Tomorrow will be hard. Very hard. But we didn’t make it this far to fail. I’m less than 24 hours from putting my feet on base camp. And, under 48 hours from starting the trek home. I’ll likely cry for both. I’ll cry to talk with Aaron in Namche. I’ll cry to facetime him days later in Kathmandu. I’ll sleep …
Day 7, Part 1: Everest mountaineer memorials
I survived the wet hair. I did not survive the grilled cheese, however. I definitely panicked a bit when, after dinner last night, I had a disgusting visit to the bathroom. I certainly handled it the best I could, I think. Popped two Imodium. Survived the night. Then, chugged water and rehydration tablets this morning. Today’s hike was sluggish but …
Day 6: New underwear day
We’re still in Dingboche today. This morning’s mini hike was amazing. Tough, but amazing. The higher altitude made sleeping through the night difficult. I woke up kind of grouchy and not really looking forward to hiking, but tossed on my clothes and went anyway. It’s new underwear day after all. How bad could it truly be? I’m glad I went …
Day 5: Locked in the lodge
The land we’re hiking through is vast and ever-changing. We started in trees. Along water. Up rocky paths. Along cliffs. Through sand. And, today, as we crossed the tree line into barren rocky highlands. All the while, snow-capped peaks watch over us. Today is proving to be the hardest yet. We climbed to 13,817 feet – dropping to 57% oxygen. …
Day 4: Monks + introspection
Namche was our home for 2 days. The rest day was hardly any rest. We hiked to a tea house with a stunning view of Mt. Everest. Sipping hot lemon water yet again, we soaked up the amazing world we’ve landed in. After, we visited a sherpa museum that explained tons about the local history, spirituality, etc. It was full …
Day 2: The road to Namche
Waking up in our chilly little room was a challenge, but the excitement for the adventure ahead quickly got the best of me. I got up, stashed my sleeping bag and started moving. Breakfast was quick. Then, after a fast pee in the hole toilet outside, I joined the group on the lawn to begin our hike again. The second …
Day 1: Into the mountains we go
I didn’t finish writing yesterday. I’d been a ball of anxiety all morning and – there we were – stepping onto the smallest passenger plane I’d ever seen. Suddenly, I felt calm. Those are the moments that make you smile in retrospect. The universe, in that moment, was mine and we’d surely be fine. Flying into sunrise over the Himalayas …
The night before Lukla
Today, I called a Jack of Hearts an 11. Our first official day of trekking to Everest Base Camp was spectacular. Absolutely terrifying, but truly spectacular. I woke up at 12:30 am. Anxiety instantly kicked in. We’d had a team meeting to discuss plans for trekking. Everyone seriously freaked me out about the flight and difficulty of the hike. I …
Moments from the sky
I’ve talked myself through this ridiculous trip at least 1,000 times. I’m not entirely sure why it’s so different from usual – fear, anxiety, stress. I’ve felt them all. We left my house around 4 am to get to the airport. Aaron dropped me off and helped with the bag. I was genuinely sad to see him go. We’ve spent nearly …
Holy hell, that’s so many needles
The one thing I’m unabashedly honest about is my abominable loathing for needles. Let’s take a stroll through the life of little Laura: As a kid, I remember – very clearly – being held to the table in a doctor’s office while the doctor and nurses stabbed my thighs with needles. Repeatedly. Either I was getting many vaccinations or they …