A guy I work with has been teasing me since the first day I announced my plans by suggesting alternative (and less [...]]]> Only 2 more weeks until the 2011 expedition schedule is available! Having a date, an actual “The trip starts on XX/XX/2011″ to plan against will really make this adventure seem much more real to me.

A guy I work with has been teasing me since the first day I announced my plans by suggesting alternative (and less adventurous) destinations. He’s a great guy, but on this one subject…he’s a jerk. Today he teased me again. That gave me the impetus to call the tour company and find out when the 2011 dates were being released. The answer: The beginning of September!

I’ll admit it; I lost a little steam when the dates for this year shifted. I wish I hadn’t, but I did. Time to pull myself up and use the next two weeks to get a plan together…a real plan with goals and measurements and rewards. The good news is I have an accountability buddy. And, she’s someone you don’t want to mess with!

What am I scared of exactly? That I can’t get myself to do enough training to be ready for this adventure. I’m not sure why I’m finding this to be such a problem, but [...]]]> So, I’m a little scared. And I’m not known to be a scaredy cat about much. But I’m feeling pretty yucky right now.

What am I scared of exactly? That I can’t get myself to do enough training to be ready for this adventure. I’m not sure why I’m finding this to be such a problem, but it really is.

I know if I just get into a routine, it will work out. But, that is so much easier said than done. My job is a bit unpredictable. That makes it hard to plan to meet a trainer at a specific time on a specific day. Really, the only time I can truly guarentee that I get to the gym is first thing in the morning. BUT…I really have a hard time getting up early enough to work out and get to the office on time. How do people do it?

I know. I know. Get to bed earlier. Make an appointment with yourself. Blah, blah, blah. It just doesn’t seem to be happening.

Okay, that was a fun pity-party. All I can do is do better. Tomorrow is a new day. I need to pick smaller goals and have a few rewards built in. I can do it. Yes, I can.

Red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle displays a white 12-pointed sun; the [...]]]> A friend of mine wants to learn the national flags of all of the countries in the world. Jodi, this post is for you.

Red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle displays a white 12-pointed sun; the color red represents the rhododendron (Nepal’s national flower) and is a sign of victory and bravery, the blue border signifies peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two single pennons (pennants) that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains while their charges represented the families of the king (upper) and the prime minister, but today they are understood to denote Hinduism and Buddhism, the country’s two main religions; the moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade and cool weather in the Himalayas, while the sun depicts the heat and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal; the moon and the sun are also said to express the hope that the nation will endure as long as these heavenly bodies. Note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square. (From The World Fact Book/CIA site…guess that explains the run on sentence.)

Get up on the wrong side of the bed and stay in a bad day all day long. Eat one cookie and might as well eat the bag. Don’t balance your checkbook and then spend too much at the mall.

But, momentum has [...]]]> Interesting what a big role momentum plays in many of the things we do.

Get up on the wrong side of the bed and stay in a bad day all day long. Eat one cookie and might as well eat the bag. Don’t balance your checkbook and then spend too much at the mall.

But, momentum has a really positive side that I was reminded of today. Finish a tough project well and the next one doesn’t seem so tough. Honor a commitment no matter how hard and feel great when you are finished. Tell someone you really appreciate them and see the smile on their face.

I’ll admit it. I had started to have doubts about visiting Everest. I lost momentum.

Who knows where I’ll end up or when I’ll get there, but for now…EBC here I come.

Had to take a blog break…but, I’m getting ready to be back soon!

Needed time to really think about this blog and why I am spending time with it. I haven’t been really happy with it and want to take it up a notch or two.

Expect to see some of the old favorites and some new [...]]]>

Had to take a blog break…but, I’m getting ready to be back soon!

Needed time to really think about this blog and why I am spending time with it. I haven’t been really happy with it and want to take it up a notch or two.

Expect to see some of the old favorites and some new elements. Let me know what you think as it develops.

And, for you Question Yak fans…he will be back! See you again in a few days.

Milestone birthdays are not only celebrations of life, but of life experiences. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro remains # 1 among our clients turning 50. How will you celebrate your 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th birthday? Maybe an Extreme Adventure like climbing to Everest Base Camp, swimming with whale sharks [...]]]> From the Abercrombie & Kent Facebook fan page…

Milestone birthdays are not only celebrations of life, but of life experiences. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro remains # 1 among our clients turning 50. How will you celebrate your 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th birthday? Maybe an Extreme Adventure like climbing to Everest Base Camp, swimming with whale sharks or skiing to the South Pole…

What happens on your 70th? 80th? No more celebrations? No more experiences? No more adventures? Can this be true?

Am I supposed to be going to Mt. Kilimanjaro?

Not so sure what you’ll be eating, but really curious as to what I’ll be eating. (Can you tell my delicious and healthy dinner just wasn’t enough to fill me up?)

I’ve done a bit of research on this subject and have decided to take an Anthony Bourdain approach to being a foodie in Nepal…anything and everything [...]]]>

Not so sure what you’ll be eating, but really curious as to what I’ll be eating. (Can you tell my delicious and healthy dinner just wasn’t enough to fill me up?)

I’ve done a bit of research on this subject and have decided to take an Anthony Bourdain approach to being a foodie in Nepal…anything and everything goes…as long as it’s cooked!

Apparently, you burn more calories at high altitude and at the same time are burning lots of calories trekking so you have to eat, eat, eat to maintain your energy and your weight. (I need to confirm this, but several sites mention that people lost 15-20 lbs. I wonder if those are people who are attempting to summit.)

Here are some highlights from one trekking company description of eating on an Everest Base Camp trek: 

Eat lots of the local vegetables (onions, cabbage, carrots). Really try to finish the heated can fruit that your Base Camp cook will offer you. It’s solluble fiber content is extremely effective against hemorrhoids and constipation. (Really?) Garlic is excellent for altitude adaptation. It thins the blood. The sherpas eat it constantly and so should you. The smell? HAHA. You’re on Everest, pal. The garlic smell will be among the nicest snuff you’ll encounter. (Too much information!)

The main staple diet of most Nepali people is Dhal Bhat Tarkari which translates as lentils, rice and curried vegetables. This could be yummy comfort food…or not.

There are pages and pages of information about yak milk tea. (We know it’s really nak milk tea…see the May 12th blog post for details.) Yak butter tea??? I can’t get my head around this one at all. It seems tea is very popular and offered as a polite gesture to all. I’m a little worried about this as untreated water may make me very sick, but I don’t want to be rude. I’m sure there will be someone to ask how to handle this situation well.

I’m very curious to better understand the culture of Nepal and what better way to discover it than through food. Wait just one New York minute! There has to be a Nepali restaurant in the area. A quick Google search and low and behold, there are 15 reviewed on Yelp. The one that seems to have gotten the best reviews is Cafe Himalaya located in the East Village. I can’t wait to try it. And, in Queens, there is one called Himalayan Yak Restaurant and they have Nepali music…got to try this one too. I’ll report back.

Training Summary

Physical Activity:	Nope	Serious problem.
Nutrition:	Very good	Three lovely meals today and one snack.
Hydration:	32 oz.	Really need to drink more water.
Sleep:	7 hours	Rested, but could have used another hour or two.