when temperatures are likely to drop below minus ten. When I have a full packing list and products in my hand, I will write another blog dedicated to that.
For now, I’m going to focus on climbing some more hills and making sure that my legs are strong enough to get me to Everest Base Camp.
I’m so excited to share my adventures with you.
Notes of a Northerner 