Namaste & Thank You Nepal

It has been said that 'the people smile with their hearts and wear their hearts on their faces', and never have I seen this or felt this to be more true than during my time in Nepal.

Kathmandu itself is a unique city; bustling, dusty and hectic but equally, welcoming, warm and intriguing.

Venturing into the mountains however is an experience you cannot understand until you have been there. It is a wonderful, emotional and intense experience and I am sad that already it is a memory, when for two weeks the great mountains were a part of our daily lives. Waking to views of the Himalaya's magnificent peaks every morning revives, renews and refreshes your soul!

After the exciting, if not a little tense, flight into Lukla, tears filled my eyes as I looked up towards the mountains and the realisation hit. We were there, at the start.. Where adventures, dreams and unforgettable experiences begin. And ours was going to be an adventure like none other before. I never imagined that we would actually be there, just landing in Lukla was a dream come true.

Having read books like Into Thin Air and The Climb you start to recognise the names of the mountains, villages and iconic spots on the infamous trek to Everest, but to actually be there, for real, in the presence of those great mountains and to walk the paths that many have before in search of their dreams, is a wonderfully overwhelming feeling.

To spin the prayer wheels as so many have before, to walk the same winding paths, to cross the immense cable bridges and to breathe the same pure mountain air as all past adventurers have - it's euphoric, intense and magical.

"Namaste" welcomes you everywhere you go. Roughly translated as "I bow to the divine in you", you will hear the word spoken by all and to all as you pass through the mountain villages and your heart will be softened by this humbling, warm greeting. Spoken by the old, middle-aged and even rosy cheeked children not yet two years old - palms pressed and heads bowed - you will never forget a greeting such as this.

A massive and surprisingly emotional part of the trek for me was arriving at the memorials. In an immensely beautiful spot hundreds of stones mark the lives of climbers and from more recently, those who perished in the Earthquake.

When you read the stories of people like Rob Hall and Scott Fischer you think you understand that they are true stories but it really only became 'real' for me when I saw their names on those stones. I felt a heaviness in my heart, and a deep and intense sadness for them, in fact for a short time all I could do was cry. I couldn't stop thinking of all that they had achieved and had attempted to achieve. They lived and worked to help others achieve their dreams and died doing so. Whether you believe that's brave or stupid, I believe they were great mountaineers and passionate, great men. I won't ever know what it is like to summit Everest but being able to be up there, in the mountains that they loved meant so much to me. They were people who made their dreams happen. They did it because of their love of life.

We, the 'foreigners' go to Nepal to 'do Everest', whether it's Base Camp, Annapurna or to climb one of the many famous peaks. We do it to tick the box, to get the t-shirt and so we can say 'I've been there'...but we leave with more than a t-shirt. I swear the mountains have magical powers, they hypnotise you with their beauty and their charm and the true impact of your time there is an unexpected but hugely needed one.

We are humbled by more than just the struggle of our unadapted bodies fighting to cope with the altitude; we are humbled by the beauty, we are humbled by the people; who despite hardship and natural disaster, welcome us with beaming smiles into their homes and villages. We are humbled by the many passing Sherpas carrying more than double their weight in luxuries like beer and cola so 'we can feel at home' whilst in their homes. This is a humility I think most of us are missing from our lives and it is this that captures your heart.

In the past two years there has been much loss and devastation but instead of negativity and hostility you can only feel the hope, positivity and warmth of the people. This peace-loving country teaches you that there are greater things to respect, value and nurture in our lives than our egos and bank balances. You leave aspiring to be more like the Nepalese people - to be more positive, to live in the present, to stay humble, compassionate, kind and patient.

We did make it to Base Camp; a truly unique and awesome place where dreams await in the hundreds of tents, chilly and excited to be fulfilled. My dream had been fulfilled on the journey to this strange but great place. Having once thought that the destination would be the most special part, arriving at EBC was a wonderful achievement, a relief and a huge payoff but it was the entire experience that touched my heart.

Strangers on day one - ten days into our expedition our trek team was a family. This closeness with people you have just met is something you don't anticipate before the trek. Yes, you hope for a good group of people that will get on well and perhaps even for some banter around the dinner table but even better, we grew into a family. Eating, walking, joking, achieving and struggling together, going through all the highs and lows together and when one of our own was in need of rescue, our hearts were troubled and worried, together. In the mountains highs and lows more acute; emotions are raw and intense; we had mixed feelings, on one hand we worried about our 'brother' but also at the same time we were anticipating our next ascent, looking toward the finishing line - finally reaching Everest Base Camp and the top of Kala Patthar.

Sadly my 'bro' Dan didn't reach EBC, instead he had to descend for the good of his health. But health is king in the mountains and comes before everything else. If you are not well and cannot enjoy where you are and what you are doing, you ought not to be there. Whilst we touched down in EBC after a long day of trekking, Dan made his way further down the valley. A couple of days later Dan was rescued by helicopter and flown to a hospital in Kathmandu to be treated for altitude sickness. Worried but relieved we waved him off, cried in relief together and then continued on our planned descent towards Lukla, revelling in our achievements but also regretful that we hadn't all made it.

It really is hard to describe the experience without sounding like a total 'hippy' but after travelling for the past 2 years and visiting more than 20 countries, Nepal really is the one that truly touched me. Unlike anywhere I have been, Nepal is so special and I will be back.

Nepal humbles you in every way; it warms and restores your heart. The sheer beauty and scale of the great mountains are like nothing you have ever seen; unforgettable, magnificent and totally frightening at the same time. It is a true and pure example of how man cannot always conquer the natural. The mountains, despite the respect of the people, still reign and will always be king.

I certainly didn't leave my heart in San Franscisco - I left it, humbled and happy at the feet of Chomolungma.

Namaste and thank you Nepal