Our Lungs Open, Our Appetites Return, & We "Get Our Bodies Back"

Without question, the mental game on a challenge like this is focused 100% on "getting there.". Getting back, however, is something you don't really focus on until after your mission has been accomplished. For us, the "getting back" was FOUR MORE 6-7 HOUR DAYS of  extremely undulating terrain. Just because we were descending did not mean we were actually walking downhill all day!

Fortunately, the further from Everest we got, the warmer it became. While the days continued to be difficult, the overall trajectory was downward, dropping anywhere from 600 meters to 1000 meters.

First, we could actually breathe again!  The headache that Boo (Emma) and I had had for nearly four days slowly dissolved.  Second, (some of) our appetites came back.  Chook (Paul) only wanted tuna and cheese toasties (which he ate exclusively for breakfast, lunch, and dinner) but my goodness was he craving them.  Wu (Wendy) and Stav (Steve) turned to each other at dinner and said "I am hungry" for the first time in a week.  Third, our bodies slowly began to feel like ours again.  This was especially true for Jazz, who was literally wilting away after a week-long out-of-body experience when the appetite disappeared, the altitude stressed, and the weather chilled to the bone.  "I'm back," she said proudly yesterday morning.

And now here we are, sat in Lukla some two weeks after setting off having covered more than 155 kilometers (100 miles) by foot at extreme altitude in severe weather conditions.  We have grown icicles on our cheeks, we have lost weight, we have eaten excessive amounts of yellow food, and we have pushed ourselves to the absolute limit.  We haven't showered or even seen running water for TWELVE DAYS.  No indoor heating, no indoor plumbing, and no fresh fruit or veg. It took a helicopter to get us here!  J-Rod (Jarrod) has eaten 126 eggs.  Yes, 126 eggs!

Somehow, despite the incredible odds, we made it to Everest Base Camp and that is something that can never be taken away from us.  We made it because we stayed positive.  We made it because there was something larger than ourselves about the whole experience, having fundraised tens of thousands of dollars for Cure Cancer Australia Foundation.  We made it because we were truly a team.

As I continue to say, this element of camaraderie and team spirit is probably my favorite aspect of our Inspired Adventures. You can take 10 near strangers, chuck them in a foreign land together, and within days they will think like a team, act like a family, and joke like lifelong friends. It is truly life-changing.

So then, why not find the perfect Inspired Adventure of your own for Cure Cancer Australia Foundation? Whether you are young or old, a fitness fanatic or wanting to get exercising, the adventure of a lifetime is always a good idea, don't you think?  Find out more at:

http://www.inspiredadventures.com.au/curecancer