Everest Base Camp 23rd March

Hiya, we are going on the 23rd with you. Xmas pud hasn't been great for the waist line so it is fair to say we are worried!! Only 83 days to go and we need to get fitter See you soon, Stu and Emma

I know the feeling I have allowed myself to get carried away with all the lovely food and drink over Xmas. Healthy eating and exercise starts today (hopefully). Thanks for replying I look forward to meeting you on our exciting adventure to base camp, I will probably be the one breathing in a lot to fit into my clothes. Debs

Hi there. I've just signed up to this chat room and wanted to say hello to some fellow travellers since I'm also joining this trip on 23 March. How is everyone's training coming along? Lucy

I Lucy, nice to hear from you. My training isn't based on any set plan or focused routine,  and my diet is a bad as ever, I'm just keeping fit with my running and have got a few routes using some of the local hills planned. I'm lucky where I live its got lots of hills. How about you? is your training going to plan?? Debs

Hi there Debs, thanks for replying. Good to hear there's someone in the same boat as me fitness routine wise for our trip. Despite best endeavours, something also comes up that prevents me from doing more than I'd like to. I live in SW London so hills aren't plentful round here and my hikes are restricted to walking up and down the tube stairs each day! I am swimming and at Nike's Training Club (aka boot camp) on a weekly basis, which is better than nothing I guess. Am aiming to get a few runs in once the weather gets better. So, do you know anyone who has done EBC before and can share any hints/tips on what to expect/bring/buy etc? Lucy 

Hi guys,

We have just come to the conclusion that no matter how much training we do it is still gonna hurt!!!!!!! The more blogs we read the scarier it is becoming and D day is approaching far too quickly for our liking. We have been going to the gym as much as possible (3 times a week at least), been over the lakes a few times and took on Scafell, Blencathra, Skiddaw, Helvellyn etc etc and still dont feel prepared. Is anyone bothering with diamox? We have made the decision that we arent going to take it but hope we dont regret that decision. As for clothing, agghh, we have got balaclavas, fleeces, base layers, puffa jackets, waterproof jackets, thermal gloves, waterproof gloves that must weigh in at about 120kg not the 12kg allowance. As long as we dont forget baby wipes we will be ok!!!

See you both soon, Stu and Emma.

Hi Guys,

Not sure about diamox, I did Kilimanjaro last year and everyone on the trip took diamox but only two peole used it, the guides don't like you to take it, I think it has very bad side effects, I got some banging headaches on the way up and a bit of nausea but I took some anti sickness pills and headache tablets and managed to muddled through, a good tip is to take anti diahoerra tablets, high altitude can have a funny effect for some people. I've got the same clothes as Stu and Emma, base layers, fleeces, waterproofs, downs jacket, hats, gloves etc etc and the baby wipes x

Nothing prepares you for walking in high altitude it is very surreal, best thing to do is get yourself up to your full fitness level and you should be fine. In our group for Kili we had a couple of unfit and unprepared people who didn't do any training and they made it to the top (albeit with a struggle), then we had someone who was really fit and prepared and got altitude sickness and didn't make it to the top, also one of our guides who had climbed the mountain over 20 times didn't make it to the top because on this occasion he got altitude sickness, it's just so random so don't let it worry you, most of the group had done similar training and were at a similar level of fitness as you 3 guys are, and they all made it to the top.

Debs xx 

Cheers Debs, we cant wait to be there but dreading it at the same time!!!! Your comments have only made the decision about not taking diamox a bit easier. We went to the arctic last year and took those chemical heating pads for the feet and fingers so I will be ordering more of those on eBay over the next few weeks. Have you received your kit bag yet? I bet Kili was amazing, it's on our long long list of things to do. The highest we have been was on the inca trail but is still about 1300m lower than we hope to go! See you all soon and keep fit, stu and Emma Ps are you on the group flight out of heathrow?

Hi, yes I'm on the group flight from Heathrow, we will have to try and meet up for a coffee at the airport when we check in, I've not received the kit bag yet hopefully we get them by the end of the month. The arctic is a place I've always wanted to go to, did it involve alot of walking?

Kili was amazing I would definitly recommend doing it

Debs

Well the kit bags arrived today so next stop Nepal. Didn't do hardly any walking in the arctic, just ate 4 courses of lovely food 3 times a day and put qon lots of weight!!!!!! Most of the time we were on board the ship or on zodiacs but there was a gym on board that I managed to use once haha. A couple of reviews are recommending approx £350 for food etc, we were thinking we'd need that just for mars bars! Well, we think we have everything we need now so just counting down now. It Would be great to meet up for a coffee beforehand Debs, you can scare us both with Kilimanjaro stories. Stu and Em.

Hi guys, just dropping into to say hello again. My hit bag arrived the other day also, which is making the trip seem v real and close now. Excited yet apprehensive. I too have got most of the items you listed. Am not planning on taking Diamox for the very reasons you mention but am taking Ginkgo Biloba (herbal) as I hear it's meant to be effective (& good for the brain too!). I've got a v good friend in Exodus whose also doing the trip 2 weeks after us so been getting a few additional hints/tips (as above) from the experts. I've gone through every review on their website and made a list of what to bring/not bring and am getting my contact to have a look at it and give me her view. Am more than happy to share once I hear back from her. Most of it is what you've mentioned already but there are a few other handy items in there also. Training going OK and starting to feel in decent shape. Also, I've heard that it's a good idea to 'fatten' up before we go as we're bound to lose weight while there (loss of appetite is one of the most common symtoms of AMS) so great excuse to get a few more burgers & donuts beforehand!! Hope you are all well and wud luv to meet for a coffee in LHR before the flight to meet you properly!  Lucy

 

Hello everyone, meeting up at LHR will be fun, don't want to publish mobile numbers on here so drop me an email my address is deborah.pitt@btinternet.com or find me on facebook and we can sort out arrangements etc etc.

Hey Lucy, be carefull on the theory you can over eat before you go because you will lose your appetite on the mountain, I never lost my appetite walking in high altitude, even at the top of Kili I was still feeding my face on energy bars, and I ate three course meals three times a day for the whole trek (plus snacking inbetween). Only one guy out of our group of twelve struggled to eat his food. Sadly I didn't lose any weight, but then I have a big appetite anyway.  

Debs xxxx  

Thanks for posting your email address debs - we will email you our details! Lucy it would be great if you could share your list when you are sorted, any tips would be appreciated! Our email address is emma.c.232@btinternet.com. Can't believe it's only 4 weeks on Friday, think we are starting to look forward it. Em & stu

Ladies - have just e-mailed you through the checklist that I'll use in conjunction with the Trip Notes version. Hope it helps. I'm not as organised to have all these items bought yet but that's a job for the next few weeks. Let me know if anything needs to be added to it. Speak to you both soon. xx