Day 16 — Napier This was a really short day in port (which, at least this time, was part of the plan). We only had about four hours, which was too bad because Napier looks like a neat town. It’s known for its Art Deco style and actually reminded me a bit of an old-time …
Day 13 — Christchurch Sigh. Another big disappointment today. I was really looking forward to finally seeing some of New Zealand’s dramatic mountain scenery, but once again Mother Nature had other plans. We docked in Christchurch without issue, so when the announcement came over the speakers I assumed it was the usual “all ashore.” Unfortunately, …
Day 11 — Milford Sound & Fiordland National Park While technically a sea day, this was a major milestone: our first glimpse of New Zealand. Just before sunrise, led by a pod of dolphins, we entered Milford Sound, and it was everything I hoped for — and then some. Milford Sound is a narrow passage …
Sydney — Day 4 For our final day in Sydney, we hopped on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, which gave us a deeper look at the city’s history and easy access to a few spots we hadn’t reached yet. Our first stop was St. Mary’s Cathedral, where we arrived just in time for Mass. Although I’m …
A Leisurely Morning Today was our last full day in Sydney, and we took it at a much more relaxed pace. We headed down for breakfast around 9:00, then spent the morning wandering through the weekend market at The Rocks. It reminded me a bit of Portland Saturday Market—though with less patchouli and more eucalyptus …
It’s been a long wait to get overseas again, but I finally made it. This time, Mom and I are off to explore a bit of our last continent, Australia—with New Zealand added in for good measure. We’re taking a two-week cruise between the two countries and bookending the trip with a couple of days …
Read more “Exploring Australia & New Zealand: Sydney Beginnings”
Day 12: Gorak Shep → Everest Base Camp → Pheriche Distance: ~12 milesElevation Gain: 2,627 ft This was it. The goal we had been working toward for nearly two weeks: Everest Base Camp. And, for me at least, it was by far the most exhausting day of the entire trek. We left Gorak Shep at …
Read more “Everest Base Camp, Gorak Shep to Kathmandu: Bucket list goal complete!”
Day 9: Thanga to Dzongla via Cho La Pass Distance: 5.58 milesElevation Gain: 2,479 ft What. A. Day. This was one of the most intense—and rewarding—days of the entire trek. Cho La Pass is exactly what sets this route apart from the standard EBC path. It’s steeper, more remote, and far more physically demanding. From …
Read more “Everest Base Camp from Thanga to Gorak Shep: We conquer the notorious Cho La Pass”
Day 4: Namche Bazaar to Phortse Tanga Distance: 5.47 milesElevation Gain: 2,156 feet Today was a turning point—literally and figuratively. We left the main Everest Base Camp trail and veered off toward Gokyo Lakes, taking a quieter, less-traveled path. The crowds thinned out almost immediately, and it was a very welcome change. Into the High …
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Day 1: Lukla to Phakding Distance: 4.63 milesElevation Gain: ~700 feet We touched down in Lukla around 1:30 PM and headed straight for lunch at a nearby tea house. Since Lukla is the last place it’s recommended to eat meat (due to the increasing difficulty of preserving it safely higher up), I seized the opportunity …
Read more “Everest Base Camp from Lukla to Namche: A Crash Course in Trekking Life”