Mera Peak Packing: The Hits!

Every time I travel -- heck, every time I go on a picnic -- I end up finding something I'd do differently the next time around. Our Nepal trek was no different. After 18 days on the trail, we learned a thing or two about what worked and what didn't. So let's begin with the success stories...

Mammut Aconcagua Fleece

Mammut Aconcagua fleece hoodie

We spent the majority of our our trek above 4, 000m. So when you stop moving, when you start going downhill, or when the sun goes behind a cloud, you get cold very quickly. I feel like we were constantly taking layers on/off. The Mammut Aconcagua fleece hoodie I bought just before this trip really shone in these variable conditions.

This is the single most useful and versatile item I packed. I wore it every single day! Appearances can be deceiving; it may look like a pretty basic hoodie, but it has some key design features that make it so perfect.

Mera Peak: Mountain Life

One of the things that I didn't really "get" until I saw it for myself, was just how tough life in the mountains can be. I knew it must be hard in theory, but it's totally different to see and experience the conditions for myself. It's not just poverty (although there is that too), it's that it’s so remote. Every little thing is so difficult, even things that we don’t think twice about, like getting water or going to school.

In Khare, the closest stream was about 200-300m from the village. Every drop of water that we drank or used for cooking and washing had to be hauled up by somebody. When you're at 5400m elevation, 200+ metres with 20L of water on your back is no laughing matter. And yet, the men and women who were carrying more than half my body weight on their backs were laughing. And smiling. And sometimes, singing. It was both humbling and inspiring.

Bird's eye view of Khare