Yes, it's true, I've returned to Nepal! I absolutely fell in love with the country and the people the last time I was here, and I just felt truly called to come back here. In all the places I saw this year, this is the one that pulled me back. I couldn't ignore that feeling, so here I am.
I enjoyed the trek I did to Everest Base Camp last time, but this time I wanted to do something more challenging. However, not surprisingly, I don't have the skills necessary to climb on glaciers and ice faces. The solution? Attend a glacier climbing school. I know, I never thought I would be going to school in the middle of my year off, but here we are! I am doing a school that will take 22 days and we will end it by summiting a peak called Lobuche East (not to be confused with the city of Lobouche). The peak is 6,119 meters high (or 20,065 for you Americans), which will make a new high for me personally. It will be a week of sleeping in snow and on glaciers and working my tail off, but I am so excited for it!
After we finish the school, I will be heading up to Everest Base Camp again. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the last time I went there I was feeling pretty sick, so I was unable to climb the hill of Kala Pattar. This has one of the best views of Everest and I was really disappointed that I missed it, so I wanted to try again. Second, I spent a week in Kathmandu and I am doing the first week of the trek with some people who are attempting to summit Everest and Lhotse. Their stories just fascinate me - how they started climbing, what influenced them to attempt such high peaks, what they are hoping to gain from this experience. I will be able to catch up with them at base camp and see how they are acclimatizing, how their trips up to camp I and II went, and just generally see what it's like to actually be part of an expedition that lives in base camp for two months. I think it will be a wonderful experience!
Once I finish my climb in early May, I am planning to volunteer for a few weeks back in Kathmandu, either teaching english or helping at an orphanage. I think it's going to be a wonderful experience! After that, it is back to Australia for a few days, then back home. Phew! What a great way to end the trip. Can't wait to tell you all the details!
I enjoyed the trek I did to Everest Base Camp last time, but this time I wanted to do something more challenging. However, not surprisingly, I don't have the skills necessary to climb on glaciers and ice faces. The solution? Attend a glacier climbing school. I know, I never thought I would be going to school in the middle of my year off, but here we are! I am doing a school that will take 22 days and we will end it by summiting a peak called Lobuche East (not to be confused with the city of Lobouche). The peak is 6,119 meters high (or 20,065 for you Americans), which will make a new high for me personally. It will be a week of sleeping in snow and on glaciers and working my tail off, but I am so excited for it!
After we finish the school, I will be heading up to Everest Base Camp again. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the last time I went there I was feeling pretty sick, so I was unable to climb the hill of Kala Pattar. This has one of the best views of Everest and I was really disappointed that I missed it, so I wanted to try again. Second, I spent a week in Kathmandu and I am doing the first week of the trek with some people who are attempting to summit Everest and Lhotse. Their stories just fascinate me - how they started climbing, what influenced them to attempt such high peaks, what they are hoping to gain from this experience. I will be able to catch up with them at base camp and see how they are acclimatizing, how their trips up to camp I and II went, and just generally see what it's like to actually be part of an expedition that lives in base camp for two months. I think it will be a wonderful experience!
Once I finish my climb in early May, I am planning to volunteer for a few weeks back in Kathmandu, either teaching english or helping at an orphanage. I think it's going to be a wonderful experience! After that, it is back to Australia for a few days, then back home. Phew! What a great way to end the trip. Can't wait to tell you all the details!
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