Well, it’s day five of not being able to eat. As you can imagine im pretty weak. Tough day today. Four hour hike, rest an hour, than another four hour out and back to base camp. I crawled, I wobbled, I saw double. So, whats base camp like?

For me, it satisfies a few things. I’m goal oriented, so the fact that the pass we originally intended to cross that was impassable due to waist deep snow and 60mph winds left us with something to replace it with. Given our location, base camp was it and pretty much IT. People know it, it has panache, who knows who we might run into (in addition to the adorable boys from Israel who I want to adopt? )

Why didn’t we choose it from the beginning?

Boring. For.those who don’t trek this is EXCITING! And kudos to those who attempt this, because ANYTHING at this altitude is some pretty tough stuff (as I’ve learned this trip, all too well). Still, you see nothing but tents. Why go here when you aren’t going to climb? Reach the same and higher heights with the passes and have better vistas. We had little choice but that’s why we passed from the getgo.

That said, I had to make some choices of my own. I don’t often stop to take stock of what I CAN’T do, so when it hits me in the face it’s pretty tough stuff. Starting with a colitis attack a week ago, it set me up for severe acute mountain sickness, which I ignored as much as possible for six days. Not happening. Today I left for Kathmandu to recuperate. I am flat out exhausted. Who chooses shit like this for a vacation? I seriously need a vacation now!

I’m here at the Kathmandu Hyatt and it’s wrong. I need to get back to Josh. But I will say, though, that the adventure of getting back here today was worth everything. Holy cow, what a day to be alive!

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Just sayin.