Trekking Nepal - Part One. Jiri to Everest Base Camp. Setting the scene

Trekking Nepal. Jiri to Everest Base Camp 2013.

Wilco at The Kathmandu Guesthouse

After enjoying a successful and rewarding trekking trip in 2012, with both myself and our friend Dave Slater, Wilco Voulon had decided to organise a larger party, on behalf of his foundation – Autisme Sportief, to do the same trek in to Base Camp; with the addition of the prospect of taking part in the 2013 Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon. By a happy coincidence this year’s event was to coincide with the 60^th Anniversary of the Everest Summit (29^th May 1953). I was delighted when Wilco asked me if I would interested in helping with the guiding of the trip and jumped at the chance to take on this extremely challenging route once more. I also decided there and then to have a go at the marathon too. Well why not?!

Bubble Wobble, The Wolf Run, and other news.

Frankie Hewitt and Neil after completing The Wolf Run

I had a phone call today, from a friend, that caught me slightly unaware. It wobbled my bubble, and that doesn't happen very often! (My bubble is my personal reference to my life and the lovely little cocoon that I live in). It wasn't an earth shattering call, the type that knocks you completely sideways, like the one I received when my cousin died, but it was unexpected and I was wobbled.

It was a good call.

I'm sorry that I have to leave it like that for the time being, I don't normally announce cryptic news, but if what we discussed comes to fruition then it will be something that I will be very proud to be associated with. I will let you all know the minute that anything is announced formally.

On a more sociable note... 

Yesterday I took part in The Wolf Run. It is a 10km challenge of running and obstacle racing and includes an awful lot of mud! Which means it is an awful lot of fun!

I went along to support an old school friend, Francesca Hewitt, who was doing it for the first time. In fact it was her first event of any kind in a long time. She is a wonderful person who unfortunately suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and this has lead to some difficult personal battles for her. Because of PCOS she has suffered with weight problems and in recent times she has shown real determination to try and overcome it. She began attending regular fitness sessions with a group in her home town of Rugby called Military Fitness Circuits and she has lost a fair bit of weight. Francesca still has a little way to go but she is making steps in the right direction and she will get there.

I have no doubt.

Review: Rab MeCo Base Layers

RAB MeCo Base Layers

Rab MeCo 120 Tee in use during the 2013 Yak Attack in Nepal.

  

MeCo is Rab's incarnation of the now ultra-popular Merino Wool used in active base layers. Merino products are generally hard wearing and in particular have fantastic odour resistant properties; meaning that they can be worn for extended periods between washing, if necessary, without becoming unpleasantly smelly.

RAB says:

New MeCo fabric is an intimate blend of 65% ethically sourced Australian Merino wool combined with 35% recycled polyester with Cocona® activated carbon technology.

Cocona® fabric is made using natural technology. Activated carbon is derived from discarded coconut shells and other natural micro porous particles. These particles are contaned within the fibre and can not wear out or wash off. Cocona is extremely breathable and accelerates evaporation - making them ideal for use in baselayers.

Cocona® absorbs a wide range of odour molecules within the activated carbon and aids the natural anti bacterial properties of Merino wool. The major benefit of MeCo blended fabrics is the vastly reduced drying time for these fabrics, this makes them excellent for use as a year round base layer and also saves washing and drying time.

Kathmandu!

Hi everyone. We arrived once more, safe & sound, in Krazy Kathmandu!

After an epic journey beginning in England on Thursday I finally touched down in Nepal on Sunday evening. 5 countries, 4 flights, 2 trains, and a minibus, saw me deposited along with my 22 Dutch friends at The Kathmandu Guesthouse. The oasis in the storm that is Thamel.

Thamel is buzzing as always with the vibrant atmosphere that makes it such a great place to hang out.

Not that Wilco and I had much time to hang out, we have been busy finalising the details of our trek and sorting out last minute issues. We did finally get the chance to grab a nice chicken wrap and a beer this evening.

Tomorrow morning we start early with a long, nine hour, bus ride to Jiri; the starting point for our trek on the Old Expedition Route to Mount Everest Base Camp. If our bus journey is anything like last years it will certainly make for an interesting experience (and the use of some spare underwear!).

We are looking forward to getting under-way now and we can't wait to get started on the trek.

The first few days are very hard but we have a great bunch of people with us and we are sure that it will be a lot of fun. The trek in from Jiri is so beautiful that it can make a grown man cry. It is a truly fantastic experience.

Hopefully we will be able to update you all on our arrival in Namche in about a week, however nothing is certain in Nepal! Last year we experienced the worst storm for seventy years and our arrival in Namche was greeted with no electricity, no hot water, and definitely no internet! It surely won't be like that this year, will it??? :D

Wish us luck!

Our love goes out to all our families and friends. We will see you all soon, healthy and happy.

Namaste!

Love from Neil and Wilco XXX

Nepali Boomerang!

Today I begin my journey to Nepal once more.

I am returning with my great friend Wilco Voulon to trek, in The Himalaya, with a large group of enthusiastic travellers from his home of town of Zwolle in The Netherlands; on behalf of Autisme Sportief and Autism Care Nepal.

I am excited to going with such a lovely bunch of people.

I am excited to be trekking in on The Old Expedition Route from Jiri to Mount Everest Base Camp.

I am excited to be attempting The Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon on May 29th.

I am excited to be returning to one of the worlds most beautiful countries, inhabited by beautiful people.

I now have many friends in Nepal and I am excited to see them all again. They make me smile.

I fly initially to Amsterdam and take a train on to Zwolle for the night.

On Saturday we begin the long journey to Nepal.

Flying from Amsterdam via Dubai and New Delhi before finally arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday afternoon.

I am looking forward to guiding such a large group and the challenges & rewards that it will present.

The route in from Jiri is more beautiful than you can possibly imagine and the high Himalaya is all that you can imagine. The scale of these mountains is impossible to convey with words and images alone. They are colossus's in every sense of the word. I will try, when connection allows, to give you a taste of this magical place throughout our journey.

I am going to try and make a short video too, of the people, places, and sights.

Thank you to Carolyn at Derby Runner for the sound advice on trail running shoes, and to Osprey Packs (Europe) for helping me out with a pack.

My thanks also to the knowledgeable staff at Outside in Hathersage, Derbyshire for their advice (and fab cafe). 

But most of all my sincerest thanks go to my old friend Wilco for presenting me with such a great opportunity. And to my mate Mitch for being such a great source of inspiration and for always beasting me whenever we train or ride together.

Thanks to Phil Evans of The Yak Attack for his inspiration and for proving that ordinary people can achieve the most extraordinary things. Phil also happens to be the only person in the world to have completed both the worlds highest marathon (Everest) and the worlds highest mountain bike race (Yak Attack). On May 29th I hope to join that very exclusive club!

When Wilco conceived this adventure a little over a year ago I had no idea that it would become as personally significant to me as it has. With the loss of my beloved cousin Darren last October (a passionate mountain runner) it has become a personal pilgrimage to honour his memory in the most fitting way I can. We loved him more than he will ever know.

On May 29th I will crawl across that finish line on my hands & knees if I have to.

Darren Holloway. August 10th 1970 - October 7th 2012.