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Mount Everest Base Camp: Day by Day…..
Lukla to Phakding (9km. Starting at 2800m, finishing at 2600m. -200m drop)
The most exciting part of today was taking the small plane from Kathmandu to Lukla! The flight is only 25 minutes but wow, it was exciting! We had a rough patch just as I stood up to take a photo from the other side of the plane…. I handled it pretty well but was fast back into my seat – the very back seat of the tiny plane. Flying through the middle of the mountains and approaching a very short runway with spectators and buildings at the end of it was thrilling! All of our duffle bags didn’t fit on our plane with us (due to weight restrictions) so our plane took a quick trip back to Kathmandu to collect the remaining bags while we took a look around Lukla, and then I enjoyed a hot chocolate and biscuits in the sun!
Mount Everest Base Camp: Day by Day…..
Today was the first time in my life that I attempted YOGA! My roommate Lucie is right into her yoga and meditation etc… I was up a little earlier than her and ready to head to breakfast when she jumped out of bed, turned on some relaxation music and rolled out her yoga mat. I thought, why not…. I quietly asked her is she minded if I copied what she was doing.
I immensely enjoyed getting the body moving through all it’s ranges of motion before starting the day however I feel that I dismally failed on the breathing and mental aspect of it. I’m sure it’s something I can train and I will stick with it as much as possible during this expedition.
Mount Everest Base Camp: Day by Day…..
First, a little background. I have no (ZERO) background or experience with hiking, trekking, climbing etc. wait, wait, wait, I may have lied… I was good at indoor rock-climbing when I competed (1 or 2 times) at primary school (9 years old). I was light, fast, agile and very competitive. Dam, I always wanted to get to the top first!!
Not anymore, this time I have new ambitions; 1) Stay healthy 2) Enjoy the serenity. 3) Connect with the 15 members of our group. 4) Stay warm. 5) Just relish the experience of being dirty and not having luxuries, mod cons, fluffy beds and hot showers. 6) Complete the hike.
I KNEW IT!
Emily Collins
I knew it. These were the first words that entered my mind when I saw that Emily Collins had won a UCI race and taken the first UCI win of her career and the first UCI win in history for Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling.
Emily Collins might have been unknown to the peloton but her ability was very clear to me from the moment she caught my eye at the end of last year in Europe.
At the end of last year, Emily had come to Europe from the States to prepare for the World Championships, she had been selected by the New Zealand cycling federation to compete at her first World Championship.
January Motivation
I was just asked; “how do you feel about yourself when you see that photo?” (photo to the right).
What do I feel? The first thing I feel is strong and determined. Whilst I’ve lost a lot of aggression over the years on the bike, I do feel very aggressive and ambitious in life. I work so hard to achieve my goals and never give up on anything or anyone. That’s exactly what I see in that picture. I feel…. “Ahhhh ‘it’s 2013, let’s do this!”
2013 has been amazing so far, I’m blessed. People say I’m lucky and that comment makes me smile. Anyone around me will tell you it’s not luck. I have a goal, a plan and a strategy for everything and I believe in it, then I make it happen.