NAMCHE BAZAR, Nepal—The hike to the Nangpa La refugee route was not an easy one. I felt fine and strong, but the weight of my pack took its toll, and the altitude often left me short of breath.
I carried, among other things, a tent, a sleeping bag, a gas stove, clothes, food, a first aid kit, crampons, and a DSLR camera.
Nights in the tent were bitter cold. Hauling a heavy pack in the altitude up above 17,000 feet was—to put it modestly—tiring. But the corporal excesses of easy living melted away with the miles and the altitude.
Blisters became calluses. Sunburns turned to tan. Sore muscles became stronger ones. The body hardened to the task as the days went on.
The corporal excesses of easy living melted away with the miles and the altitude. Blisters became calluses. Sunburns turned to tan. Sore muscles became stronger ones.
