Tag Archives: Nepal

Weekly Photo Challenge: Lost in the Details

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If you have ever been to Kathmandu, Nepal, you know how many things there are to see – it’s easy to get lost in the details.  The images below include two boys we encountered on the way to the Everest Base Camp – you can see the rays of light shining down and their runny noses!  The second is a view of the Valley below from a helicopter ride from Lukla to Kathmandu. The third, is a street view in Thamel. Every day I walked the same street in Thamel, I saw something new.   What a unique and incredible place!

See other entries via the Weekly Photo Challenge Page

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The Indescribable Adventure to the Everest Base Camp

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Hello from the Life Bus!! After about a month of being away, FastPam is slowly getting back into the swing of daily life.  Had no flippin idea how much of a life change it would be after spending 3 weeks in a 3rd world country in the middle of no-where with a bum tooth.  I went from focusing on peaceful daily survival in the middle of the Himalayas to planning weekly business trips with a client in distress and scheduling a root canal.  Where do I start? I have gone round and round with how to describe this completely AMAZING adventure and for me, the best way to share the trip is through the images I produced.  In a nutshell, I spent 3 days exploring Thamel, Kathmandu and about 15 days on the main trail up to the first Mt Everest Base Camp (17,500 feet) – Into Thin Air actually means something to me now.  If you have not read the book, I highly recommend it. There were 12 strangers who hiked over 60 miles, climbed ~9,000k feet and came out in one piece with a greater appreciation for life and for each other.

An amazing group of people, bluebird-sunny days, minimal shower opportunities, shoddy power, no TVs, constant black fingernails and boogers, sherpa squat toilets, frozen underwear and socks, yak dung fires, blankets that smelled like bellybutton lint, a helicopter evacuation, and views of the most amazing mountains in the world contributed to one of the greatest adventures I will most likely ever experience in this lifetime!   I hope you enjoy viewing the adventure through my eyes.  As you can see, my favorite part of the trip, were the people we encountered along the way.  Thanks to REI Adventures for a trip of a life time.  If you are interested in the detailed trip itinerary, take a look on the Travel with REI section of the REI website.

Top 10 Essentials for Surviving Everest Base Camp

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3 days to go before I set off to Kathmandu for my epic trek up to Everest Base Camp.   Packing for a trip like this is intense as there are so many unknowns – Will it rain or snow?  How cold will it be?  Not to mention I have a 30 lb weight restriction for my checked bag on the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla – the starting point for the trek.  Of course I have all of the gear I need to make it through the next 3 weeks, but thought it was worth mentioning a few of those items that will allow me to survive the trek without a hitch!

Top 10 Essentials (in no particular order)

1.  -20 sleeping bag – Temps could be freezing at 15,000 feet and above.  This bag, in addition to a nightly hot water bottle should do the trick!

2.  Ciproflaxin – Also known as Cipro.   Every time I go on one of these trips, at least one person comes down with an intestinal issue and what a drag it is.  Keeping my fingers crossed I don’t draw the short stick this time….

3.  Down Pants – Bought a good pair on sale from Mont-Bell this year.  I most likely will not hike in them, but I do think they will come in handy post trekking while we are all shivering around the dinner table.

4.  Nook – Finally broke down and bought one.  Books are so heavy and with a weight restriction, I thought this was a good option – I got one with the backlight so I could read in the darkness of my tent.

5.  Camera (of course) with a few extra batteries/memory cards and 3 different lenses (50, 24-70 and 70-200).  I will also have an extra Point and Shoot for those days I don’t want to haul the big DSLR around.

6.  Freshette – What is this you ask?  It is an AMAZING gadget for women as it allows us to urinate standing up!  It is the best invention.  No more sitting on unsanitary toilet seats or having to squat in precarious situations – don’t leave home without one!

7. Hand Warmers – To go inside my mountaineering mittens.  If my hands are cold, I might as well go home.  Cold hands to me are like death and I will avoid them at all costs!

8.  Sunscreen – I learned from an earlier trip, sunscreen/lip protection 3 miles + above sea-level is critical.  One year, my lip got so burned, I couldn’t drink hot drinks for a week. Every time my lip touched the side of a hot mug, the pain was unbearable!

9.  Gummi Bears – This is one of the simple pleasures I am bringing with me….can’t help it – LOVE them and figure they will bring me comfort in times of need.  Gotta have simple pleasures!

10. Good bath salts, body lotion and a razor for AFTER the trek.  The first thing I am going to do when we finish up is take a long, hot bath.  I long for it already!

What am I missing??

Winter Trekking in Nepal….The Preparation Begins

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I have 35 ish days to go before I make the 24+ hour journey to Nepal for a 2.5 week trek to the Everest Base Camp (~18,000) with REI Adventures. Sleeping in a tent for 15 days is going to be cold-as-hell and will test my mental toughness on a daily basis (I am confident there will be a few tears).  I have a -20 degree sleeping bag, a fleece liner and a whole slew of hand, foot, and body warmers to keep me warm and toasty. I understand from the REI trip lead, there are 11 other crazy souls taking on this trek in the dead of winter.  My hubby Greg is sitting this one out, so I will have a tent all to myself!  I will miss my very own personal sherpa on this trip :-(.

For the first time in my history of planning a trek like this, there is a little bit of stress boiling up inside.  Mostly because I feel pitifully out of shape.  I have about 35 days to get it together.  I don’t know about you, but feeling forced to work out is not my idea of fun.  Running shoes will be glued to my body while working in Houston during the week and weekends in Colorado will be spent trudging up steep hiking trails to acclimate to higher altitudes – Rain, snow or shine.  If it sounds like I am behind in my training, I am – hence the stress.  A 2 week bout with the flu has not helped this situation.

Thankfully, I am a gear hound and with the exception of snow goggles, I have it covered.   I will, however, continue to test different layering options as I complete my winter training in the Colorado mountains.   For instance, this past weekend in Vail, CO, I was painfully reminded I need an additional layer of warmth on my legs just in case the wind decides to kick up to 20 – 25 MPH and create a white-out situation.  I have not been that cold in a LONG time.  My face was also in incredible pain from the exposure – it literally looked and felt like a cherry popsicle.

On a positive note – not only will I fulfill a bucket list item by having an up close and personal view of Mt. Everest, I will be flying the new United Airlines Dreamliner 787 from Tokyo to San Francisco – VERY excited about that.  So much, that I plan on writing a separate blog post on the Dreamliner itself!

Wish me luck while I prepare for this once in a lifetime adventure!  It will be amazing and one I look forward to sharing with you in the coming months!