Sunday, May 10, 2009
By Jennifer Brammer, Nepal, May 7, 2009
I climbed the CN Tower last year for a charity event. 20 mins, 553 metres.
Today, hiking for 6 hours on steep inclines up 1200 metres to Namche Bazaar, the last town on the route to the Mount Everest basecamp, I am reminded of the confidence I had that day, at the top of the Tower. I remember thinking that I could do it another time or two, no big deal.
Today I am humbled. Trekking here is so much more intense... Like climbing the CN Tower 10 times in a row. While carrying the weight of a small TV. Wih 30% less oxygen. Slightly dehydrated. And in 30 degrees.
I love how tactile the trail is, the uneven ground, the jagged steep inclines. It commands the attention to be present, look for the next rock to lift myself up on, the next turn, consumed with each moment, that seamlessly becomes the next. It's like a moving meditation.
We are passed by many steady Sherpas along the route, some no more than 15 years old, carrying baskets on their back brimming with loads of rise, beer, the odd chair or door. They are carrying their weight, at least.
Most foreign trekkers are accompanied by Sherpa porters who carry their loads. I prefer the pack on my own back, the weight of each step. It is rewarding to carry what I consume. The burden is grounding, somehow.
Tomorrow we will rest for a day, to acclimatize before hiking 12 hours to the next village. I am thinking about how challenging Trailwalker will be, hiking for 48 hours! I hope that this Nepal trek will get me into shape! One step at a time...
I climbed the CN Tower last year for a charity event. 20 mins, 553 metres.
Today, hiking for 6 hours on steep inclines up 1200 metres to Namche Bazaar, the last town on the route to the Mount Everest basecamp, I am reminded of the confidence I had that day, at the top of the Tower. I remember thinking that I could do it another time or two, no big deal.
Today I am humbled. Trekking here is so much more intense... Like climbing the CN Tower 10 times in a row. While carrying the weight of a small TV. Wih 30% less oxygen. Slightly dehydrated. And in 30 degrees.
I love how tactile the trail is, the uneven ground, the jagged steep inclines. It commands the attention to be present, look for the next rock to lift myself up on, the next turn, consumed with each moment, that seamlessly becomes the next. It's like a moving meditation.
We are passed by many steady Sherpas along the route, some no more than 15 years old, carrying baskets on their back brimming with loads of rise, beer, the odd chair or door. They are carrying their weight, at least.
Most foreign trekkers are accompanied by Sherpa porters who carry their loads. I prefer the pack on my own back, the weight of each step. It is rewarding to carry what I consume. The burden is grounding, somehow.
Tomorrow we will rest for a day, to acclimatize before hiking 12 hours to the next village. I am thinking about how challenging Trailwalker will be, hiking for 48 hours! I hope that this Nepal trek will get me into shape! One step at a time...
Labels: Jennifer in Nepal
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