Days 4, 5 and 6: Going on despite external and internal challenges

Day 4

We started the first big hike, 7 hours long. Day 4 was tough, with new challenges as the difficulties in the road kept appearing, with very narrow passages between the rocks. There were two pathways really close to the river that were very difficult and the sherpas helped me. The team was there for me and motivated me to go on. One of the magical aspects of working in teams is that we can complement each other with our diverse abilities, enabling us to grow and learn together. The team wouldn't be able to go up if they hadn't got the Sherpas, that take care of them and help confront different situations.

At last, we arrived safe and enjoyed a warm dinner with the loving locals.

Day 5

We started early in the morning and needed to pack our luggage again, and the sherpas sorted out the transfer, either with donkeys or by carrying some critical items weighing up to 30kg. After a nice breakfast of porridge with eggs and peanut butter, we began to prepare. As we go higher in altitude, gradually we start feeling less hungry, is a natural process. But we need to eat to stay healthy, so we pushed ourselves to eat to stay strong and be prepared for even higher altitudes.

So far, the team is healthy, happy, and everything is under control. So, we’ll continue going up, the next objective is 2800 meters of altitude. After two hours of hiking, something critical happened. There was construction on the hill, and one of the rocks was displaced, falling on the side of the mountain we were climbing across. We had to speed up our pace to avoid being crushed by rocks from the nearby mountains. Our sherpas reminded us that many accidents happen when we are not in alignment with nature and do not consider it as our mother. Getting distracted by taking pictures, selfies, or observing animals can be dangerous. Today's main lesson is to notice that nature is the boss, and we need to consider it. We need to be mindful of our bodies in nature. If we had walked just two minutes slower, a rock could have hit us. Every second, every moment, something can change, and while we can't control everything, we need to be mindful, observe what's happening around us, and react accordingly. We are grateful to have survived and continue our journey.

We walked for another two hours and then stopped for an ice bath. At that moment, it

felt like a gift, as we could achieve three goals at the same time: first, we had a shower! and cleaned ourselves in the water; second, we trained for our ice swim world record, as the temperature was 5.8°C, nearly ice water; and third, because of all the hikes, our muscles were in pain, and the cold water provided relief for a few minutes, allowing us to rest.

We trekked from Taragot Sothora to Musikhola, covering a distance of 20km. The overall hike took us 8 hours, with breaks totaling 10 hours. On the way, my nail broke. In these times, even small accidents can have a massive effect, especially when hiking for 7-8 hours every day. On this journey, I constantly feel like a fish dealing with being out of the water and hiking in the mountains. This is an out-of-comfort-zone experience overall for me. The place we are sleeping tonight is still warm at night, but it will start getting everyday colder. That would be an extra challenge.

High altitude, broken nails, higher upper roads, off roads – a rollercoaster of emotions.

Quote of the day: "To reach the summit, sometimes you need to go up and then down. It's part of the journey."

Day 6

Way to Kagkot. I started the day with stomach problems and a fever; today was not my day. The team supported me, and I could push through it. We completed a 6-hour hike. I slept for one hour and took some medication. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow. Luckily, tomorrow is a rest day before we go to base camp at 4000m. Today, we're sleeping at 3200m.

This journey is getting harder day by day as exhaustion and higher altitude kick in. So I thank you a lot for all your prayers and support. They are giving me the strength to continue.

Tomorrow would be a good day as we will arrive in a town where we will donate 140 children's jackets, have a ceremony, and share some time with the locals. They are giving a lot of support throughout the way and we are very thankful for that. It’s thanks to their Wi-Fi connection that I can send this now. After today, we'll hopefully have a satellite connection.

I’m observing that finding a motto for the day helps me to keep going and gives me strength as I see my learnings. So here are some of my morning mottos of this day:

• Absorb the emotions, absorb the surroundings, and observe the joking power.

• Stay present in the now; stay grateful for the here and now.

• Keep moving forward.

• I was also just holding onto everything and every experience as a gift, whether painful, positive, enjoyable, or less. So, everything is a gift, and everything is happening for us.

Routes of these 3 days: