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It was a few years back when one of my coworkers mentioned a trip he had taken many years go through Nepal. He told us stories about hiking through the mountains, stopping at small villages, the local people and food etc.. He mentioned the trip really took it out of him at the time but he came back twice as fit, I guess it had something to do with the fresh air, healthy food and weeks of walking.
If anyone has followed any of my blogs or read the fitness thread you'd know that I use to be a fatty! So at the time when I was listening to him talk about the trip, the concept was so far out of my reality, I just took the information, threw it into a random part my my memory bank and forgot about it.
My lifestyle and fitness has definitely changed, I have come to the point where I am constantly looking to do things that challenge me, whether socially, physically or mentally.
I have also been traveling every year helping out with WCG, so which ever country it is held in every year I have been typically expanding my stay for 2-3 weeks and traveling around the country or neighboring countries.
In November I will be going to Chengdu China followed by either a tour of China or a trip to Phuket, all year I have felt completely hollow about the trip, no anticipation, no excitement, even though I would be seeing a lot of friends and get a culture shock, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't excited about it.
Last Saturday morning I was sitting at my computer reading a fitness forum while having my breakfast oatmeal when I had an epiphany. I realised what was missing, I was tired of standard holiday, same boring hotels, same boring tours, getting drunk every night and waking up with a regretting hangover, it just doesn't do it for me anymore. What I am missing is adventure, something new, something different and challenging.
It's amazing the small nougats of memory your brain can stumble across when you need it. NEPAL!. I logged on Facebook and messaged a friend of mine who I'd figure would have the best chance of being interesting in something like this, as we are sort of kindred spirits when it comes to the love of travel.
I received a message on MSN that night.
"hey dude, got your message. I'm keen when do you want to go?"
"Nice. Well, I'm busy this week..."
The plan is in motion now, we are looking into flights and a good tour company to use, thinking February-May next year.
We're looking at at 2-3 week trip, of the rugged variety, staying at lodge housing, tenting and back packing the whole trip. We'll have Sherpas to carry our main bags and we'll only have to take day bags along.
Planning on flying to Kathmandu for a couple of days, taking a small charter flight to Lukla were we'll start our trek to the base of Everest.
Something very similar if not this tour:
http://www.geckosadventures.com/Himalaya/Trip/Overview.html?trip=Everest-Base-Camp&tripid=2856
or this: http://www.gapadventures.com/trips/everest-adventure/ANEA/2009/trip-details/
Trekking through the Himalayas, going through remote Nepalian villages and getting to see Everest! For the first time in a while I am really excited and looking forward to something. This is definitely just the beginning, I think once we accomplish this, I'll be looking at going to Africa or South America for some safari!
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Wow that sounds awesome, I'd love to do something like that. good luck!
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Energies.....you don't cease to amaze me.
You have gotten so far! Grats =]
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Who you going with?!
Don't miss your connection flight this time. hoho
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be careful dude,  id like to try that someday
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wow cool! keep us updated with pictures whenever you can!
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Yeah, I'm stoked.
Thanks Claz!
Haji, you don't have to be jealous, you can always do the same or come along  .
Scott, I'm going with an old friend from high school. I'll fly on airline with a soul this time, hopefully everything will go right.
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
bholy shit take more photos and be careful dude! :D
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I've been planning on doing a similar trip but in the US: hike the Appalachian Trail. Have to wait until I'm done with school since it takes several months to finish all of it. So jealous of you Armin T_T
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take me with you, i can fit in your suitcase I am the last poster on wgt forums!!!!
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o_o
That is probably the coolest thing you can do in your life, or one of them. Go for it, be safe! I kind of want to do something like that as well when I get older xD I wanted to bike to California from New Jersey in the summer, see the country first-hand and not through a window of a plane or car. I know that to get from NJ to Cali by bike would take weeks, so I need time and money and prep n_n
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Has anyone ever done any hiking or long periods of camping?
I'm not even quite sure how to prepare for something like this, I wonder what sort of things I would have to take with me.
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I've done hiking at ~10 days before but this was 4-5 years ago. But from what you've said, you should be in good enough shape to handle 10-15 miles a day. I'd just go to a TL version of a hiking site and you'd find everything you'd need. If I tried to list, I know I'd forget a ton atm. Just don't hike alone ._. I'd miss you if you died Armin.
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You will need a very good condition ( walk / run a lot ) not only because you will have the effects at the altitude ( > 4000m ) ( but you get used to it quite fast usually ) but also because you will not have the usual comfort of your everyday life ( think shower with cold water, meh food etc ... ).
Also it could help to have alpinism experience ( even if a trek shouldn't be too technical ) but you are from Australia so :<
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Yeah you will need very good condition. Being ripped or muscular won't cut it, so unless you already are, start running/walking
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On August 02 2009 22:04 Dknight wrote:
I've done hiking at ~10 days before but this was 4-5 years ago. But from what you've said, you should be in good enough shape to handle 10-15 miles a day. I'd just go to a TL version of a hiking site and you'd find everything you'd need. If I tried to list, I know I'd forget a ton atm. Just don't hike alone ._. I'd miss you if you died Armin.
Thanks buddy, I'm kind of afraid of my charter plane crashing into the mountains...
On August 02 2009 22:15 Boblion wrote:
You will need a very good condition ( walk / run a lot ) not only because you will have the effects at the altitude ( > 4000m ) ( but you get used to it quite fast usually ) but also because you will not have the usual comfort of your everyday life ( think shower with cold water, meh food etc ... ).
Also it could help to have alpinism experience ( even if a trek shouldn't be too technical ) but you are from Australia so :<
Heh, all I'm currently eating is steamed vegetables or brown rice with chicken or fish. Oatmeal and eggs for breakfast and protein shakes. I don't think the food will be an issue. I don't mind cold showers as long as I get to have one a day.
I'm more concerned about what equipment to take, I might look for a high altitude trekking checklist.
On August 02 2009 23:05 Foucault wrote:
Yeah you will need very good condition. Being ripped or muscular won't cut it, so unless you already are, start running/walking
I do cardio daily, the trip is still some months away. I think I might put the gym aside for a month before the trip and do some condition training.
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Seems like you will be fit enough. You state that you do cardio daily so imo that should help out alot. I'm not very savvy in what type of training you need but I am sure a stair climber or actual stairs would benefit you in this journey. Maybe start adding inclines to your daily cardio(assuming you don't atm). Anyways make sure to get pics to post!
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On August 03 2009 06:46 Energies wrote:
I'm more concerned about what equipment to take, I might look for a high altitude trekking checklist.
The most important thing will be the shoes 
If your feets aren't used to it you will have blisters and you won't be able to walk much with pain.
Shoes are the #1 thing for people in the army or alpinists.
Also you will need a technical jacket and a good sleeping bag and probably a walking ice axe.
But you will find some good check list if you google it a bit
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You should consider the Anna Purna circuit.
You're a wimp for relying on sherpas. But seriously, if you're taking an organized trip and you're not horribly out of shape, it's not a big deal. Organizers have dealt with older people and people in average shape, they know you're a foreigner, so it's not like they're going to be pushing you hard. In fact if you're with other people you're only going to go as fast as the slowest person.
And as for the altitude, unless you do some low oxygen training there's nothing you can do about it. Like everyone else, just wait a few days to a week to adapt, then go about your business. Conditioning is fine for hiking but it won't do anything about the altitude. Running at 90% at 100% oxygen doesn't help much running at 50% oxygen.
You're not going to be running in the himalayas, so you might start doing some weekend 10 hour or overnight backpacking trips.
Equipment: Unless you specifically sign up for a mountain climbing expedition, you're not going to need ice picks. Sleeping bags, tents (although they'll probably bring the tents and may hire cooks), just have stuff rated to low temperatures and you'll be fine, and much better off than what the native sherpas use (flip flops).
If you're trying to prepare for food, start eating dahl baht takari, rice lentils and vegetables so your stomach won't have to adjust.
And finally, if the problem is that you're bored of tours and hotels and standard holidays, but are think an organized tour or an african safari are adventures, you should realize there are far less scripted ways of traveling. The whole point of tours is to make them less difficult and more accessible. Stop going on tours, don't stay in hotels catered to big spending tourists, stop being such a foreigner and just try to mingle with the locals. Live in their world, don't bring your vacation to them. Part of the fun is getting lost, not knowing where you're going next, and playing charades with the locals with broken bits of speaking on both sides. That last paragraph is my opinion of course.
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On August 03 2009 08:07 igotmyown wrote:
Equipment: Unless you specifically sign up for a mountain climbing expedition, you're not going to need ice picks..
Well a walking ice axe is used like a walking stick but can help in some situations.
I'm not talking about some super technical ice axes for ice climbing.
=/=
;<
I think it can be really useful if there is snow. That should be a good question to ask to your tour company
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that ravenpro is a sick ass walking stick. I really need to get back into my camping/outdoorsy roots.
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Well if you want to carry extra weight. He'll be traversing probably the most popular trail in Nepal, and most hikers don't have trouble sans ice axes, unless they're traveling in winter. He might need a permit to go to beyond some of the base camps.
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On August 03 2009 08:24 Kennelie wrote:
that ravenpro is a sick ass walking stick. I really need to get back into my camping/outdoorsy roots.
Eh i was lazy with google image ( took this one because he is sexy :p ) but you get the idea, a long, light ( and straight ) walking ice axe for all around purposes ;(
If there is no snow or ice at all this should be enough :
( Although it is a matter of personal taste because some people like to walk without sticks ).
Even if it is "just" a trek, it is the Himalaya so you have to plan carefully your equipment ( ask your tour to be 100% sure but igotmyown is probably right ) .
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On August 03 2009 08:07 igotmyown wrote:
You should consider the Anna Purna circuit.
You're a wimp for relying on sherpas. But seriously, if you're taking an organized trip and you're not horribly out of shape, it's not a big deal. Organizers have dealt with older people and people in average shape, they know you're a foreigner, so it's not like they're going to be pushing you hard. In fact if you're with other people you're only going to go as fast as the slowest person.
And as for the altitude, unless you do some low oxygen training there's nothing you can do about it. Like everyone else, just wait a few days to a week to adapt, then go about your business. Conditioning is fine for hiking but it won't do anything about the altitude. Running at 90% at 100% oxygen doesn't help much running at 50% oxygen.
You're not going to be running in the himalayas, so you might start doing some weekend 10 hour or overnight backpacking trips.
Equipment: Unless you specifically sign up for a mountain climbing expedition, you're not going to need ice picks. Sleeping bags, tents (although they'll probably bring the tents and may hire cooks), just have stuff rated to low temperatures and you'll be fine, and much better off than what the native sherpas use (flip flops).
If you're trying to prepare for food, start eating dahl baht takari, rice lentils and vegetables so your stomach won't have to adjust.
And finally, if the problem is that you're bored of tours and hotels and standard holidays, but are think an organized tour or an african safari are adventures, you should realize there are far less scripted ways of traveling. The whole point of tours is to make them less difficult and more accessible. Stop going on tours, don't stay in hotels catered to big spending tourists, stop being such a foreigner and just try to mingle with the locals. Live in their world, don't bring your vacation to them. Part of the fun is getting lost, not knowing where you're going next, and playing charades with the locals with broken bits of speaking on both sides. That last paragraph is my opinion of course.
Thanks for the advice.
I have back packed around places before with absolutely no plans, it is definitely something different, I also don't really rely on tours as much as I tend to do my own thing, I'm a fairly social butterfly, I've never had any problems making friends with the locals, those things have never been an issue. I guess I just wanted to visit somewhere different to the main destinations, to your Singapores, Japans and Germanys.
Everyone has to start somewhere, I don't know how much luck I am going to have just taking off into the mountains or jumping onto a raft into the jungle.
I think I would enjoy things like trekking tours, 3 week trans Siberian railway trips and white water rafting/elephant riding in Thailand more than I would just being let loose into the wilderness. That is still a big different to staying at a resort and going out to restaurants each night. I am after all at heart a snob. Adventure means different things to different people.
Wimp for relying on Sherpas... lol, I did for a second consider carrying 60-80 litres of stuff for two weeks. It was a very brief second.
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You're supporting the local economy by relying on sherpas, Armin.. *clap clap* Such a good man!!!!!!
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I've trekked the Himalayas twice, one to Everest base camp and one all around the Annapurna range starting from Pokhora (flew there from Kathmandu).
I didn't do any technical mountain climbing, but the experiences there (similar to what your friend described) were unforgettable.
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EPT
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