Month: October 2017

Nazca Lines, Sand Dunes, Pisco, and “The Final Countdown”

Posted on October 26, 2017 by

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Driving in Peru is terrifying. And I’m not even talking about being the driver. Just being the passenger brings on cold sweats, elevated heart rate and even terror. Ricardo picked us up at 7:30 a.m. for our 4 hour drive down to Ica and…

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The Inca Trail: Nothing Worthwhile is Ever Easy

Posted on October 14, 2017 by

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Fifty yards remained. As our guide, Fredy, gathered us around for one last talk on our trek to Machu Picchu, I found myself verklempt. It had been an absolutely incredible three days. We had seen some of the most beautiful sights I’d ever seen…

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Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

Hunter S. Thompson

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Happy Sunday everyone! What are you up to this weekend? I’m putting up crown molding and replacing an IKEA desk we’ve had for 25 years. It’s time. #weekendchores * * * #gettingshitdone #officeremodel #quitehandywithasaw #womenwhobuild #toolfinger #lovediy #happyweekend #emptynestadventures
Early morning look back into the cloud filled valley from Tengboche. When we were there I didn’t realize the historical significance of the place. When we got home and I was reading the book by Tenzing Norgay’s son and saw a photo of the monastery that said this is where his father’s and Hillary’s 1953 expedition as well as his 1996 IMAX expedition were blessed, I realized I had taken the same photo. We attended a service, which was my first Buddhist experience, and the monks chant the mantras in rounds, so to speak. They are all saying something different at the same time and it’s unlike any sound I’ve ever heard in my life. There were about 100 of us sweaty, unshowered trekkers packed around the edges of the temple, where you must remove your shoes. It smelled like a junior high boys’ locker room. Swipe to see Norgay’s photo and then mine of the monastery. I think it’s eerie how similar they are. The last photo is looking in the other direction with Everest just visible on the left. From this vantage point it doesn’t look all that impressive with just the small tip showing (that’s what she said) but you can see the plume of snow caused by the jet stream that blows off its summit. P.S. In my last post of the Khumbu Glacier and Icefall I talk about how big those ice chunks are. I JUST noticed that there are tents and people along the edge and if you zoom in you can see just how big that ice is. Now that’s impressive. #tengboche * * * #ebc #nepal #himalayas #everestbasecamptrek #abovetheclouds #tengbochemonastery #highaltitude #morningview #ilovehistory #sagarmatha #tenzinghillaryroute #khumbu #perfectweather #emptynestadventures
The infamous Khumbu Icefall. They look tiny, but those ice chunks are as big as houses. “The grandness of the landscape deceives one’s sense of scale.”~ Jamling Norgay * Since the US is directly on the opposite side of the globe from Nepal, when Sherpas cross a crevasse, which must be done very slowly, there is time to look into the seemingly bottomless pit and they call that “looking into America”. Falling into a crevasse is “getting a visa to the United States”. There are lots of dead bodies on Everest and the Sherpas call them “raven momos”. Momos are meat dumplings and they are delicious. #gallowshumor * * * #khumbuicefall #khumbuglacier #everestbasecamp #ebc #nepal #highaltitude #trekking #emptynestadventures
Happy 26th anniversary to my best friend and adventure buddy.
The numbers are in...5,801 photos/videos taken. I feel that the documentation of this trip was a success. 😝 #itakealotofpictures * * * #nepal #ebc #exploretheglobe #documentationisimportant #sagarmatha #suspensionbridge #prayerflags #emptynestadventures
🌸🏔☁️🙏 * * * #nepal #ebc #ebctrek #mistymountains #himalayas #highaltitude #prayerflags #mountainflowers #emptynestadventures
I’m sitting at LAX after having been in Nepal for 3 weeks and it seems like a dream. Moving out of the way (or racing ahead) of herds of yaks was a multiple times a day occurrence, tying prayer flags at BC with the infamous ice field behind me, we hiked 87 miles and met people we will be friends with forever. If you want the adventure of a lifetime in one of the most beautiful places on earth, do this hike. I promise you won’t regret it. #everestbasecamp
We did it!!!🇳🇵#everestbasecamp

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