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Browsing Tags travel

When Worlds Collide

June 19, 2013 · by Julie

Well, um, this is a little awkward…and yet I’m not at all surprised, given the fuzzy boundaries between my personal and professional lives. You were all bound to make your way here at some point.

So, uh, well, hi AnthroDesigners! Welcome to the party! I’m sorry that I didn’t invite you sooner, but since this started as a travel blog I really didn’t think you’d be interested. Glad to see you here though! Meet my travel readers. Travel readers, meet the AnthroDesigners. Now that I think about it, I actually think you’ll have a lot in common. After all, we’re all interested in culture, people, artifacts, food – the stuff that makes up the beauty and diversity of this world. It’s what we live for, travelers and AnthroDesigners alike.

IMG_1185.JPGCome on in! You can set the wine down over there, and feel free to open whatever you like. Help yourself to a post or two. You’ll find the archives down the sidebar and to the right. I apologize, but I have to run. I’m finally working on a fantastic project again – the kind that makes me remember why I became an ethnographer – but I have ten days of full day immersion fieldwork and the deliverables are due immediately upon leaving the field, on exactly the tenth day. But hey, pulling off the impossible and making our clients look good is what we do, right? So I’m off to finish rocking it! I’ll be back as soon as I can.

Enjoy, make yourself at home, and thanks for joining us!

The Bhutan Code

October 21, 2012 · by Julie

Halfway up the mountain, I hear trumpets in the distance. The monastery must be close now! Just over an hour later, I finally reach the gate – exhausted but cleansed. Prepared to see the temple.

I have finally figured out The Bhutan Code. If you book a trip here, pay close attention to your itinerary. Chances are it’ll be filled with phrases like, “visit the monastery,” “view the Himalayan peaks,” and “see the stupa.” These all mean the same thing – climb the mountain to the monastery, climb the mountain to view the peaks, climb the mountain to see the stupa. Once in a while you’ll mix it up by climbing six or seven flights of stone stairs instead. And it’s not over when you think it’s over. You’ll take an “easy walk” up the hill to your hotel. Then four or five flights of stairs and/or ladders to your room. Want breakfast? Six sets of stone steps to that building on the hill behind you.

Going to Bhutan? Hit the stair mill at the gym. Now. Seriously.

Luckily, I was training for a trek and even managed to climb to the famous Taktshang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, 900m up a cliff, in less than two hours. Your time may vary. 😉

That climb topped off a trip that included:

Yak Day – I saw my first yak, tried yak cheese and yak butter tea, and survived Bhutan’s version of the Death Road, which almost made me yak even though I’ve never been car sick in my life.

An “easy walk” to the Chimi Lhakhang temple, only to learn that it’s a pilgrimage site where the childless come to get blessings of fertility. Um. Yeah. No thanks. I skipped that blessing. The Divine Madman, Lama Drukpa Kunley, to whom this temple is dedicated, is the reason you see penises painted on and hanging from homes all over Bhutan. He’s known for subduing the demons with his phallus. The subtle misogyny underlying his popularity is a topic for another post, for sure.

Overall, Bhutan is like a carousel. No surprises (once you’ve learned the code), just extreme homogeneity and a quiet serenity that’s more than a bit disconcerting to me, since I come from a culture that values diversity – and the chaos that can come with it – so highly. I’ll save that discussion for later though. For now I’m back on the adrenaline rush roller coaster that is Nepal, and I’ll admit to breathing a bit of a sigh of relief at the beautiful unpredictability of it all.

Namaste.

Chaotic Serendipity

October 10, 2012 · by Julie

I sense a colorful rickshaw coming at me from behind as a weaving motorbike barrels straight toward me, and a dusty, white car eases past all of us while laying on the horn as if there was a chance in hell that we could get out of the way. I calmly step to the left, then forward and a bit to my right, confident that I can straddle the smelly water in the gutter without falling in. It’s my second full day in Thamel, and I’m becoming comfortable with the chaos.

I dance with the crowd, anticipating their moves as they anticipate mine. I easily sidestep spit from the shopkeepers hustling their wares or the equally dangerous splash from their occasional halfhearted attempts to wash the spit away. I’ve learned to keep a sixth sense focused on the uneven ground in front of me, while my other senses are fully engaged in keeping me alive. The similarities between walking in Thamel and driving on a Los Angeles freeway are striking. So are the differences. Overwhelmed at first, I soon find myself entering a kind of meditative state in which I move by instinct and trust in those around me. The crowd becomes one. We all move as a single organism – and it works.

Suddenly, the smell of raw meat from a small, open window low to the ground stops me in my tracks. I look around. Meat, fruit, vegetables, used cooking pots, clothes, rice, and live chickens splashing in the mud puddles at my feet have replaced the knock-off trekking gear, singing bowls, and Buddha statuettes of the tourist district. I am fabulously, deliciously lost.

I’ve stumbled on the local market in the part of town where there are homes instead of guesthouses, where the shopkeepers, hotel workers, and their families live, love, and play. I spend a couple of hours “lost” there, taking it all in. I don’t take out my camera, not even once. It feels too invasive here. Instead, I just talk to people. It’s a wonderful day.

Tomorrow I leave for Bhutan. I expect a very different experience from the chaos of Kathmandu, but I know where expectations lead. I’m ready to see how the next 9 days unfold, and to experience whatever chaotic serendipity comes my way. I am comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s just what I do.

Namaste.
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Kathmandu!

October 8, 2012 · by Julie

After a very long 2 1/2 day series of flights – Los Angeles to Seoul to Bangkok to Kathmandu – I’m here!

For now, I’ve chosen Thamel Eco Resort as my home base hotel. I leave for 9 days in Bhutan on Thursday.

I always learn from travel, and I’ve already learned a thing or two on this trip:

1. Always book your own hotels, even if it seems more convenient to have the agency book it for you just this one time. They will get you the worst room at the most jacked up tourist price. You can always do better on your own.

2. The Bangkok airport is fascinating at 4am.

3. Solar Oil saves your cuticles from the dry air of airplanes and altitude. Ask your manicurist or get it at a beauty supply store. Don’t accidentally pack it in your checked bag.

4. Solo travel can be lonely. Breakfast was nice, and I met a few other travelers who were alone at the moment, but joining tour groups later today. I had some nice conversations until their tour leader arrived and activities started. Then I ceased to exist as they went about doing what they paid to do, and getting to know one another. It’s very quiet here now.

5. I can blog from my iPhone! This is a total experiment, so I apologize in advance for the inevitable glitches. Pretty cool though.

I’ll be wandering Thamel today, probably camera-less, just soaking it all in. I like to spend my first day (after sleeping 16 hours) just feeling out the vibe of a city. Later, I’ll make plans and See Things. For now, I’ll just Be Here.

Namaste.

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Leaving Tomorrow!

October 5, 2012 · by Julie

October 5, 2012
Friday

The Journey is the Destination

The Changing Path

It came up so fast – tomorrow I board a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, then on to Kathmandu to begin the adventure! Thing is, it’s not the adventure I’ve been sharing with you for the last several months. At all. I stopped sharing because, quite frankly, I had no idea what to say. I’m still coming to terms with my feelings about how this trip has evolved, and I swing from hating every second and wanting to cancel it to knowing that once I get there, it will be overwhelmingly, jaw-dropping amazing and I will forget that it’s not the trip I planned.

Expectations are dangerous. And painful. They truly are the cause of our suffering. I expected to go to Everest. I expected to see Nepal, Bhutan, and maybe even Tibet with a friend. I expected to be perfectly healthy and in great shape by now.

Expectations suck. They can be shattered.

Here are the highlights, the pieces I can put together and make some sort of sense of at this point.

The Trek

I wanted to go to Everest Base Camp. I’ve always wanted to go. Wade Davis, my first inspiration to become an ethnographer, recently wrote a book about Everest. Talking with him about his experiences at a lecture at the Bowers Museum back in March just sparked the fire. I was going to do it!

I psyched myself up for it, told all my friends and family, and even blogged about it. I trained hard – but wait. Something was wrong. I was getting short of breath, light-headed, and even passing out on training hikes that were a bit challenging, but should have been easy for me. They weren’t easy. I thought my asthma was acting up again. So I went to my primary care doctor, who sent me on to a cardiologist.

The good news is, I don’t have asthma! The bad? Asthma was a misdiagnosis from way back when. What I do have is two different congenital heart defects. They’re minor, but for some reason that we still don’t understand I also have mild pulmonary hypertension which is causing my symptoms and is likely related. My western doctors have been great at doing tests, and more tests, and more tests, and fine-tuning the diagnosis. We are still in that process, and I still need more tests when I get home. However, they have done NOTHING to address the shortness of breath and dizziness while exercising. Zero.

I did find a wonderful acupuncturist and specialist in Chinese Medicine, Michael Vercos at Pacific Bay Integrative Health Center in Santa Monica. Between the herbs and the acupuncture, my cardio world has changed. I never realized how it really felt to run – I never knew I shouldn’t be gasping for air, feeling faint, and getting a migraine a few hours later like clockwork. With his treatment, I am improving. However, I am still far from normal.

Because of this, I know I will be slower than the rest of the group at high altitude – and maybe even at lower altitude. I thought it was best to be honest with the trekking company, and perhaps hire an extra porter/guide to stay with me if I ended up being too slow, so I didn’t hold up the group. Nobody wants to be That Person, but since I knew there was a chance, I thought I’d be prepared.

Big mistake. Huge. Ethics suck.

Although they were very polite about it, the trekking agency made it clear that they really didn’t want me on the Everest Base Camp trek. They gave me the choice, but the tone was clear – if I chose to go, they would consider me a liability from Second One. I felt like I wasn’t wanted. I was devastated. I don’t feel like it would have been fun to go where I’m not wanted, and where everyone immediately considers me a pain in the ass. Hiring an extra porter wasn’t an option they really wanted to offer. Instead, they offered to switch me to another trek – Annapurna Sanctuary – which is lower altitude, and well within an altitude I have successfully tackled before. I switched. I want to hike with people who want me hiking with them. So. Annapurna Sanctuary, it is.

Another issue with the switch is that it’s a shorter trek. This has pros and cons. The main pro is that China is not issuing Tibet Permits in October. The shorter trek leaves me a potential window if they begin issuing them again in November, so it’s possible I can still make that work. We’ll see. The cons are numerous, from the disappointment to having to pay for an extra week’s lodging in Kathmandu at the end, which was still cheaper than changing my flight date. In the end, what should have been the less expensive trek ended up costing me more. I’m hoping to make good use of that time though, trying to get a Tibet Permit, or perhaps traveling to the south, or even just to Bhaktapur or some such place. I’ll make the best of it. But dealing with logistical changes and even a slightly different gear list has left me scrambling and stressed out rather than truly excited.

The Solo Travel

Then there was another change in plans. Although she didn’t plan to trek with me, a friend was supposed to join me for the first part of my trip. We were going to travel to Nepal together, then on to either Tibet or Bhutan, then I would return for the trek. A few weeks ago, she learned she was unable to go and she had to cancel. So here I am, traveling solo yet again. Now, for the record, I’m used to traveling alone. I enjoy it to an extent, and there are definite benefits. But this time, I was looking forward to company for at least part of the trip. I was still able to go to Bhutan, but as most of you reading this are probably aware, single supplements are the solo traveler’s punishment. For what, I’m not sure. For being too much of a loser to have a travel partner? Whatever. What it means is that Bhutan cost me twice as much as it would have in a group of two. Not a surprise, just yet another disappointment.

I was excited again when it seemed I might be able to connect with another friend who is traveling solo in Asia right now, but it turned out she’s arriving in Kathmandu the day after I leave for Bhutan, and she’ll be moving on before I return. I won’t see her either.

So. Solo it is. Story of my life.

At this point, with the flight tomorrow morning, I’m trying to get back in the game and remind myself that this is the beauty of travel. It always changes. The path you take is never the path you expected to take, and those detours are what make the memories. Like taking the Lares Trail when the Inca Trail permits were sold out, and meeting only locals along the way – no other trekking groups for days! Instead, we met farmers and herders who shared their lives, stories, and homes with us. Or driving from Victoria Falls back to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, and running into a random guesthouse on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, where we ate the best french fries in the world as a local reggae band started an impromptu party that mesmerized us into dancing for hours. Or taking a standard wine tasting tour in Stellenbosch, South Africa that unexpectedly ended with Mark Bilton of Bilton Wines inviting all of us back to his home for a tasting in his private cellar. Fabulous wines, by the way! Get your hands on them if you can!

It’s the moments you DON’T plan that are the best moments. The real moments. Life.

I’m off to live mine. xoxo

Day 91 – Vegan Goodies!

August 2, 2012 · by Julie

August 2, 2012
Thursday

The Training

Look! It’s Vegan Bodybuilder Me! 🙂

Okay, so I have a long way to go to lift that kind of weight, but way back at the beginning I promised you some tips and tricks about training as a vegetarian. To be honest, I’m not vegan – but I’m getting there and I keep a vegan kitchen at home. I still find it challenging when I travel and yes, my Barney Boots are leather, but I do what I can, when I can to live as cruelty-free as possible. I don’t preach, I just hope to set an example that others might want to follow, even if it’s one step at a time. (Like climbing that mountain, you know?)

It helps that I am in LOVE with Vega products. I found Vega about six months ago when I first started my journey to Everest-land. I was searching for a way to get more vegan protein and there it was – fabulous stuff! Since then, Brendan Brazier has taken off like a rocket with his Thrive books and Vega and Vega Sport line of vegan yummies. For two months I had Thrive Direct vegan meals delivered to my house and/or my hotel, but when my expensive transmission failed, I had to take a break. It sure beats the hotel food I’m stuck with now though, let me tell ya! I could starve to death eating vegan on the road. Hello? Room service? MORE VEGAN OPTIONS PLEASE! But I digress…back to the point.

I can find a few Vega products at my local Whole Foods, but come on now – chocolate coconut vegan protein bars?! Who wouldn’t want to give those a nibble? Whole Foods doesn’t carry them, so when I got a tweet about Vegan Proteins, I clicked on over. If you know me, you know that I am also a huge supporter of small businesses whenever possible. I love what these guys (and a girl) are doing! They’re vegan bodybuilders raising funds for a documentary and competitions, to get the word out that you can, in fact, be healthy and (super) fit, AND vegan!

But wait! There’s more! They’re also SUPER friendly, fun, and have incredible customer service. My FedEx guy dropped off a box (with that cute picture of me drawn on it) just a little while ago. I needed that chocolate coconut bar to have enough energy to dig through it all! Of course, what I ordered was inside and it was all perfect. Plus there were samples of a bunch of goodies I’d considered ordering (did they read my mind?) and handwritten, personal thank-you notes! Despite a long, frustrating day, I’ve had a huge smile all evening – this is the kind of small gesture that makes me happy, and makes me want to tell the world about a great business!

So – where do you get your protein? Give Vegan Proteins a shot. You’ll probably even get a great drawing of yourself and a good laugh! How can you beat that?

(And no, they had NO idea that I would be blogging about this. They didn’t know me from any other random California vegan protein fiend. Like I promised at the beginning, I don’t take free stuff and I write honestly about what I actually use and know.)

Now, I’m off to finish that chocolate coconut bar…but not before I take care of The Details. It’s off to the post office to send my final balance for the trek off to ACTIVE New Zealand. (Yes I’m going to the Himalayas, but they run fantastic trips in New Zealand and South America too!)

Whew! All that’s left is to keep training and then get on a plane! Yay! Kathmandu, I’m on my way! 🙂

Day 89 – A Pretty Flower!

July 31, 2012 · by Julie

July 31, 2012
Tuesday

The Gear

The UPS Fairy dropped off my Deuter ACT Trail 28 backpack today – two days early! While I was in a shopping mood, I also ordered a whole expedition-sized case of Grabber Hand/Toe/Body warmers. I love these! They’re kind of a pain on the trail since you have to pack them back out, but I really can’t live without them in cold weather. I saved a marriage once by whipping hand warmers out on a jeep safari on Catalina Island on a freezing December evening. No joke. They rock. But back to the backpack.

I unloaded my gear from the Gregory Jade and re-loaded it all directly into the new pack. My first surprise was how well everything fit! I piled in everything I’ll be taking with me on the Active Himalayas EBC Trek, and then some. For now let’s assume I’ll be taking my Canon DSLR and the 300mm lens, even though I’m pretty sure the lens will be staying home. It’s the heaviest item that could possibly end up on my back though, so I threw it in. Just in case I change my mind. (I’ve been known to do that.) There’s plenty of room with space left over. Okay, what’s up? These packs are supposed to be the same size, right? Um, well, as it turns out…sort of. They’re both labeled “28” which makes you think they’re both 28 liters, but looking at the actual specs it depends on what size you buy. The small Gregory Jade is actually listed at 26.5 liters and 1,617 cubic inches. I know I should have thought about that, but it didn’t even cross my mind that a small torso would mean a smaller capacity. Duh. The Deuter is a true 28 liters and 1710 cubic inches. So it’s not my imagination, it is a bit bigger.

The capacity also seems better because of the way that it loads. From that perspective, this new pack is a dream. It stands up on its own. It’s not crescent shaped, which means it also doesn’t have a suspended mesh back, but I can live with that. It won’t roll over and try to get away from me on the edge of a cliff. A whole lot of stuff fits inside, and when it’s stuffed to the max it doesn’t stick way out from my back and make me look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And better yet? When it’s time to dig for my down jacket and I’m gasping for air at the end of a long, hard, high altitude day on the trail, it’s super easy to get to my gear. Check this out. Front zip. It’s all right there. Nice!

So how does it fit? Hmm. Well. It’s fine. It doesn’t feel like I’m carrying air, like the Gregory did. The shoulder straps don’t fit around my rather ample chest as well as the others did, so they’ll rub on my bare arms just a little if I wear a tank top. (Which I definitely will not be wearing in Nepal, so I’m not too worried about that.) The buckles and zippers are a bit harder to work and they just don’t have the sleek, smooth, quality feel of the Jade. I get a vibe that it’s not quite as well-designed and might not last beyond this trip. It sits close to my back though, and despite the trend toward fancy suspended mesh ventilation, this is what I’m used to carrying. It feels a little bit more stable. And it has a pretty flower. 😉

So as of today, it’s a toss-up in my head. It looks like it might be a compromise between perfect comfort and perfect capacity/access to gear. The real test will come on the trail this weekend. So far, I’ve learned that backpacks are like men. A little of this one is great. A little of that one is awesome. But the whole package is really tough to find!

Day 87 – Loading Up!

July 30, 2012 · by Julie

July 29, 2012
Sunday

The Training and The Gear

After a week of weights, yoga, and indoor workouts I was ready to hit the trail again today with my friend Marian. We decided to do the same trail we did last week, since it has a lot of rolling hills and is a good interval workout with a lot of options.

I still wasn’t entirely sold on the Gregory Jade 28 pack, so I loaded it up and took it out on the trail. I’m happy to say that it held up really well! Very comfortable and the weight distribution was really nice – I hardly felt like I was carrying a load! During the hike I didn’t feel a thing, but there’s a slight problem a few hours later. My shoulders are aching a bit, which isn’t normal. I’m sure I had the pack adjusted properly, so all I can figure is that the ventilated suspension puts a little more weight on my shoulders than I’m used to carrying there. Perhaps I’ll adapt to the difference after a few hikes?

My biggest concern is still about my camera. I didn’t include it in today’s test load and I’m worried that with extra pressure on my shoulders from the pack itself, shoving a DSLR on top for easy access won’t work. I’m afraid the weight distribution will be totally wrong. I’ve ordered a backup plan – the Deuter ACT Trail 28. I’ll give it a try too and pick the better of the candidates. At this point, I know that I have at least one that will be fine, although not perfect. I’m convinced the perfect backpack simply does not exist.

Aside from the backpack, we had some extra fun today too! Somewhere along this journey, I bought a really cool toy – a Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS watch. I may have to exchange this one, as the pins in the band keep falling out. The original plastic band dangled like a bangle on my tiny wrist. This is definitely a toy designed for boys. I ordered the fabric wristband, but it hasn’t helped. The device itself is loosely attached to the fabric strap in a way that it still moves around when you run or hike. The curve of the device is so large that if you have a small wrist, you’re just kind of screwed. The worst part is that the movement works out the pins in the band and the watch disconnects on one end and starts flopping around on your arm. Not cool.

What is cool is the data that you get from the Forerunner. Anything you could possibly want to know, it’ll tell you. Heart rate? Check. Route map? Check. Speed, both moving and including the times you stopped to rest? Check. Elevation. Um, check. It’s disheartening to realize that the best hill hike within an hour drive takes me to a whopping 681 feet above sea level. Ignorance is bliss.

It’s fun to race against yourself and compare hikes though. Today we beat last week’s pace even while carrying significantly more weight. Awesome! Can’t wait to see how we do next week – assuming the whole thing doesn’t fall off my wrist before then, anyway.

Day 81 – Back to the Pack

July 24, 2012 · by Julie

July 23, 2012
Sunday

The Gear

The biggest unanswered question about the trek (aside from whether or not the Tibet border will open) is which backpack will ultimately join me on the trail. I’ve been debating this since Day 2 and have researched packs to death. My ancient, beloved CamelBak has been all over the world with me, but ultimately I think it’s a bit too small for a trek of this length and intensity. Although I managed with it just fine in Peru, I would have liked a bit more space and a more comfortable hip belt. Like the old, comfy boots, it’s time for a new pack.

My LowePro Photo Sport 200 turned out to be far too small and much too wimpy. It sagged and bent and twisted after a two hour hike here in Los Angeles, so I can’t imagine it would last more than ten minutes on the EBC Trek.

As a backup plan, I ordered the Clik Elite Obscura. The reviews were great and it seemed like it would solve a key problem – what to do with my camera. To be honest, I’m still debating whether or not I should take my DSLR with the 300mm lens. On the one hand, it’s super heavy and I can’t imagine lugging it up a mountain. On the other hand, it’s NEPAL! I can’t imagine not having it handy when an amazing shot presents itself, like this one I took of a Hadzabe boy in Tanzania. I’m truly torn. In any case, the Obscura arrived and…sat in my living room for a couple of months while I traveled and worked and went to doctors and got distracted by the life of a real girl.

This week, I finally took it out of the bag and tried it on. Have I mentioned that I hate online shopping? Detest it. With a passion. I miss brick and mortar stores where I can touch a backpack and stuff things in it and try it on and walk around with it for a while. This one just doesn’t fit my torso. It’s not comfortable at all. The camera is still really hard to get to, even with the special zippered compartment in the bottom of the pack. Good reviews or not, I can tell immediately that this one is not going to work for me. Of course, I’ve passed the 30 days where I can return it. Anyone want an Obscura? Looks like I have one for sale.

So today I headed out to REI in Huntington Beach, which is just about the only place on the planet left to actually try on backpacks. I can’t believe I didn’t get the name of the employee who helped me because he was FABULOUS! He suggested a few different options, loaded them up with weights, and patiently watched me galumph around the store, moving, twisting, and debating. For over an hour. One problem is that the 28 liter packs are just a *tad* too small, but the next size up in the models that fit me well were 36 liters – a tad too big. Another issue is that, well, how can I put this? I’ve learned that I really need a backpack designed specifically for women. I have, um, parts of my torso that get in the way if the straps aren’t cut just right. So that limited my options too.

With his help, I narrowed it down to the Gregory Jade 28 or the Deuter ACT Trail 28. I left the store with the Gregory Jade (in purple to match my Barney Boots), but I’m still not convinced it’s the right one. It fits like a glove. I hardly feel like I’m carrying any weight. I have never in my life worn such a comfortable backpack. It has one downfall though – it’s top-loading only and because of the fancy suspension in the back, it has sort of a crescent shape. It doesn’t stand up on its own and it’s a bit tricky to pack. There’s no full-length zipper, so you really have to dig for whatever you stash in the very bottom and the crescent shape makes getting to the bottom challenging. It doesn’t stand up – it tilts and rolls and fights you all the way. I can see this being a problem when it comes to my camera. My choices are to either pack it in the bottom and just know that I’ll only be able to use it when we stop at a tea house for the day, or I can ignore every bit of advice about proper weight distribution in a backpack and put it on the very top. It’ll still be hard to get to – I’ll need to at least slide the backpack off one shoulder – but that could work if it doesn’t throw the weight off completely. I decide to take it home, pack it up, and try it out.

On my way out the door, Awesome Employee (dang, I REALLY wish I remembered to ask his name!) reminded me that REI has a generous 100% guarantee policy – the one I used when I returned the Boots of Doom. That made me feel a lot better, as I don’t want to end up in the same situation that I’m in with the brand new, un-returnable Clik Elite bag.

I have a vision of myself collecting “not really used” gear like stray puppies. I suppose I could open a used gear shop, right? Hmm…it’s a thought! 😉

Day 80 – On the Trail Again!

July 23, 2012 · by Julie

July 22, 2012
Sunday

The Training

Back in the saddle!!!

I still have to see one more specialist, but I am good to go to Everest Base Camp! It looks like I probably do, in fact, have a minor congenital heart defect after all. However, as far as heart problems go it’s pretty much a Best Case Scenario. It’s not going to kill me and it certainly explains a lot of issues I’ve had over the years that I wrongly attributed to various minor ailments: Climbing out of the Batoka Gorge in Zimbabwe? Asthma. (Nope.) Falling behind while trekking the Lares Trail in Peru? Altitude sickness. (Wrong.) Struggling on a climb in Malibu Creek? Allergies. (Definitely not.)

The good news is that with a couple of minor precautions – heart rate monitor, paying attention to my body’s signals – I can still climb to dizzying heights. I just have to be sure to slow down when my heart rate hits a certain point so I don’t actually get dizzy. I’ll never summit Everest (not that I was going to try,) and I’ll have to set my ego aside and accept that I’ll likely be the slowest person on the trek. But that’s okay. I CAN GO!!!!!!

So today, my friend Marian joined me for my first hike since this whole convoluted mess began. I’ll admit that I was a little scared. I didn’t really know what to expect, and I was glad I had a friend with me. In the end though, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. In fact, in the process of figuring out what was wrong I had a lot of tests – fitness tests included. As I was climbing up Water Tower Hill, I was thinking about my fabulous VO2 max and the fact that I am actually much healthier than most people my age. Between the positive focus and the rest step that another friend taught me as a way to increase my oxygen efficiency on climbs, I was literally jumping up and down doing the Happy Dance at the top of the hill – not even out of breath at all!

I have had this all my life. I have accomplished challenging climbs before, without even knowing I had any limitations. Why let the mere knowledge of something that’s always existed limit me now? Never!

See you on the trail! 😀

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