“Life is brought down to the basics: if you are warm, regular, healthy, not thirsty or hungry, then you are not on a mountain… Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it’s great when you stop.” — Chris Darwin.

I found this quote on another blog from Cho Oyu expedition. All I can say it must be true but the true meaning of it I am about to experience… You may wonder why I would I want to go for such a challenge? I have no single answer to that…  This might sound superficial but my honest answer is that I am doing this for the love of mountains as well as for the challenge (physical and mental) the mountain brings the minute you attempt it…

Now I am in my final preparations for the expedition – got my gear (ice axe, crampons, harness, carabiners, expedition boots and down jacket, etc., etc..) These are just few important items to mention… My living room is all lit with my the stuff for the expedition.

I am very exciting but at the same time nervous – what if I forget something important?! I will be stuck on the mountain for six weeks…

I will be travelling with Adventure Peaks – a UK based company- with which I climbed Kilimanjaro – the highest peak in Africa – about a year ago. For expedition news/ updates,  check out the Adventure Peaks website (under current trips/ Cho Oyu).

Stay tuned in to this blog or check out my page on the satellite GPS Spot Tracker and via My ChoOyu live Spot Adventures page to see the progress of this expedition.

Cho Oyu is the 6th highest mountain in the world (8,201m) and is a classic Himalayan climb.  More on Cho Oyu here…

Below is the image (borrowed) of the route I will be taking to the summit: