Off to Nepal in Two Weeks

Countdown to the off and have started packing and finding out all of those things which I have lost or need replacing.  One problem in the final stages of getting fit is that I have strained a calf muscle slightly so now off any walking for a week but have various exercises to do plus the use of ice packs.  I will then be able to start walking again although on the level at first.  Luckily I have done a lot of walking in the past few months but the 2000 foot (600 metres) ascent and descent that I did in Gran Canaria last week must have caused the damage but luckily it isn't too bad and my visit to the Physio this afternoon was probably a good idea.

I arrive in Kathmandu on the evening of the 15th March and after a bus trip to Arughat, start the trek on Friday 18th but only a short day to get acclimatised and stretch the muscles after three idle days.  After that I have another 9 days walking before reaching the Larkya La Pass at 5160 metres (16929 feet) taking a couple of days rest as I approach 4000 metres to acclimatise and hopefully avoid any signs of altitude sickness, I am also going to take Diamox tablets every day once I reach 3000 metres.  Then back down with four more days walking before I catch a bus back to Kathmandu.

I probably won't be able to post very often on the trip because of poor communications although I am told that I will probably get better mobile reception than in many places in the UK.  I intend to write a diary each day which I will both put on this blog and into a Blurb book with photographs on my return.

I also, for the first time, propose to try and raise some money which I am proposing to donate to the Himalayan Trust.  Hopefully my friends will be generous.  My previous treks have been in Europe and I have never felt that there was any need to try and raise money but Nepal is one of the poorest counties in the world and can do with all the help that they can get, especially after the earthquakes in April 2015.  I will post details of how you can donate should you wish in a later post.