This time last week I was on a plane landing at King Shaka International Airport after an 8 hour flight from Dubai. Since then, I have been asked countless times, by friends, family and colleagues, about how my journey was, how do I feel now that I’m back at home living my normal life, which was better, Mt Kilimanjaro or Everest Base Camp, and, of course, what’s next on my list of exciting things to do now that I’ve ticked off Everest Base Camp. All seemingly simple questions, however, even after the twentieth occurrence (this is no overstatement), I still did not have the words to form coherent sentences, which accurately and eloquently described my feelings and the experience. Nevertheless, I will, once again, endeavour to encapsulate an overall picture of my journey in this final post (for now) on the subject.
One Word to Sum it Up: MAGICAL
If I had to use one word to sum up and describe the trip, it would be “magical”. When you are experiencing a magic act right in front of your eyes, you are all-consumed, in awe, sometimes in disbelief, and often completely mind blown. Similarly, when I was trekking through the Himalayas, with the snow-capped mountains towering all around me, and the clean, fresh open air coursing through my lungs, I was all-consumed and in absolute awe of my surroundings, I felt like I was in a dream and found myself having to pinch myself every now and again, and I was utterly and completely mind blown that such natural, majestic beauty exists on this planet. Neither the weight of my backpack, nor the numbness in my toes (it was probably the coldest temperatures I’ve ever experienced in my life – literally) could straighten the smile that was permanently on my face or dim the light that was always sparkling in my eyes.
As I write these words, I realise how cheesy this may sound, but it is honestly how I felt being out there; I was simply and truly happy. Even though we were averaging about 30,000 steps a day (some days reaching more than 40,000 steps), I constantly felt energised, and strong; even as we moved to higher altitudes where the oxygen levels are significantly lower, I did not at all feel tired or lacking in energy. I didn’t (and still don’t) know where the power was coming from, but it was greatly abundant and fiercely flowing throughout my being; definitely a feeling I will remember forever.
Mountaineer to Engineer
I’ve been back at work for just under a week now and have gotten straight back into the swing of things; “hit the ground running” as they say. I am a firm believer that we should give our 100% to whatever it is that we are doing. So, when I was trekking, I was not checking work emails or taking work calls, much to the dismay of some clients who kept getting automated “out of office” email replies. But, since I’ve been back at work, I’ve tried to remain fully focussed on the work at hand, which has been made easier (and, to be honest, possible) since we’ve been extremely busy and I actually haven’t had the chance to really miss the mountains as much as I thought I would.
Regardless, being home and going back to work has been great; I have shared my stories and pictures with people who are interested and who get as thrilled about the journey and experiences as I do when I’m telling them. I love seeing people get that feeling of excitement and instant inspiration when they hear about something that is bigger than what they are used to. It brings me such joy to introduce new ideas to people, show them the endless possibilities out there, and ultimately expand the thinking of people who previously didn’t see beyond their own horizons.
Been There, Done That, Got the T-Shirt
So, what now? Well, I want to take my love for the mountains to higher altitudes and get some fundamental, technical climbing experience on the next adventure. I’m talking crampons, ice picking and scaling frozen waterfalls! Okay, maybe starting a little smaller first, but I definitely want to get there at some stage. I also know that I’ll go back to Nepal as soon as I get the opportunity to do so, since there are more than enough valleys for me to explore and peaks to summit, to last a lifetime.
But, until that time comes, I will continue to live a healthy, happy, and balanced lifestyle in terms of training, yoga, diet, family and work. Now that I have kicked off the Satvic Lifestyle website with an exciting event, which was the step by step journey to EBC together, I want to hold your attention and keep your interest piqued and stimulated with preparing new content for you to read every week. If there is anything you specifically would like to know more about, please let me know and I will get right on it for you. Like I’ve mentioned previously, this space is created for us to become a part of, to learn, to grow, and to enjoy together. So, don’t be shy, get comfortable and stay with us for the long run.
Sending out peace, love and tons of Himalayan mountain energy, which I still seem to have buzzing inside of me.
Bye for now.