Keeping on the rails - What do you eat? What do you do?

Even if you seem to be doing nothing it is never a waste of time as long as it is a required step to achieve a bigger goal.

Since returning from rotations through camps 1-3 life at EBC has been focused on recovering and replenishing energy reserves while balancing the maintenance of fitness and acclimatization.

The typical routine of the past few days goes something like this -

Breakfast - 2 cups coffee, 2 cups of tea, 2 bowls yoghurt & muesli or porridge, 2 fried eggs & 2 toast. Lunch - 3 toasted sandwiches (various), steamed vegetables, thick cut chips & full strength soft drink or other beverage. Dinner - pop corn, soup, then either yak steak/ momos / pasta / dahl baht / etc., potatoes, vegetables, fruit salad and endless cups of tea.

In addition, throughout the day there are snacks and 2-4 liters of fluid that round off the the intake. While the volume remains constant the Himalayan Ascent team provide more than enough variety to ensure an enthusiastic response to every meal time!

From an activity perspective days of reading and relaxing interspersed with walks gaining around 200- 400 meters in altitude throughout the surrounding hills and valleys keeps the balance of recovery and conditioning.

It’s a real treat when people who are trekking with HA on other trips visit base camp. Just had 3 Jackson Hole residents stay a couple of nights bringing their laughter, smiles and a card game called Shanghai. WTF? Apparently there are rules but to great amusement I’m still figuring them out. Meeting people along the way is just as much a part of this trip as is putting on crampons and climbing. Good luck with the rest of your adventures P,S&I.

Even without visitors, days pass quite quickly when you consider gear checks, keeping in contact with family, clothing maintenance, body scrubbing chores and consciously focusing on maintaining a relaxed but positive approach to this whole adventure. This last point while not producing any obvious tangible outcome is one of those areas I think requires special attention. You might say it’s all about keeping yourself “on the rails”.

We are now waiting for 2 key events. The route to be fixed from the South Col to the Summit and the appropriate weather window. Until then my focus is to remain as healthy and prepared as possible which means more of the above as most else is outside of my control.

Is it food time already....................