Journey to Nepal

October 22nd, 2019 After reaching out to many many people about a hiking pack to no avail I went online to find the best but most affordable 30 liter pack I could. After two hours researching brands and weight and reading all the reviews I happened upon an amazing deal again on Amazon for a 40 liter pack in my favorite teal blue and grey for $20 from G4. I was torn between the black or purple pack but I didn't want to be an eyesore on the hike! HAHA! If I trusted Wish to get something to me in the right time frame I would have just ordered a shitty pack for really cheap from them. But they say you could get things from November 2nd- November 20th! Yeah no. So my pack is taken care of now. I've started a list on my personal expenses for this trip. I'd like to keep it under $1000. Which when I get there, the prices for everything aren't too crazy and I should be able to make that happen. However now we are factoring in a flight from base back to Katmandu for $100 inst...

October 18th, 2019 I got the best message from our host in Katmandu! I wrote him to tell him what our plans were while we were there, a thing you have to do with Airbnb and his response was amazing! Turns our this place was even better than I thought! They wrote me to tell me they offer their own shuttle services from the airport for only $8 and a driver will be there with a sign to collect you when you land. They also have their own travel agency and if we need any information we can ask them and they will help us get any paperwork together we might need! I'm not trying to get my hopes up too high on this stay, because anything could happen but so far I'm really impressed with myself for this find. Worth the hour of searching maps for the right place. Look up Hotel Himalaya Hub to see for yourself!

October 17th, 2019 I headed over to Gabe's in my comfy clothes, a Nespresso coffee and my laptop. He was in his loft area already researching away, Natalie was making herself pumpkin pie for breakfast. I have discovered that the best part about traveling and the internet is that you can find all the information you need to travel and videos of 50 people doing it, that you can get an idea of what you'll need and where you want to stay and things you want to see in utter detail before even getting there. Gabe had been sending me blogs and websites and youtube videos of people's trips to Annapurna for the last few days and it was awesome to mark off some things on my personal list of what I needed and wanted to feel comfortable doing this trip. I have to admit both of us were super pumped and Gabe plans like I do, which I learned from my father. Down to printing out a step by step itinerary. HA! So while he was finding our most affordable travel insurance I was finding t...

October 15th, 2019 "We should do a big hike before we leave to Nepal, maybe Tallac?" I don't think Gabe knew that I had changed my whole routine at the gym to accommodate hiking. Going from weight lifting to strictly max uphill on the treadmill and stairs. But I told him I was always down to hike Tallac. He told me had a friend who's gone to Nepal and done the hikes and was giving him some great tips. However, I sadly didn't have a lot of what I needed to hike something of that measure. I've done day hikes, over night hikes, two-four day hiking trips, but not 14 days. So I needed to get some stuff together. I started contacting all my friends that I thought hiked avidly about borrowing a hiking pack and other such items. I was under the impression that if I could find things to use I wouldn't have to spend a ton of money on gathering things I might use once. We also spoke about getting a guide, even though we wanted to do the trip without, a guide he...

October 11th 2019       11:40am- We should get these flights, prices are going to go up. It's only a month and a day away.       Oh yeah, did I mention we were planning to go in a month? No. Puts a little more into perspective what was going on in my brain. Its not like I could plan 6 months out and work some extra hours to make the trip affordable. No, we were going and going soon if I said yes.       I called Gabe. I had a feeling if we talked on the phone I would see his enthusiasm and it would probably tip the scale I had going on in me. And sure enough it did. I said if he could get the deal he found online for us both then I was in. Did I really just say that? Did I really send him my information and picture of my passport so I could go on a last minute trip to Nepal to hike a damn mountain? Yes, yes I did.       4:10pm- BOOKED!!! G       4:10pm- Ohhhhhh Shitttttt!       4:11pm- Omg...

October 10th 2019       4:53pm- I think I wanna do it. If tickets are still cheap.       4:54pm- Hell yeah!       From that point we were on our way discussing food, tea houses to stay in, flight costs, bus trips from small towns, packing, gear, travel insurance, TIMS, airbnb options, hot springs, temples and most of the logistics of the trip and what it could be. However my gut was still on the fence and I was working and needing a moment to sit down and talk my inner self through this whole process as well. I'm by far not someone who sits on the sidelines, I can totally take risks. Just ask anyone about the people I've dated. Ha ha ha... But really I can totally be that person to buy a flight to Brazil without a return ticket and move there for three months just because I could afford it at the time. Which I did by the way. Awesome. Would totally suggest going if you can. But again affording it and wanting to go because you 'deserve it...

October 8th 2019       Today my friend Gabe told me about a crazy idea he had about going to Nepal and asked me if I wanted to join. Take in mind the last few years have been a roller coaster of ups, downs, sideways and flat out upside down and breaking down in that position. All the blood running to my head and the fear the ride will never start the right way again. The good, the bad, the great and the ugly. So I was terribly torn between really, really, really, undinably wanting to go, and thinking about how I worked my ass off this summer to get back to being financially ok, after yet another ex taking everything I had worked so hard to save. And when I say ok, I mean nowhere close to what I had before, but feeling safe if something went wrong. I really need to stop being giving with my money. At least people can't say I date for money because as it turns out people date me thinking I've got it. So I can't really say that I was in a position to spend anything too hef...