Agoraphobia?

I have just worked out that since the middle of April I have spent 119 days living at high altitude, very high altitude or extreme altitude.  This means that for 119 days I have been used to living in a space 7ft x 4ft x 4ft.  I genuinely feel as if I am suffering from agoraphobia having returned home!

Now, the sensible thing would be to kick back and enjoy the break before the Scottish winter season kicks in, but that would be far too easy.  My list of things to do and projects are as high as the mountains that I've been climbing and I can't wait to get stuck in.

I read recently a thing about farmers and how they thrive on suffering, working long hours and keeping busy.  Considering I actually have come from farming stock I think that if I wasn't a climber I would be a farmer.

Getting back in the saddle

You know when you have been spending too long in one place when you have left all your equipment there.  So for the first time ever, I actually don't have to worry about excess baggage or using all the tactics at airports to avoid the hefty charges.

This will be a big trip for me.  Not because it is technical or mega high, but because of Manaslu.

My friends have been absolutely fabulous this past fortnight, in more ways than they probably realise.

So, today I am heading back out to Kathmandu for another 4 weeks of fun packed adventures.  This time, we're attempted a peak called Himlung Himal and we will be updating the Adventure Peaks news page whenever we can.  What is going to be super exciting is on return to the UK it will be the Scottish winter season and that, my lovelies, is the best season of them all.

Why the radio silence?

Life.

Life.  It's just 4 letters at the end of the day.

Life.  It's just one word.

Life.  It's what we do with our life that is important.

Life.  How we take it for granted.  

Life.  It will come to an end to us all.

Life.  Never again will I take it for granted.

Bookie books

It was Russell Brand who I heard speak about Bookie Books first and it's kind of stuck.

As I depart the UK for a fairly lengthy spell in the big mountains once again, it's time to stock up on the bookie books.

Why do I choose bookie books and not computer books?

1.  I don't have to worry about having to charge up the device.

2.  I don't have to worry about squinting to see the screen in bright light when sitting outside.

3.  You can trade a bookie book.

4.  It can be a talking point when, after 6 weeks living together, conversation starts to dry up.

5.  It can get you away from the mountains in more ways than one.

6.  I spend enough time looking at screens and it's good to have a break.

I am once again pulling on the Adventure Peaks hat and am bound for Manaslu.  Since this peak is entirely in Nepal, I don't expect there to be any problems with visa's or permits :)

All expedition updates will be via the Adventure Peaks News page - whoop!

People doing cool stuff

Ever since I found the world of Instagram I find myself not blogging so much.  I love the way that you can put a groovy photo up, share it to the world, and get on with life.

My feed is full of amazing photos of people doing cool stuff and it got me thinking.  Recently I was in the Alps doing cool stuff but sometimes the days weren't perfect.

Instead we didn't do cool stuff. 

We just stood under trees.

We stood under trees on more than one occasion.

So for everybody out there that enjoys looking at photos of people doing cool stuff, just remember that they too have stood under trees on more than one occasion.

Dodging the downpours

Managed to dodge the showers the past days which is always a bonus.

It is good to know that I can still climb with my noodle arms which is a pretty good thing since I know what is coming next.

I am going to miss Scotland and all her adventures but it's now time to look forward to copious amounts of wine, ice creams and fine cheese.  Roll on summer ...

A change of pace

I have been home for nearly 3 weeks now.  During that time I have been in, on and around the mountains but have had no urge to bimble up one Corbett or one Munro.  If I am honest, there very nearly were 2 Munro's on the cards, but the weather was pants so we went biking instead.  I have absolutely loved enjoying my extended backdoor playground and discovering bits that I never knew existed.

I feel as if I have done nothing but walk up hills since the start of winter and it is nice to have a complete change and recharge the batteries.

This summer, K2 was back on the cards, but for lots of reasons that's been pushed back for a year so I found myself with a very empty diary.  However, with a return back out to the Himalaya's for another 8000m and a 7000m peak towards the end of summer and all of autumn, for some strange reason I haven't had the urge to fill up the diary with work.

So, what does a girl do with an empty diary ......  Well, I could fill it up with work since that would be the grown up thing to do but life is too short :)

A plan has been hatched which will definitely involve something new (slightly nervous but excited at the same time), most certainly rock shoes, crampons and axes, ropes and helmets.  I was going to say no early starts and no shivering on cold belay ledges but that's a lie.

Not wanting to wish my life away, I have another 7 days of awesomeness planned on home turf before I drive south and certainly will not be stopping until it is very hot and I can justify eating 2 ice creams per day.

Farewell Cho You

Click here for the full story.

Tibet, here we come ...

For the past 13 years, whenever I have been at home, I have seen this picture every day.

It makes me smile.

Why?

In 2004, Adventure Peaks gave me the opportunity to lead their Cho Oyu Expedition.

It never just opened doors, it opened corridors with multiple rooms and every room held another adventure.

Today, I depart once again with Adventure Peaks to lead their Cho Oyu Expedition to where it all began, so to say that I am excited would be a huge understatement.

Bloggie updates will be directed to the Adventure Peaks News Page.

Farewell Scotland

My feet are smarting after just 2 days in the rock shoes.

Pathetic.

This week has all been avoiding the rain.  We have succeeded but have been nearly hypothermic on more than one occasion.  Today saw the cardinal sin of having to wear socks under my rock shoes - not a pretty sight even if I do wear happy socks.

Tomorrow is the start of another big adventure and sticking with tradition I am no where near ready ...

That was that then ...

Skis packed away? Yup

Winter rack now a summer rack?  Yup

© Mr Drew Photography

Summer rock shoes activated?  Yup

Motorbike MOT'ed? Yup

First cut of the grass done?  Yup

Road bike activated?  Yup

Mountain bike activated?  Yup

Hey ho, that's summer arrived then.

The 8000m Peak Team

Oh my goodness, I am not sure that the Himalayas are ready for these guys.

In 10 days time Ronny departs for his Lhotse Expedition.

In 10 days time Rory departs for his Everest Expedition.

In 4 weeks time, Di departs for her Cho You Expedition - better late than never ...

I will be remaining professional at all times and will not being throwing snowballs from afar towards them and I definitely will not be heckling them on the radio.

For the past 3 days, we have climbed and down climbed lots of puddles of snow.

However, having mastered the art of surviving a very pathetic attempt at Scottish Winter, the biggest dilemma for the past 3 days, was what cake to have.  Boys ... really ...

At long last winter has arrived

The thing about writing a bloggie thing is that you have to be indoors, sitting in front of the computer.

This is not necessarily a bad thing if the rain is lashing against the windows, but this evening, the sun is streaming in the sun room and the birds are chirping away outside.

In fact, ever since coming back home from our awesome road trip to Colorado, the weather has been pretty special.

It finally feels as if winter has arrived.

I am lucky to spend time with some pretty cool people who make me smile .... I mean really smile.

What is more important is the environment that we choose to live in.  How is it possible to not be happy in the mountains?

I really do think that the NHS should prescribe mountain adventures.  It would probably work out much cheaper in the short term and long term.

I now feel very smug since the backlog of emails have been cleared, my desk is clean, I baked a cake (never burnt it which is a bonus and it doesn't feel like a brick) and I am fully stoked for another fun packed week.

Recharging in the mountains

Have I mentioned before that I love my job?  I really loved my job this weekend.

Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team have been earning their rescue points this week with various call outs so on Friday night there were a few weary looking guys when they turned up at Tulloch for their annual personal skills training.  Most people would look forward to a relaxing weekend with family and friends recharging the battery, but not these guys - they recharge in the mountains. 

On Saturday the majority decided to have a warm up on Creag Meagaigh - Rich took a smaller team to Aonach Mor to drop people over cornices by the sound of it.  The Creag Meagaidh circuit is normally an 8 - 10 hour summer walk so to do the circuit in full on winter conditions - and we are speaking about full on winter conditions - in about the same time was pretty impressive since there was a lot of instruction along the way.

For some more recharging we star bursted across the mountains on Sunday - we do like to keep our environmental footprint down.  A team on the Aonach Eagach, a team on the Ballachulish Horsehoe and 2 teams on Golden Oldie.  Happy times ...

Oh it does go without say that there was recharging / hydrating on the Saturday night.  This was made worse by the fact that Callum and Kenny were absent which meant that the one remaining bottle of beetroot wine (specifically reserved for this weekend) had to be consumed by Matt and Di.

Huge thanks to Richard Bentley, Matt Stygall and Mark Scales for being awesome people to work with and making this weekend a big highlight in my winter calendar.