That quote, from Jamling Norgay (the son of Tenzing Norgay, who was the first to summit Mount Everest along with Sir Edmund Hillary), touches my heart in a way that is difficult to understand. I really don't know why I am fascinated by Mount Everest. I don't know why I devour books about every aspect of that mountain. I don't know why I see it in my dreams.
But I do know that you can't live your whole life without at least attempting to do something you dream of.
That's why in September I am heading to Kathmandu. I will join an expedition put together by the Global Volunteer Network (http://www.volunteer.org.nz/) to trek to Everest Base Camp (elevation 17,900 ft.). With about 20 other people that I don't know, I will fly to Lukla and walk from there to BC, visiting various Nepali landmarks along the way. We will take a trail that has been crossed thousands of times by mountaineers, sherpas, guides, and locals. I will walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest climbers who ever lived.
Three weeks in Nepal... will it be enough to show me the direction in which my life should go? That's what I'm hoping. I am hoping to find myself in the teahouses, open air markets and changing landscape. It might seem silly to some but for some reason I feel as though my life is hinging on this trip. I know it will change me - please just let it be for the better.
This blog will be a chronicle of my training, preparation and journey. Hopefully it will be interesting to anyone who comes across it. I promise it won't all be so philosophical!
Last night I purchased a solar charger for my iPod and cell phone. I still can't decide what to do about a camera. I have a digital camera I'm not crazy about that uses regular batteries. I'm not sure if I should just suck it up and bring batteries or if I should get a new camera that can be charged. I'm worried about having too many devices relying on one charger. A gift card from my darling Martin B. allowed me to purchase the charger and I am sure I will be even more grateful for it once I'm over there and can hike listening to my favorite music.
I also bought a hideous pair of convertible pants. I spent $55 on the ugliest pair of pants I will ever own. Apparently, women should not show their legs in villages over there so you hike with your shorts on and then zip zip zip you have pants when you enter the village! I added one more pair to my REI registry in a lovely shade of army green. They are less unattrative than the khaki-ish ones I got yesterday. Oh well. I gotta have em.
I have been slowly accumulating gear. I have hiking boots (that need to be broken in), rain pants, a rain jacket, gaiters, hiking socks, a couple pairs of sock liners (need more!!), a backpack, some thermals and a lovely pink pocket knife. I still have a lot to get but I feel like I am doing well so far. I am planning to buy a down sleeping bag and jacket in Kathmandu so that I don't have to travel with them. I think they will also be cheaper over there.
I leave September 25. My flights go Atlanta to Dallas to Tokyo (spend a day) to Delhi (spend a day) to Kathmandu. I leave Kathmandu on October 18. My flights back go Kathmandu to Delhi to Helsinki to London to New York (where I switch airports) to Atlanta. It's a total of five days of travel. I think I will be exhausted but I am literally going all the way around the world. How many people get to say that in their lifetime?
Welcome to my journey.
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