Tonsai!!! Tonsai!!!

Tonsai Roof and Wall: The view from Freedom Bar.



I'm finally here in Tonsai!! I just arrived this afternoon. It's beatiful. There are limestone formations jutting out of the sea and it's stunning... with the beach and the rock... People are climbing and I'm lounging on this little bamboo platform at Freedom Bar right beside the rock. Tomorrow I will climb.

It's a little intimidating being surrounding by all these really hard-core climbers but I'm stoked to climb none-the-less. I passed this girl with a serious six-pack and later I checked out my own stomach in the mirror, expecting to see even just a little definition... Nata. Wah!! haha.

Last Day!

Our little plane at the Lukla airport.

Our last day! We finally arrived in Lukla and tomorrow we’ll catch a flight back to Kathmandu if all things go as planned.

I’m seriously such a baby!! I have blisters in half smiley faces on the backs of both heals and I was in pain for the last three hours. The boys are great though and even though I told them to go on ahead (which I meant) Gary was waiting for me at the top of this big hill. Awe, I love these boys!

Then with about ½ hour to go we stopped and I asked Gary if this was it (knowing it wasn’t). He said no and I started to cry (very discretely, but they still knew). Can you believe it?! Then Evan came down to see how I was doing and I really did feel silly for crying especially when I pass porters carrying their huge loads wearing flip flops!

Much to my own embarrassment and slighly hurt pride, I turned out to be the biggest loose cannon on this trip with my AMS episodes and couple crying bouts. Honestly! These boys are the bomb for putting up with me and being such great company on this trip. All in all this was an excellent trip. I had a fun guide and 3 great Irish lads to share this experience with. What would any trip be without a little drama anyways? That was my job I guess… =)

Evan's descent...

I just finished laughing til I was crying as Evan recounted his day. Today was a tough day I admit; thank goodness I wasn’t suffering from altitude sickness. It’s so nice to be able to breathe more deeply now that we’re back in Namche. (We descended almost 1000m today). On the way down, it’s not all down hill. In fact it’s mostly up and down the entire way for 8 hours.

Evan seriously cracks me up and although he probably would love to know this is in my blog, I’m going to tell it anyways. Evan arrived in Namche about 1 ½ hours after Gary, John and I. He was back with our guide Subba and Subba had to carry his bag today while Evan kept one hand on his back the entire way. Anyways Even said he was completely delirious and couldn’t even see. As in, he could hear the cows and yaks passing him but couldn’t see them. He said if Subba wasn’t there he would have passed out somewhere or fallen off a cliff. (I believe him)

When he finally arrived he put his head in his arms and couldn’t stop coughing for about 15 min straight. All I could do was laugh and laugh and laugh. I really truly tried not to laugh out loud which was only making me laugh harder. Sorry Evan!

Whenever I share a room with Evan I can’t stop laughing. (we all take turns sharing rooms) For instance back in Periche Evan and I were telling crazy travel stories and the walls are so thin. I didn’t actually think people would be able to hear what I was saying so I hopped into bed and said, Evan, I think I’m suffering from HAF. He was like, what’s that? And I said, High Altitude Farts! We laughed and told stories until we heard the loud cough from next door. The “Be Quiet” cough.

Sure enough the next morning at breakfast this Aussie man Allen (who was next door from us) said, so you’re suffering from HAF? And then Evan informed me he heard everything we said after that too!! I was so embarrassed I just kind-of slid down in my chair. Oh well, Evan told some pretty good stories too!

Sunrise on Kalapatar

Sunrise over Everest. Everest is the dark peak (behind) in the center. From this point of view it certainly doesn't look the highest, and it's not the prettiest, but it IS Everest!

Me, Subba (our guide), and Gary on the top of Kalapatar (5555m) at about 6:00am. Me in my Big Bird jacket and Gary with his ridiculous Chinese hat. We look professional don't we? haha.

Ah. Beauty.


This morning we woke up at 4:00am and starting hiking in the dark. It was cool because the stars and the moon were so bright they lit up the mountains and everything looked quite eerie. We hiked up Kalapatar (5555m) to see the sunrise over Everest.

I had about 1 hour sleep the night before (it’s hard to sleep in altitude!) and I had a terrible cold. I was hacking and my nose was dripping with snot… it was awesome! I felt like one of the forever snotty-nosed sherpa kids… poor things!

It was freezing and my water partially froze on the way up. About half way there Evan and John turned around. They were feeling terrible and looked it too. However Gary and I kept going to see the sunrise with our guide Subba. Gary will never let the boys live that one down now, but I certainly can’t say much!

The sunrise was beautiful. We got back to Gorak Shep around 6:45am. We enjoyed breakfast and some time to warm up before we were on our way down the mountain. It was strange b/c almost immediately going down I felt ill. My head was thumping (or tumping as the lads would say) and I felt nauseous (like I was having another AMS bout, but we were going down?) Gary stayed back with me (bless him) and when we stopped for lunch I had to concentrate to keep anything down. I even cried a little. These poor boys had no idea what they were in for when I joined them. I had no idea either!

After Evan gave me some Tylenol at lunch I started to improve. Gary said he can always tell when I start to feel better b/c I start to talk. (I was completely silent for about 3 hours there)

The rest of the day was quite enjoyable talking to Gary and hiking at a leisurely pace. Subba carried my bag, while I carried his VERY light bag. Yes, I am “that camper” on this trip (I can hardly believe it; I can only laugh about it…)

Base Camp!!!!

Tents at Everest base camp at the start of the Khumbu glacier.

Team: Walk the Line at Everest base camp

Khumbu glacier and base cmap

Hanging out in one of the Korean expedition tents. Gary, me, Lee Hoon Jae, John and Evan in front.

Helicopter crash about 200m from basecamp about 5-10 years ago (wasn't fully clear when it happened actually)

We just got back from Everest base camp. Yay!!!

The excitement and energy around base camp was contagious. Many climbing expeditions were just about to start their acclimatization process and you could see climbing sherpas in the Khumbu icefall, setting up ladders across crevasses and such. It’s amazing what these climbing sherpas do. Without them I wonder how many people would actually be climbing Everest?

We were able to talk to a couple different expedition groups which was really cool. A young guy from Seattle, WA and another guy from Ontario (he looked about 20!) crazy guys… Anyways I saw the Korean tent so went over to say hi. Or Anyung Haseo, rather (hello in Korean). The team was out on the glacier for the day there was only one man there named Lee Hoon Jae. He was a mountain journalist and also going to be climbing Everest but he was manning the radio for the day.

He invited us in the tent for some hot coffee. We had a nice time talking to him about the expedition and he took a photo of us and got me to write down all our names and nationalities so he could put it on their website. Too funny!

It was such a beautiful and warm day to be in base camp and we wandered around, took photos and tried without success to find the American guys who helped me out back in Tengboche. It would have been cool to show them I had actually made it there,

Finally we had our fill of base camp and it was time to head back to Gorak Shep. Now I’m sitting in a sunroom (a bit like a greenhouse) and some Sherpas are playing cards next to me. Wow! What a day! I’m knackered, but it was so worth it to get to base camp. I definitely had my doubts, especially when I was sick, that I’d make it here at all. I’m so thankful my condition has improved so much!

Team Walk the Line...

Me, Evan, John and Gary sitting around the wood stove reading in our mountain hut at Gorak Shep. I'm wearing my Big Bird jacket. haha.

We spent a day in Dhugla and now we’re in Gorak Shep (5160m) where we’ll be staying for the next 2 nights. I’m feeling good. I got my second half of the test from the German med students here. My oxygen was 87 and my pulse 89. apparently most people have oxygen levels below 80 here at this altitude but I’m sure the Diamox is helping me out quite a bit.

It’s quite a bit colder here although we have been extremely fortunate with the weather here! I have this down jacket I rented from Kathmandu which is an XXL and bright yellow so Gary says I look like Big Bird in it. It’s definitely not about mountain chic for me here... I look ridiculous! Oh well, the boys are hardly concerned with being mountain cool. Evan with his multi-colored striped hat and matching socks and red jacket and pants (I can spot him a mile away) and Gary with his ridiculous hat from China. It’s rather hilarious. John looks the most normal I’d say. We are quite the crew!

Acclimatiztion Day

Today was our “rest day” at Periche, but better coined acclimatization day as we climbed from 4200m to 5100m. “Climb high and sleep low,” is a climber’s motto. This is supposed to aid in acclimatization.

When we got back we heard that there are many demonstrations still going on in Kathmandu and that they are urging foreigners to leave. There have been 6 Nepalese killed in street fights in Kathmandu. The political unrest here is a little frightening and it’s hard to say what I’ll do when we get back.

In the evening John, Gary, Evan and I played cards as per usual. We play Gin Rummy and Hearts. They taught me this stupid Irish game called 25 which I hate b/c I never win! I’m quite fond of all these boys. They’re great and I’m having fun with them.

Gaining Elevation!

Snow-dusted Periche: beautiful!

Porters carrying HEAVY loads!

Lunch break =)

After a day of rest at Tengboche I was feeling much better and it was time to go up. I was very nervous about hiking b/c I knew I developed AMS symptoms I would have to descend. No question about it. I prayed all the way to Periche. Lord help me. Help my brain not to swell. I was hiking so incredibly slowly. I imagine this is how I would have walked if I was 90 and hiking to base camp or 100 lbs overweight. Grammas and Grandpas were passing me but I didn't care. The guys climbing Everest told me to hike slowly, so S-l-o-w-l-y but surely I hiked and we made it to our destination: Periche!!! (4200m) No mountain sickness. Yay!!

At 3:00pm there was a high altitude seminar that we went to, put on by volunteer doctors (who were soooo cool by the way!) at the medical center in Periche. It was so informative and I discovered that back in Lukla I was experiencing mild AMS but I didn’t know it at the time. Then at Tengboche I had Severe AMS! Crazy! Severe AMS can develop into HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema) if a person with severe AMS continues to ascend with symptoms.

I’m so thankful I recovered but I’ll be taking things slowly from here! I’m actually amazed I’m here after my AMS episode in Tengboche.

Acute Mountain Sickness!!! Tengboche

Team No Limits: Evesest Expedition team: Larry, Doug and Matt. The guys who helped me out and the guys who are climbing Everest!!


Yesterday after 6 ½ hours on the trail we made it to Himalayan View Lodge and Restaurant in Tengboche.

I had an absolute pounding headache all the way up and when we finally got there I felt completely ill! I decided to eat some rather unappetizing garlic soup. I really didn’t feel up for but it’s supposed to be good to mountain sickness, so I forced it down. As soon as I could get it down I crashed for about 2 hours. When I woke up I was feeling even worse. At this time I was extremely nauseous, dizzy and weak, on top of my splitting headache. I knew I need to make a move to the dining room where there were other people present.

As soon as I got up the nausea hit me even harder and I ran to the outhouse and vomited loads! Just as I tried to leave I began vomiting again! I thought I had HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema which is very very serious sickness brought on by high altitude and can be fatal. It involves swelling of the brain) I was scared b/c I was sure I was dying. I even cried a little between puking, especially b/c of the stories I had heard. I was like, “I don’t want to die on the way to base camp!!!” How lame would that be!

After I finished vomiting I slowly made my way to the dining room and told the boys what happened. They all stared at me for a minute… not sure what to do. There were 3 American guys sitting near us and Evan said, “do you want to tell these guys what happened? One’s a doctor?” I just sat there, all I wanted to do was cry. Finally Gary went ahead and told them and they were absolutely so great and helpful!!

First they told me I was experiencing AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and asked me if I had Diamox (a drug to help acclimatize) and Tylenol. I had neither so they very kindly gave me Diamox, Tylenol and Ginko from their own supply! Enough for 4 days worth. I was incredibly grateful although still feeling extremely ill.

I popped the drugs and within 10 minutes I was outside vomiting all of it up again! I came back in and told the Americans what happened. They told me to take another dose and practice deep breathing. For the next 40 minutes I felt like absolute sh-ite but was able to keep the pills down and I finally started feeling better.

Once my condition had dramatically improved I felt up for being sociable again. I asked the Americans where they were going (I had a feeling they weren’t just going to base camp) No. Definately Not! They were climbing Everest! Their names were Larry (a doctor from Tennessee) Doug (a lawyer from Colorado) and Matt (a teacher also from Colorado) They are Team No Limits and gave me their web site to check up on their progress. Hopefully (if I get to basecamp) we can say hey to them.

This morning before Team No Limits was off I got a photo with them in front of Everest! They were so nice and helpful to me! Doug even wrote out some info on Diamox and AMS and some tips for me along with their website.

We’re staying an extra day here to help me acclimatize. Like I said before… I am sooooo lucky to be traveling with Gary, Evan and John. They are the bomb! They are all so nice and concerned. Great solid lads they are. Tonight Evan said our team name should be Walk the Line. He’s Johnny Cash and I’m June Carter. John and Gary are our backup guitarists. Haha. They loved that one.

I’m going to Jacksonville….

PS. I just checked out Team No Limits and they mentioned me in their Everest news! The young lady with AMS… to remind them of the perils of high altitude sickness! Haha.

Namche: Day 3: First Encounter with Everest Expedition Team

First views of the snow-capped mountains in the Himalayas!

The Village of Namche. Last chance to stock up on mountain gear and chocolate of course!


Today was our acclimatization day so we hiked up to 3800m and then back to Namche where we’ll spend another night. I woke up with a headache this morning and it’s been on and off all day. Evan and John were also feeling crappy so now we’re just taking it easy.

Namche is quite the little happening village with chocolate, mountain gear, and jewelry sold everywhere. It’s colorful and I had a good time exploring it today (which took all of about ½ hour)

The boys are out now. They’re funny. Their nicknames are Dolly (John) Pigeon (Gary) and Collie (Evan). They always call each other by their nicknames and they bicker constantly. Yesterday they told me they were relieved to have me along otherwise they’d constantly be at each other. I saw it come out last night playing cards. It’s quite funny. Really, they are like brothers. Probably by the end of two weeks I’ll be right in there, fighting with them too!

Yesterday I met a team from Brazil who will be climbing Everest. They were staying at the same mountain hut. They are hiking to base camp from the Nepal side to acclimatize but they will be climbing from the Tibetan side. That’s been the most exciting part for me… meeting people who are actually climbing Everest! and they are staying at the same places we are!!

Pakding-Namche: Day 2

Cutest Sherpa kids ever!! They were fighting the whole time I was trying to take a photo =)


Team walk the line and sherpa kids: Evan, me, Gary, John

The boys at lunch: from the left: John, Evan, Subba (our guide) and Gary.



Porters carrying their loads. Check out their footwear...

Today was probably the hardest hiking day (supposedly) from Phakding to Namche. The elevation in Namche is 3400m and we will spend two nights here to acclimatize. We are staying at this cute little mountain hut with a wood fireplace.

I feel much better today. No headache or nausea. We were all quite tired after today’s hike and it was frigid cold towards the end. We were all soooo happy to arrive. The lads (Evan, John, and Gary) are not wimpy boys by the way. They’re hearty boys who play rugby and hurling and have good appetites. I told them this morning it has been awhile since I’ve hung out with boys I didn’t out eat!! Tiff and I would be having lunch or dinner with some boys and we’d both finish our meal. On more than one occasion the guy we were eating would leave something on his plate and we’d be like, “are you going to finish that?” haha.

I’m having fun with these boys and they are all so sweet, asking me many times today how I was doing and such. I couldn’t be doing this with nicer, non-sketchy boys. I’m very fortunate to have met them! My aunt Rosemary would be proud b/c they are Irish! I enjoy hearing about Ireland and one day I’ll make it there. They are from Gort (Southern Ireland) and are all really good friends from secondary school.

We have just enjoyed some hot tea and soup and are now reading and I’m writing. It’s been really crazy to see the sherpas carrying their huge loads in baskets all by the strength of their necks and heads. I bet some are carrying loads heavier than themselves! They get paid 5-6 rupees per kg.

Our guide Subba is cool. He’s 32 and a wiry guy who weighs 10kg less than me! I’m carrying a heavier bag than he is! Haha. We really don’t need a guide on this trip but I kind-of like having him b/c he’s fun and he answers my questions about Nepalese and Sherpa culture.

Arrival in Lukla

Lukla airport.


First day of hiking.
Guesthouse in Phakding

Today we flew into Lukla (altitude of 2800m). The lads and our guide Subba met me at 5:00am at my guesthouse. From Nepal airport we boarded this tiny little plane headed for Lukla. I was sooooo excited and giddy imagining all the expeditions to Everest starting out in the same place as us!! After a short and very turbulent plane ride we arrived in Lukla. We ate breakfast at a cute little teahouse with photos of past Everest expedition groups and Sir Edmund Hilary decorating this quaint little log hut.

It was a very short hike today (2 hours) to Phakding. It's the same elevation as Lukla so we need to spend a night here to acclimatize. When we arrived I was feeling really ill. I had a splitting headache and I felt nauseous. The boys were all fine and were starving so while they ate lunch (I couldn’t even think about food) I went to bed for a couple hours. I can’t be affected by the altitude already, can I? After some strange dreams about AMS I woke up with a slight headache, visited with the boys for a while and drank some coffee.

Over a cup of coffee I met this German guy who asked me to be a part of a study. He’s in med school and he and his partner are conducting this study on altitude sickness. He used this tool to measure my inner ear waves and are hoping to find a link b/t altitude sickness and the inner ear? He took my pulse: 87. Oxygen: 99, and said I have excellent acoustics in my ears (or something like that). I will be measured again by his partner near base camp to see if there are any changes. I am very curious.

I spoke with him for quite some time and he said every week they see people coming down the mountain suffering from AMS. It’s not uncommon for people to have to be helicopter rescued either if they don’t heed their symptoms and descend. Yikes. I have now heard stories of a few people dying on their way to base camp with high altitude sickness. Who knew it was such a problem just getting to base camp!! After feeling ill today I realize it may be a problem for me down the road too. I’m very interested to see how my body handles the altitude.

The Irish lads are great! They all offerd me medicine and askd how I was doing and such. I didn’t take anything. If my body’s not doing ok I want to feel it.

I'm going to Everest Basecamp!!!

Tiffany and I said goodbye yesterday which was quite sad. We really had fun together and I'm going to miss her. However she may meet me in May for the Annapurna circuit...

So tomorrow I left Bangkok and flew to Kathmandu. Oh my goodness!! I was totally overwhelmed but excited too. I'm traveling by myself for the first time and it's scary but I think I'm going to really like Nepal!

When I arrived there was no power anywhere b/c of Maoist activity aparently. But while I was eating dinner the power came back on and I could hear cheering in the streets.

Yesterday I was looking for a bookstore to find a Nepal lonely planet and I couldn't find one (I must not have been looking too hard b/c they're on every corner!) Anyways I guess it was fate-ish b/c I asked these two Irish lads and they said they were looking for a bookstore too so I walked with them. I discovered they were on the same flight and were going to be doing the Everest basecamp trek too with another friend. So I kinda invited myself along...

I didn't expect to be doing this trek so soon but on April 6-9th there will be a Maoist demonstration in Kathmandu and the whole city would shut down. If I was here for it I wouldn't be permited out of my guesthouse. It was recommended that if I was going to do a trek do it before that to avoid the demonstration. So that's how it all came together.

I feel very fortunate to have met these Irish lads. Evan, Jon, and Gary. They are 24, 22, and 22 and they seem like really nice guys. Of course I'm older (story of my life!)

That's all for now. I spent the entire day getting everything ready for this trek. I'm excited! I'm going to Everest Basecamp!!

Home Sweet Home

March 31-April 1

The last two days of our trip were quite uneventful which was a good thing by this point. Finally I drove. The road conditions were quite a bit better out of the mountains and I had a blast.

I think Tiffany was a little aprehensive to let me drive. In Sappa I was practicing and I popped a wheelie with her on it… and I’m not sure why she was nervous about me driving?

I think I did really well though and I felt like I was playing a nintendo race-car game. Dodging cars and bicyclists and cows and whatever else. I only had one close call with a cow.

The last day we finally arrived in Hanoi and Tiffany drove through the city. She did an amazing job getting us there safely as driving in Hanoi is no small feat!

I think the people at our rental place were relieved to see us back safe and sound. I got off that bike and as we walked back to our guesthouse I felt like I radiated cool biker chick! We looked discusting but we were cool! Oh wait, aren’t we always?