Team Animals Asia are on the ground!

After two flights and nearly 20 hours, team Animals Asia have converged on Beijing from every corner of Australia! Following a very long day, we powered down some divine Peking duck and now it's off to bed. Big day of sightseeing tomorrow!

 

GO TEAM!

 

Team London Did It!

After a week of intense winter weather including rain, high winds, and even hail, the clouds parted for just one day. Thankfully, it happened to be the one day when 24 of us, having raised nearly $300,000 for charity, took on the London marathon!

We were up at dawn to catch our bus through the city's deserted streets en route to the start line, where we were pleased to find over 200 toilets, snacks, water, and pumping pop music to get us ready and excited for the run. Our two hours in the holding cell flew by and before we knew it, we were standing shoulder to shoulder amongst our fellow 37,000 runners. The horn sounded and we were off! It was only a matter of minutes before the throngs of runners broke up enough to have some ample space to run properly. With that freedom, it was "go time!" I can't speak for everyone but for me at least, the noise, enthusiasm, and kindness of the crowds made the entire thing feel like a 42km outdoor party!

At 26km we found a very enthusiastic cheer squad hooting and hollering just before heading onto and over the Tower Bridge. From there it was deep into the Isle of Dogs before swinging back into the heart of London, along Embankment and past our cheer squad toward Big Ben and Parliament. From there we banked right, followed Birdcage Walk along St James' Park, banked in front of Buckingham Palace and zoomed straight down Pall Mall across the finish line, Union Jack flags flapping away in front of us.

It was a day that is not adequately describable in words. To say that it was a "life highlight" is a gross understatement, something on which I believe the whole team would agree with me. Well done to all of our incredible runners and special thanks to all of the charities involved for working with Inspired Adventures to give us this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

 

It's Go Time!

T minus 12 hours until Team London hits the pavement, having raised over $250,000 for Australian charities! We are pumped, relaxed, and ready to rock and roll! GO TEAM!!!

 

 

Team London Are On The Ground!

It's official: The Australian Inspired Adventures Team London are ON THE GROUND! It almost exactly 48 hours we will be running through the streets of this amazing city in support of some brilliant charities from across Oz. This time I'm at the start line and Nadia is with the supporters. For now, we are trying to keep busy to skip the nerves!!! GO TEAM!

 

Cure Cancer's Team Everest Heads Back To Oz!

After three weeks in Nepal trekking, being cold, and eating yellow food, this team is headed back to Oz! We are looking forward to fresh food, paved roads, and 24-hour hot water. Last night we had a brilliant final dinner at one of Kathmandu's most delicious restaurants. We said our farewells to our brilliant Nepalese guide - Tashi (T-Bone), reflected on the brilliance of our accomplishment, and were given a traditional scarf signifying good luck and good fortune. It was a classy (and delicious) end to the experience of a lifetime.

 

As we now spend 36 hours getting back to Oz, please enjoy some of the finest landscape shots we captured on our adventure. One final shout out to Cure Cancer Australia Foundation and for the last time this trip, GO TEAM!

 

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

It's Time To Descend!

After eight gut-wrenching days of walking up, up, up today it was FINALLY time to go down, down, down but not before we left a little piece of our team in Gorakshep.  I happened to bring a Cure Cancer jersey along so the whole team signed it (with nicknames) and we pinned it to the ceiling. Now the Inspired Adventures Cure Cancer Team Everest will forever live on just a few kilometers from Base Camp!

As for the descent, in a word, it was magical.  After 50 hours above 5,000 meters most of us were hurting.  Big headaches, no appetites, and, as Chook said, an impending sense of doom.  Such a sustained stay at high altitude in frigid temperatures (it was -18 degrees INSIDE OUR ROOMS last night) is incredibly hard on the body and the prospect of catching our breaths, finding our appetites, and getting over the headaches was, as I said before, magical.

 

My goodness did we race down, charging along with a newfound sense of purpose and relief (ie oxygen).  It was full speed ahead to Pheriche via Labuche for lunch. At one point it actually felt like we were floating.  As the oxygen flooded our lungs with power, a sensation of, as K2 put it, superhuman strength rushed over us.  It was exhilarating!

 

We have shed tons of weight, battled gastro, nausea, and headaches, eating nothing but yellow food, and walked directly up into thin air for of a week!  It was, without question, the physical, mental, and emotional challenge of a lifetime.  Sitting at 4200 meters now, everything isn't completely back to normal but things are look up (as we go down).  There is a little hop in everyone's step and for the first night in days  are playing cards, chatting, and even getting excited about what is on offer for dinner.

I think the highlight of the day was passing people on their way up.  The look of fear, trepidation, and excitement is so fresh and so familiar, being able to give tips and advice feels incredibly empowering since we have now done it!  You offer them a nod, wish them luck, and insist they rug up.  "After all," you say, " it is -30 degrees at Base Camp." Their jaws drop, their eyes open wide, and a cheeky smile inevitably appears on your face. Such sweet satisfaction!

 

Three more days downhill then it's back to Kathmandu and onward to Australia.  GO TEAM!