It's Going To Be EBC (Everest Base Camp)

C: I don't know. Let me think about it. 

Two weeks later. 

C: I'm thinking to trek Everest Base Camp on my birthday. 

Me: (eyes widening)... Alright. Let's go. 

Sometimes when I think about it, it's tough finding friends who can be spontaneous like that, let alone a partner. I suppose I'm incredibly blessed in that way. 

6 years ago I embarked on a 6-day Langtang trek in Nepal after deciding the trek of Everest Base Camp (EBC) would take far too many days. I ended the trip in the hospital for 5 days vowing I was never going to do it again. 

Only to tell myself a year later that one day I would return to conquer EBC. 

Years gone by and as more commitments came and went, EBC remained an elusive goal. 

You know, those things you said you would eventually get around to do but never did because there are other priorities in life and places to visit that ranked higher in your list. And since I already did Langtang, which meant I have climbed the Himalayas; EBC naturally just crawled down my list. 

But it was always at the back of my head, the epic adventure that got away. The 14-day journey up one of the highest places you can climb on earth. 

The trip is to be less than two months away, which means what followed was days of planning and plenty of research. It dawned on me how much there is to prepare and plan and train for, and how unprepared and reckless I was in my previous endeavour to the Himalayas. Served me right for getting altitude sickness and food poisoning, but the view on the chopper ride down was magnificent so it wasn't all bad. 

So far I bought a pair of hiking boots, ordered solar panelled power banks and did 50 squats. 

In that order. 

I don't know what's more worrying, the fact I attempted 20 floors of steps today and almost died, or that I'm fussing over insulated drinking tube more than I should.