Comments on: Fit to travel

By: zenuria

zenuria — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:20:53 +0000

Mossy, there will definitely be expert guides along on the trip – I wouldn’t go otherwise. I may like adventure but I also value my life and limbs

By: mossy

mossy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:57:29 +0000

Oh well, I guess a South Pacific Cruze will have to do. Maybe I should rent that movie since I am probably not going to be going anywhere for some time.

I think that it does not matter so much how high you go but how fast you assend. I guess that 5000 meters is not too risky, in the summer, but I would definately want the expert guide if I did it in the winter.

Let us know how boot-camp is progressing.

By: zenuria

zenuria — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:08:35 +0000

Free, the trip without the expert is slightly shorter and slightly more expensive than the trip with the expert! I’d rather go with the expert for sure but it is a one-off. So perhaps in a year or two, if the other company still run their trips I could go on one of those.

Yeah we don’t get very cold here in Adelaide. It never gets below freezing. Every ten years or so we’ll get a bit of snow on our highest peak – Mt Lofty (which isn’t very lofty at all at 750m). The snow doesn’t lie on the ground long, usually it melts as soon as it hits the ground. But loads of people swarm up to see it.

I am really feeling my thigh muscles today and I think tonight’s session is going to be much tougher on me than Monday night. Walking downhill this morning, and going upstairs last night was painful

But I am determined to persevere, aching muscles or not.

By: Free to think, free to believe...

Free to think, free to believe... — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:21:38 +0000

Drawcard? does that mean it’s substantially cheaper and therefore more ‘tempting’ as you feel it may be within reach? Or does it just mean Drawback?

Anyway I think I’d die with winters so mild – only 12C-16C? that’s warm!

But it’s good to hear that the start of it hasn’t put you off – you keep going (but don’t be silly).

By: zenuria

zenuria — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:15:44 +0000

Hi Mossy, there are no high mountains in Australia either. But I did spend two weeks at altitude in Tibet last year with no adverse effects. i was as high as 5,200m there – the Ladakh trip doesn’t get that high. Yes it appears winter is the best time to spot the snow leopards. It is with experienced guides and a snow leopard expert who has been doing this stuff since at least the 80s so I reckon he’ll know what he’s doing.

Anyway, it is a dream only… it is realistically too expensive for me to do and as it is a one-off trip I doubt I’ll manage it at all. I notice another outdoor adventure company runs similar trips but without the world expert (which is a huge drawcard).

By: mossy

mossy — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:15:03 +0000

Sound great! I love to run, (and bike and swim, and hike.)

12 minute miles is what I usually do when I have not been running for a long time. Just keep going and in a few weeks you will get the muscles and cardio vascular system that you need to do more, and have more fun.

I have dreamed of high altitude trekking but have not managed it yet. There are no really high mountians in the US.

Does it have to be Winter in the Himalyas? Even summer is often deadly cold when you get up high. It is not only a matter of physical strength. My understanding is that survival up high requires experience, intelligence and luck. If you ascend too fast you get altitude sickness (even if in good physical condition). If you miss-judge the weather then you can get stuck in a deadly storm. If you do not know how to act on ice and snow then then you can slide 1000 feet down a mountain side. If you do not bring the right equipment then you die of exposure. If you get lost, you die. If you make any mistakes, you die. ( I can hardly resisit the challange.) I guess that an experienced and intelligent guide would be a big help.

How high are the mountains where you live?

Keep up the good work!