The adventure begins . . .

In response to numerous requests, I am capitulating and establishing this blog to briefly record my 2011 adventure in the Himalayas and beyond.

Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow", is the Sanskrit word for the Himalayas.  That's where the adventure begins in Kathmandu in a little over one day. To appreciate the scale of the mountain range, consider that Aconcagua in the Andes is the highest mountain outside Asia (about 100 metres higher than Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain) and that there are over 100 mountains higher than Aconcagua in the Himalayas!

Remembering the struggle with altitude sickness getting to the top of Kilimanjaro (20,000 feet), I recall with fondness the sense of achievement Robbie and I felt - especially, later, when we looked down on Kili from our plane home.  I cannot begin to imagine how Tenzig Norgay and Edmund Hillary - and so many others afterwards - managed to conquer Everest which is nearly 10,000 feet higher. I hope to get a good look at Everest from a special flight around it in a week's time.

Firtst, I have to finish packing and get to the aiport in good time. . . .