Voice Notes: Everest 1

Reflections from a mountain

Hello lovers - I arrived in Kathmandu this afternoon ahead of my group trek to base camp at Sagarmāthā/Mt Everest. I’m really proud to share that our group has raised $10,000 for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

This is a 15 day trek that starts in Lukla and takes us across suspension bridges, up steep inclines, through acclimation stops to adjust to the altitude and then finally to over 5000m above sea level and 360 degree views of Sagarmāthā.

This is no mean feat - I’ve been told by my group leader (who is completing her seventh trek to base camp with us) that she found the first time as physically and mentally challenging as childbirth. And to be honest, I expect in many ways to feel like I’m shucking off an old container of myself and giving birth to something new.

Here’s the Himalayas over the edge of my plane wing as we started our descent into Kathmandu today.

I’m going to be documenting the trek and my reflections (which I anticipate swinging between observations about our place in the world and my own resistance to pushing forward!) via these voice notes.

I’ll be doing one at the end of each day, and sharing photographs as well. I’m using this time as an opportunity to steer clear of social media for the most part, and really focus on this experience.

This means I will also my trying my hardest to disengage from the US election (at least in as much as I won’t be getting drawn into arguments or the rage that has been consuming me for months).

I want to be as present as I can during this time, and to remember what it feels like to just be in a moment - even when that moment is hard and challenging. I want to remember what it feels like to be humble in my humanity, and to feel awed by the world.

So I hope you’ll follow along, and enjoy this journey with me! I’m making this first note accessible to everyone, but from tomorrow they will all be behind my subscriber paywall. This trek will thrust us into vulnerable territory and I frankly want to preserve that space and trust for the people who want to be there with me in spirit. If you would like to be a part of that group, you can find the link just after my sign off.

With love,

Clementine