I hope everyone had a great Easter break.
I you may know I recently had the opportunity to take some time off with my wife to travel to Nepal. In this newsletter I thought I would share some of the journey and things I learnt along the way.
Kathmandu in some ways like Australia is a melting pot of people from many different backgrounds and religions (predominantly Hindu and Buddist). Walking along the street is a simply crazy experience. There are cars, people, dogs, shops and electrical wiring - everywhere. But among this craziness is an underlying peacefulness something that was quite different to similar places I have travelled to. ‘Namaste’ or peace be with you is used to greet others all over - perhaps this has something to do with it!
After a city tour and purchasing some last minute supplies we headed up to the Himalayas on a small plane to begin our 14 day trek to Everest Base Camp.
In fact we never intended to go to Base camp. Nor had I hiked for more than a few hours at a time or been above 3000m. I really had no idea what to expect.
Lesson 1.
The first challenge in our day was waking up at 5:30am as the sun was coming up in an unheated teahouse (simple BnB type place) when it was generally -10 to -20℃. We would then have to decide what to wear and pack up our belongs for the porters to carry to the next stop. After a hearty breakfast we would be off!
The trekking was either Nepali flat (moderately up and down) or almost straight up or straight down with a few proper flat sections in between. The trails where rocky or rocky and perhaps muddy and did I say rocky?!
We would generally hike for 6-8 hrs on the way up and then 10+hrs on the way back - with two acclimatisation days.
Above 3500m you really have to monitor yourself for altitude sickness which generally starts as a headache and then can progress into a loss of balance, co-ordination, breathlessness and confusion. If not addressed it will kill you quickly. Or you can get more mild bronchial symptoms like bronchitis with a cough. Generally, 30% of people going to basecamp get a helicopter out.
I am sure at this point no one reading would think this was a good idea for a holiday :)
On day 3 I developed the ‘mountain cough’ and a nasty 5cm blister on my right heel which kept me company for the rest of the trip. We also found out that the trek we wanted to do was closed due to 6ft of snow. This was also about the time I was forced to make a decision.
One thing I have learnt through many years as a high level athlete and in business is that things rarely go to plan. When you miss out, or lose out it is very easy to ‘crack it’. Then you either feel sorry for yourself as you absorb the blame, or shift it towards others or even the situation. Neither in my experience has been very productive but it is still a natural reaction!
Up there in the Himalayas there are many potential challenges - from navigating the terrain, being in a group of people you have never met, the effects of the altitude and your body literally coming undone.
My decision was to either become irritated by these challenges as they could potentially stop me from getting to my goal (base camp for instance) or I could just accept the present moment and take it as it was. I decided to chose the later, and when I did something wonderful happened.
Everything seemed to flow.
A change in perspective is very powerful. I walked at my own pace, and I was just grateful to be there. I never doubted that I wouldn't make it to Base camp but I lost any need to get there. I was just happy to be among the mountains and the friends I met. The challenges I had were still there but I lost any attachment to them. This was the first lesson I could take back with me to my everyday life;
Just accept the present moment as it is and make the most of it!
On day 8 we arrived at base camp! We walked in the snow alongside one of the biggest glaciers in the region called the Khumbu glacier. The next morning I learnt my second lesson.
Lesson 2.
I arose at 4:00am and quickly got dressed. We left at 4:30am in the dark. It was cold - probably -20℃. It had snowed for the last 12hrs so I had crampons (spikes), poles and a torch. We were attempting to make the summit of Kala Pattar 5550m for sunrise. The sun rises directly behind Mt Everest and the view is stunning.
I was shedding layers after about 10min as this walk was steep and we had to make tracks through 1ft of snow. It became apparent along the way that everyone in our group had decided just to go to a ridge at the halfway point. My guide lead me up in front of the group and I was just doing my best to keep up. It was hard. There were many times I was breathing so hard I thought I was going to be sick. But I just kept present and unattached, stopped regularly and took in the amazing view. After about 2hrs I stopped my guide. I could see what I thought was the ridge that marked the halfway point. I asked him if that was the halfway point and he said “no that is”, pointing down to a place about 200m below us. “That is the summit up there!” I was three quarters of the way to the top!
It is amazing the mental boost we get when we surprise ourselves with our capabilities. In fact this happened numerous times along this trip as I was just following my first lesson. I made it to the top of Kala Pattar. The view was quite possibly the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I got there almost by accident, but also with a kind of unattached determination. To be honest I was just happy to be among these amazing mountains.
Walking back I realised my second lesson which was;
You a capable of a lot more than you think you are.
As I mentioned, I demonstrated this to myself many times during this adventure and I don’t think this just applies to me. I think we are all more capable than we think we are. Sometimes when we hit challenges in life our self doubt, or the doubts of others can stop us in our tracks from demonstrating what we are truly capable of.
This self belief but acceptance of what is - is truly the foundations for high performance.
I hope this story also helps you to aim higher, accept what is and enjoy the journey along the way in 2015!