Mission Everest - Part 1 - Trekking in Nepal

It has been my ambition now for some time to one day summit the world's highest peak. It is very much so a long term goal of mine for a few reason.

First reason being financial, the money involved in such an undertaking is colossal (at least for me). It is estimated to cost somewhere between £40,000 and £60,000 for an attempt on Everest depending on who you choose to go with. This has fuelled debate that Everest has become a peak for the rich only. This aside I still want to go there, it will require minding the pennies but I am determined not to let that be a stumbling block on my mission to Everest.

Second reason being experience, or lack thereof. I want to do it the correct way, the proper way and that means training. I want to climb some smaller but just as challenging peaks before I try to climb Everest. I want to go to Everest with the best possible chance of success and I believe that comes with the right preparation. I have been trying to decide what my route to Everest will be, which peaks will I try first before signing up for an Everest expedition. The natural starting place for me was the trek, Yes I know it is not a peak but it certainly gave me an idea of what the country is like. I wanted to look back in 10, twenty years and say I did it the right way and for me that meant starting at Base Camp, looking up at the mountain and rubbing noses with it.

Like any mammoth undertaking such as this, each step is difficult but necessary to achieve your goals. At time while trekking in the Khumbu region I thought to myself how hard it was, how difficult I was finding it and how was I ever going to be able to climb Everest when I can barely get to Kala Patthar. But this is often the case, each stage is difficult at the time but by pushing it on, by going that little bit extra you set yourself up for success. Perhaps my favourite quote which comes from my hero Bear Grylls (incidentally he has summitted Everest) best emphasises my point.

"The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is so often just simply that little word - extra. And for me, I had always grown up with the belief that if someone succeeds it is because they are brilliant or talented or just better than me…and the more of these words I heard the smaller I always felt! But the truth is often very different…and for me to learn that ordinary me can achieve something extra-ordinary by giving that little bit extra, when everyone else gives up, meant the world to me and I really clung to it…" Bear Grylls

Read more about my trek in Nepal by clicking here.

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The plan at the moment looks a little something like this:

• Mont Blanc, France (4807m)
• Aconcagua, Argentina (6954m) - highest mountain outside of the Himalayas
• Ama Dablam, Nepal (6812m)
• Cho Oyu, Nepal (8201m)
• Mt. Everest, Nepal (8848m)