Today is Day 0.
Alex and I began the countdown to our departure for Nepal more than three months ago, back when the number was still in the 90s. For me – and for both of us – it feels like it has been much longer. That’s because we’ve both looked forward to this trip for far longer.
I’ve dreamed of traveling to Everest since I was a kid, and those dreams kicked into overdrive after returning from Tanzania where I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in June 2010. I spent a fair amount of time during the next two years looking into treks to Everest Base Camp, comparing guiding services and prices, and then being demoralized upon researching the cost of airfare from Kansas City. Suffice to say the trip was cost-prohibitive at the time, especially given the limitations of a sportswriter’s salary and a three-leg flight requirement from the Heartland.
In the end, an EBC trek never happened – but the dream never died. Continue Reading