Training to Summit Everest
Kathmandu – Ama Dablam
Sunday 23rd: Day One
I landed at the Kathmandu airport expecting absolute chaos like the time I landed here years ago. No chaos this time; new easy to use machines for the 30-day Visa – they even took credit card for payment this time too. My two huge duffle bags were on the belt ready to be collected once I’d cleared customs. I was met by two of the Nimsdai-Group staff who drove me from the airport to the Marriott hotel – it was already getting dark. As I was looking out the window viewing all the fallen buildings, rubble and debris in piles on the road and the construction taking place (ongoing repairs from the 2015 earthquake) I felt really sad reflecting on all the lives taken by nature on that horrible day and of course, during the days that followed. Natra hāmī birsanc hauṁ.
Wake Up Call
Failure can be debilitating.
When Tadej Pogacar lost this year’s Tour De France, I wonder how long the disappointment and frustration lingered before he turned his attention and focus towards becoming unbeatable in his next feat? (BTW – I don’t personally consider his performance this year a ‘failure’.) Just to make that clear!
For me, this time, it was 48hrs before I could put my failure behind me and find the determination to focus on working harder and more importantly, strategically putting myself in a stronger position to succeed.
I arrived in Chamonix late SUNDAY night after a horrible day of travel; delayed and eventually cancelled flight then, to top it off, my transfer driver was late to collect me from Geneva.
Hesitation
First Training Camp
I have a question for you; If you were on borrowed time, would you attempt your life-long dream? What would you sacrifice to achieve this goal? Are you willing to die having left anything undone? I can’t explain this urge, the desire to inspire and push my body and mind to the very limits. I believe everything I have worked so hard to achieve in life has led me to this very moment where I am about to risk it all to achieve my dream – to climb the highest mountain in the world, Mt Everest! Read More
Why attempt to summit Everest?
“Because It Is There” George Mallory.
Well for me, there are many more reasons why.
- I failed to descend from Base Camp back in 2019 due to pulmonary and cerebral edema. I am curious to know if my body can overcome these effects of high altitude.
- I have experienced many things in my life and have often caught myself saying, ‘I’d love to try and summit Everest.’ Why not? I cannot find any good reason why I shouldn’t give it a go.
- I love the freedom felt in the high mountains – so far away from the stresses of everyday life.
- I love a challenge – this one is a real challenge as I have no idea if my body is capable of functioning at high altitude, it’s not like I can practice exerting myself at 8-9000m. It is an unknown.
- I have always lived on the edge and enjoy the adrenaline of danger & risk.
- I have some other very big plans for the future however I was told recently “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone (or not attempted)’
- I want to inspire people to attempt things they’re not sure they can achieve; the journey is a bigger part than the result. Failure to me is not having a go.
- In a strange way, I like to suffer. I don’t always enjoy the easy life. I want to experience the freezing, lack of oxygen, head-spins, blurry vision, no hot water, showers, change of clothes, electricity, make-up, or high heels etc. if I could live two hundred years ago, I’d be very happy!
- Preparation: I enjoy any type of preparation, especially when it is something completely new. I need a harness, boots, crampons, ropes, carabiners etc then I need to learn how to rock-climb and use the equipment.
- Adventure!