Applying sunscreen is supposed to be a protective measure and keep you safe. At the moment, though, I’m cursing all the skin-cancer information I’ve gathered in the past years. My mouth goes suddenly and unbearably dry, my legs begin to tremble uncontrollably and my fingers – slippery from sunscreen despite liberal chalk application - slide …
The little road trip that wasn’t
Learning from my mistakes, day 2 in Copenhagen found me: power napping in the gardens of a castle, drinking a cider next to a canal and watching the world go by, wandering and wandering through the city streets, and reading my book in the sun. Okay, I also toured said castle (Rosenborg), which was filled …
One night in Copenhagen (and one more to go)
One of the reasons we travel is to learn about the world. The other reason is to learn about ourselves. Or be reminded, as the case may be - and certainly is for me on this trip to Copenhagen. Faced with a week on my own, I decided on a whim that a quick trip …
Continue reading One night in Copenhagen (and one more to go)
The Welsh3000 (or 15 Peaks) Challenge
"I don't think I can go to sleep. You're vibrating," my husband told me from his side of the double bed in the B and B. I was a bit shocked but guess I shouldn't have been - the intensity of the anxiety and anticipation running through my veins probably could have triggered seismic action had …
All the way down and out
Of course, the story can’t quite end, since we are still at Colera and I have every intention of making it all the way down the mountain, out of the national park, back to civilization and home to my family. So we get up on the morning after summit day, pack our things and once …
Mental and physical exhaustion… but goal accomplished
At the beginning of my trip, I read a book about the history of Aconcagua, featuring the early attempts on climbing the mountain. One of the first key explorers was Paul Gussfeldt, a German credited with a number of first ascents in the Alps, who then became fascinated and obsessed with Aconcagua, travelling to South …
Continue reading Mental and physical exhaustion… but goal accomplished
Last overnight on the way up
I hauled my 20kg of stuff up to Colera at 6000m today, and I’m now nestled in the tent, just awaking from a bit of a siesta. It’s strange to think that we are now camping at an elevation above the summit of Kilimanjaro. This is now – until tomorrow anyway – my altitude record! …
Contingency day in effect
Last night, the wind pounded our tent virtually uninterrupted. High winds with very high gusts, it was not a particularly restful night. Bernie was up at 6:30 on the 2-way radio and made the call that we’ll spend an extra day here in camp 2, only climbing higher tomorrow – hopefully after the wind lets …
Nido de Condores, camp 2 (5400m)
Today is my favorite day of the expedition so far. It’s 18:00 and I just came back into the tent. I had to take a bathroom break, and walking back around the corner of the rock outcropping, I was shocked by the beauty laid out before me – for the second time today. The summit …
Last thoughts before the summit push commences
One of the reasons I climb, why I do things like this: clarity. Here I am, half a world away from my family, work, friends, house, car, day to day activities – and even I have moments in which I wonder why I’m here. Last night was one of those moments. The wind was howling …
Continue reading Last thoughts before the summit push commences
adventuring through life 