Sights of Pucón, Chile

31 January 2014 by Raul 12 Comments

Many moons ago, I spent a few days in a beautiful corner of Chile: Pucón. Pucón, about 480 mi (775 km) south of Santiago, sits on the eastern shorelines of Lake Villarica in the region called Araucanía, looked over by the Villarica volcano. The town by now has gained reknown for its beautiful setting and the opportunity for great outdoor activities (skiing, hiking, white river rafting, hot springs, etc.). Maybe it is now a little too popular but its setting is definitely gifted and well worth going down the beaten path to it. Warning: The photos are “vintage”, meaning pre-digital and by a dozen years or so! They may not do justice to this part of Chile – but I hope you can imagine…

“A” Marks the Spot

Nine of us drove down in a minivan, leaving Santiago in the early evening and arriving early the next morning after I-don’t-know-how-many-hours of driving down the Panamerican Highway which was one lane in each direction most of the way (back then). Thankfully, I didn’t have driving duties so I could try to sleep some. It was a fun group and a fun ride!

In Pucón

Once in Pucón, we stayed at a hotel on the shores of Lake Villarica, not far from the town itself but not in it. It was an idyllic spot with a peaceful view of the lake, home-cooked meals, and easy access to the places we wanted to go.

Welcome to Pucón

The lake-facing side of the hotel

The Villarica volcano

One of our first outings was to go up the Villarica volcano, to the top of the ski slopes that sit on it. Ski season had just ended so I was bummed as I would have loved to ski down a volcano!

The Villarica volcano on nice day

The top of the Villarica volcano once we drove up as far as we could. Shame ski season was over!

Our group (minus 3) at the volcano

Salto del León

We were lucky that one in our group knew the area as his sister had a house in Pucón. That got us to see some places perhaps less visited by, er, visitors. El Salto del León was one of these places. Beautiful waterfalls in a gorgeous setting.

Salto del León

The Trancura Valley

The Trancura River is born in the Andes near Pucón and runs its course to the Pacific Ocean. Snow melt contributes to its waters and the rapid fall in altitude makes its waters fast. Perfect for white water rafting. I had never white water rafted before and was not sure about it but it was lots of fun though the water was FRIGID and we were ill-prepared for that!

That area, sort of east-southeast of Pucón, was simply beautiful. Lush greens and other vegetation, old bridges, and little development made me feel I was enjoying a unique place.

Trancura, Pucon, Chile, river, nature, outdoors

Scenes from the Trancura Valley

old bridge, Pucón, Chile, Villarica, Trancura

We were not certain our minivan could cross this bridge. We all got out & left only the one driving stay in it!

The fearless group (minus the photographer!)

When I returned to Chile in 2010, I wanted to return to Pucón but there was so much of Chile I had not seen yet that those places (the Atacama desert, Patagonia, etc.) took precedence and my time there ended without returning to Pucón. But, oh, I shall return!

Filed Under: Chile, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, Araucania, Chile, nature, outdoors, pucon, trancura, Villarica, volcano, waterfall

The Walls of the Wadi Mujib

16 December 2013 by Raul 5 Comments

The Wadi Mujib in Jordan is a fun place because you get to explore a gully (“wadi”) in which water is flowing. The first part of the Wadi is maybe ankle deep or a little higher in some places so pretty easy and fun (though I kept worrying I would drop my camera in the water!). It is also a refreshing way to spend part of the day as you are generally out of the sun and the water feels good!

Wadi Mujib, Jordan, outdoors, adventure, fun, Middle East, colors, travel, photo, Olympus

The entrance to the wadi

My favorite part of exploring the Wadi Mujib is to see those colorful walls up close. I walked with no rush and soaked in the view all around me. For the more intrepid, go deeper into the canyon where a true adventure awaits (don’t bring your camera unless it is waterproof!).

And if you are tired of walking, just ride your way out!

If you go to Jordan, don’t miss this neat outdoor experience!

Filed Under: Asia, Jordan, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, gorge, gulley, Jordan, Olympus, outdoors, photo, travel, Wadi Mujib, water

Travel-Inspiring Reads – The Alluring Target

29 November 2013 by Raul 3 Comments

We all find travel inspiration from different places. It could be TV shows (Rick Steves, Samantha Brown, Anthony Bourdain, etc.), Eyewitness, Lonely Planet or other travel guides, friends, or our favorite blogs and websites.

Those are all great sources but some call to each one of us more than others, some grab our imagination more intensely than others. For me, some of those sources are books other than the standard travel guides, usually books that talk about a journey, an experience. I’d thought I’d share over time books that have inspired me in one way or another to travel and explore. So, for the inaugural travel-inspiring read, I present:

“The Alluring Target – In Search of the Secrets of Central Asia”

(Kenneth Wimmel)

This book, which I read in early 1999, made me hunger not only to see Central Asia but to have been one of the early companions of the early explorers the book presents (one of which is supposed to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones). This books tells the stories of these early travelers, way before TripAdvisor, electronic boarding passes, and, heck, even BEFORE flying. I wonder if I would have had it in me to do what these men and women did back then!

While it is a book about these explorers, it does present Central Asia in a different way than a travel book may. It helped me learn more about the importance of the region which, at the time these explorers went, must have seen an even bigger mystery than it is today. For helping me imagine travel to those parts so long ago, Mr. Wimmel, I thank you!

Whether here or in future post, please share with us what has inspired YOU to travel!

Filed Under: Asia, Travel Reads Tagged With: adventure, Alluring Target, central asia, explorer, inspiration, travel, travel books

Boarding Pass Stories: Constantinople! OK, Istanbul

20 August 2013 by Raul 5 Comments

The destination, the when(s), and the reason(s)

My knack for taking one trip idea and expanding its scope is not a recent event. That’s how I ended last year exploring a country I may have never visited otherwise: Moldova. It pre-dates my travel blogging days by a bit. As I joined a group of friends last-minute on a trip to Egypt (literally, like two weeks before the trip), I wondered what else could I do as I had plenty of vacation time at work. I contacted a former co-worker who had moved back to his hometown of Istanbul and asked him if I could visit and he said yes, of course. I got a free ticket to/from Istanbul with Delta and then bought a separate ticket between Istanbul and Cairo so I had to fly through Istanbul to head to Egypt first and then I would come back and stop in Istanbul from where I would fly through Paris again (as the boarding pass above shows). This was in 1998, eons ago, it feels.

The airline

Air France offered great service as usual in those days for many airlines. I flew business class since I had plenty o’ miles and it was going to be a LONG trip. Class…

What fascinated me about this experience

I returned from Cairo to Istanbul to visit my friend and explore this “epically historic” city for the first time. I wait for my friend and nothing. An hour passes and I begin to get a little antsy (these days, cellphones were not what they are today and I believe you still couldn’t use a U.S. in Europe, had I brought mine along).

So I nervously wondered if my friend confused the day or time of my arrival. I realized I should call him at work and see. Since these were the days you could still find payphones, this would not be a problem. Except I first had to exchange money, hope for coins, figure out how much to pay for the call, etc. I called and it rang and rang. I kept trying and no answer. I was beginning to worry more now. I decided that surely someone was sitting around his desk or office so maybe I just had to keep calling until someone, in exasperation, decided to walk over and answer the darned phone. Someone sure did.

They plugged me through to my friend’s secretary and she told me she had been expecting my call (!) as my friend had unexpectedly and last minute been asked to make a trip abroad. So he left instructions with her to connect me to his girlfriend so she could let me in his apartment, etc. I rang her but in talking to her I realized his apartment was not near the city center which was the area I was going to be exploring and since my friend was not around, no point in staying far out.

I pulled out my travel book and found a hotel, the Pierre Lotti, which had availability and ended up working perfectly due to its proximity to all the places I wanted to see! What was great about this experience was that I explored Istanbul for 5 awesome days, met other travelers with whom I then did more social/less-touristy things, and had a great time! I did meet my friend’s girlfriend for lunch which was neat and which led to me getting lost on the way back to the hotel. But that, my dear reader, will be food for another post!

Hagia Sophia, Holy Wisdom, Istanbul, Constantinople, Byzantiu, church. mosque, museum, architecture, history, photo, mosaic, art

One of the mosaics uncovered in the Hagia Sophia – beautiful

Filed Under: Asia, Boarding Pass Series Tagged With: adventure, air france, airline, boarding pass, Cairo, Egypt, explore, flight, Istanbul, travel, trip, Turkey, Turquia

The Real Heroes of Kilimanjaro

6 June 2013 by Raul 2 Comments

Kilimanjaro, while not a technical hike, is still a very challenging climb. Anyone who has climbed it should be quite proud of the accomplishment. I am privileged to have had the chance to attempt it and lucky to have succeeded! And so for the other 15 trekkers in our group who also climbed it.

The 16 trekkers and our lead guide, Luis

The average age of our group of 16 was 42 (with the median at 46, in case that tells you something!). And we all made it thanks to many factors: our training, our willpower, our support of each other, the collegiality of the group, etc. But just as important were the leadership and support our guides provided. Minding our safety first, they also bonded well with us at different times and in different ways.

With Said, who helped me during summit night and then sped me down the scree field!

With Buga, one of the liveliest of our guides – always smiling, singing and taking care of us

The trekkers and the guides can certainly call their efforts heroic or near-heroic. We had a trekker climb with a broken hand for 3 days unknown to anyone but herself. Another had bronchitis. And another had severe nausea during the ascent. They ALL made it. They -Liz, Laura, and Olivia- are definitely heroes to me. The guides worked SO hard on behalf of us. Not only minding our safety but also helping us during summit night ANY way they could. And, for a couple of us, also on the descent through the scree. They certainly are heroes to those of us whom they helped achieve this fantastic feat!!

The local guides

However, all that said, the real heroes of Kilimanjaro are the folks who make everything happen seamlessly in the background so that trekkers like myself can have a wonderful trek, a comfortable camp experience, and good food and water to sustain us. The real heroes of Kilimanjaro are the porters.

Many of those porters, we never got to meet. They worked behind the scenes. They didn’t hike along us. They carried our main luggage, tents, and everything else needed at camp. They brought water to camp. They cooked our meals. They set up and took down tents. They set up and cleaned the portable toilets. They hauled trash away so we would leave the mountain as unscathed as we found it.

As we walked up the mountain, porters from our group or other groups passed us along the paths carrying their loads. They moved fast and many did not have the right gear. These men work hard and do hard work to earn a living. Many of them are just picked up at the start of the route by the local lead guide to be hired for the trek right before we get going. Some become part regulars. And some eventually become guides.

As porters passed us along the path, we always cleared the way so they could pass us and not be bogged down by us. Partly this was, admittedly, self-serving as the earlier they got to camp, the more ready the camp would be when we arrived. But when we started doing this, that was not what we were thinking about. We were strictly thinking about making things easier for them in appreciation for all they do.

Porter carrying a load up Kili

The evening after we came off the mountain, after we all cleaned up, we all met at our hotel to celebrate and thank our guides and porters for their great work. The video clip below is of very amateurish quality but I think the joy these guys live with is self-evident. We loved their singing during the hike and we enjoyed celebrating!

The porters of Kili are the real heroes for me. To this anonymous group (we knew some of them but not most), I say ASANTE SANA! Our Kili experience would not have been possible without you. If you climb Kili, be sure to clear the way as they try to pass you!!

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Jordan’s Wadi Rum: Not Just for Lawrence of Arabia

19 May 2013 by Raul 24 Comments

Well, I assume I did follow some of his/his camel’s footsteps in the Wadi Rum in my recent trip to Jordan. My visit to the Wadi Rum was an amazing experience as I had never had been in such a landscape before. In an earlier post, I shared how I found color everywhere I went in Jordan. It is now time to focus on one of the places I explored during my trip.

The visit began at the well-set-up Visitor Center which has great information, a surprisingly good restaurant and an excellent view of the rock/mountain Lawrence himself called the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a reference from the Book of Proverbs.

Entering the Visitor Center, one immediately is rewarded by a view of the Seven Pillars!

T.E. Lawrence, his real name, became involved in the Arab Revolt in the late 1910s when the Arab peoples were revolting against the Ottoman Empire. Lawrence fell in love with the Wadi Rum area and now I can understand why. I hope sharing this adventure will also do the same for you and that you get inspired to see it in person some day!

Spending the afternoon exploring the Wadi Rum desert

We left the Visitor Center to find the vehicles that would take the group to explore the Wadi Rum well into the evening, prior to arriving at the Captain’s Camp where we would spend the night (and I will write about this in another post coming up soon).

Off we went in these pick up truck -type vehicles!

Soon we got deep in the incredible mountains/rocks formations characteristic of the Wadi Rum as well as have fun running up dunes and actually witnessing a rare rainstorm in the area (mercifully not over us!)

Sand dune soon to be “hit” by us visitors!

Note the Bedouin camp

Typical / iconic landscape the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan is known for

Amazing rock formations and colors in the Wadi Rum!

Barrah Siq where the large rock in the bottom has a carving of Lawrence of Arabia; alongside a Bedouin camp

Close-up of the carving of Lawrence of Arabia’s face in Barrah Siq

This photo offers a better sense of the scale of the place

The rare rainstorm in the distance – even lightning!

And then dusk began in the desert!

I thought we’d be done exploring as soon as it started getting dark and, while that was close to reality, we still got to enjoy dusk driving around – which made me appreciate the Wadi Rum in a different light, so to speak.

Sunset begins…

The magical sky at sunset

The clouds played nicely in the sunset scene

The ride is getting closer to ending as the lights come on. Still a beautiful backdrop!

And the method of exploring changes the next morning!

Our ride the next morning: Wadi Rum camels!

Riding camels! Yours truly in the blue shirt (via J. Festa – thanks!)

And to finish this, a shot taken by a fellow traveler about ilivetotravel in action!

Notice the tarp covering the back of our pick-up truck. And me so focused… (again, thanks J. Festa!)

During this trip, I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board. That notwithstanding, the stories I share were my real experiences and nothing else. As they always are!

Filed Under: Asia, Jordan, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, camel, desert, Jordan, nature, outdoors, travel

Preparing to Hike Kilimanjaro: More than Training & Gear

2 February 2013 by Raul 33 Comments

I sit here, two weeks before my departure for Tanzania, asking myself “Oh my, what did I get into??”. As you may have read, I am headed to Tanzania to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, something that 5 months I would have told you was the furthest thing from my bucket list. Seriously. As I contemplate the process so far, I have learned a few things and I wanted to share those with folks who may be thinking of hiking Kilimanjaro. Conditioning and gear are two important elements, But there is a less immediately obvious element in being prepared…

How did I decide to climb Kilimanjaro?

I already knew I wanted to do more treks with Trekking for Kids (with whom I trekked the Transylvanian Alps) because of the great work they do with orphanages but I was not expecting Kili would be the trek for me. I attended a TFK event last September where I heard Len Stanmore speak about his incredible journey of extreme outdoor adventure. His story is quite inspirational and others started talking about TFK’s upcoming trek to Kilimanjaro in February 2013 at the reception afterwards. I was hooked. Somehow. Not really sure what had just happened but I was in. ALL IN.

Besides the orphanage work (fundraising for it and actually spending a few days there), there are three key aspects for me about the hike itself: training, gear/packing preparations, and a third that I have yet to name at this point in this writing…

The kids at the Kili Centre orphanage sporting the new uniforms paid by funds raised by this trek

Training for climbing Kilimanjaro

Fortunately, when I decided to go on this trek, I was still relatively fresh from my Romania hike and had continued exercising in general. It makes for a good starting point!

I started more serious training by getting on the treadmill and increasing the incline over a few weeks to 15%, ending up doing this for a couple of hours. I also used a backpack whose weight I kept increasing beyond the expected weight we would carry on the hike (about 15 lbs for our day needs; porters would be carrying the rest) . I was doing great with this and was planning to mix in real hikes by going to small but still helpful Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta, Georgia, where I trained for the hike in Romania. And that is when a mini disaster struck: I over-stretched my Achilles tendons (both legs!) likely due to the imperfect simulation of a 15% incline on a treadmill. It all seems obvious now but I had not contemplated that I could hurt myself that way – you just don’t know what you don’t know!

That set me back about 6 weeks at a point when the intensity of my training was really beginning to pay off. (I am almost back to normal and training again at this point.) Not only that but I gained weight due to the double whammy of Thanksgiving and Christmas falling squarely in that 6-week period… So now I will carry even more weight uphill 🙂

Advice: If you embark on something like this without that type of starting point – don’t fret! Just be sure to start gradually. Aggressive training from cold is more than likely counterproductive if not outright a risk! That’s the easiest way to get injured. And also, stretch even of days you are not training. Stretching is your best ally in physical readiness.

Getting in gear. The gear to climb Kilimanjaro!

After being in good conditioning for the hike, the next item on the list is all the stuff that I will need on the hike. That short word “stuff” covers a wide range of things that I will need to make this a successful trip. After getting the packing list from TFK (VERY thorough!), I did an inventory of what I had and what I needed to research/acquire. I started staging all my items in a spare bedroom. It looks like a mess but it does two things for me: 1. allow me to start gathering in one place all that I will need to pack making packing later a lot easier and 2. allow me to start enjoying the upcoming trek by seeing it shape up!

The “mess” in the spare bedroom!

Advice:

Get a good packing list for the type of hike
Go talk to your local outfitter before you acquire things to learn about what they recommend, what materials are out there, criteria for choosing items, etc.
Then proceed with sourcing the items (borrow or buy).

Let me share some more specifics about gear and packing here (for a more detailed description of the clothing I took, go here)… But do check out this post on what I considered my 7 key items for this hike (written BEFORE the hike) and then the top 14 things I took (written AFTER the hike)!

I am happy to email you a copy of my packing list!

Clothing for your packing list

Mt. Kilimanjaro covers multiple climate zones ranging from forest where one may be trudging through mud to extreme cold and windy terrain towards the top. Guess what? That means carrying gear to deal with all the climate zones but, most importantly, to deal with the extreme cold and wind which is far more dangerous to a hiker. The key to all this is layers. Not rocket science, I know. I hear the cold towards the top is brutal!

The list I was provided by TFK was very clear on what was needed. I went (a few times!) to my favorite outfitter and explores the options available for each category of item needed. I have learned WAY more than I thought I’d ever learn about gear. And spent way more than I ever thought I’d spend. But two things help: one, I have bought thinking of re-use especially at ski time or in future treks and, second, I have tried to borrow some items (though it has not been as much as I would have hoped for).

Advice: My advice to you is to borrow, or buy used if possible, and think of re-use as you make choices on what to get. For example, instead of buying the absolute best gloves for the extreme temperature, think of using liners, etc. so the gloves themselves can work for you in less extreme weather back at home.

Accessories for the Kili climb

This covers a whole range of items like the hiking poles (with shock absorbers! see here for more on them), headlamp (not only to read at night or go potty in the middle of the night but also for the night hiking we will do on summit day!), sleeping bag liner (to make it warm enough for the coldest nights), sleeping bag pad (for comfort and further insulation from the very cold ground), cameras (yes, plural: the big one is not summiting with me – too heavy), even duct tape!

Advice: Borrow, or buy used if possible. Buy new if that suits you better. However, another possibility is renting some of the items on-site. This helps you in two ways: not buying stuff if you are not going to be hiking/camping more than this trip and also reducing the amount of stuff you have to lug half way around the world! However, some potential downsides of this: you don’t know the condition of the item you will rent (dirty, torn up, etc.) and you may not find the right type for the item you are looking for. For example, you need to be sure that sleeping bag will be warm enough.

Health/”Medical” items for your Kili climb

For this destination, one does have to be ready with anti-malarial and other items as recommended by the CDC. I have all the hepatitis stuff from prior travels so the anti-malarial (which is taken for every trip) and the typhoid (which I needed) were on the must-have list. But the medical category is not just the innoculations/vaccines. Things like ibuprofen, Cipro (for the potential digestive maladies that could affect a traveler…), and maybe even something to help you sleep get on the list. Other items, such like the iodine tablets, sunblock with DEET, high-SPF chapstick, etc. are more preventive in nature but just as important. This list is very important and is sometimes less obvious than the gear and clothing lists.

Advice: Do your research, ask people who have gone before (feel free to ask here!), and don’t try to save money by skimping on these items!

Finally – Emotional Preparedness

I will have to get back to you on this after the trip for a full report. However, I had heard that a lot about hiking Kili is the mental strength to power through tough conditions like mud and rain, tiredness, perhaps pain, and other discomforts. So I am thinking this would fall under emotional preparedness. I have heard from people who have hiked it before that, in the end, this is the most important elements in preparing for Kili. You may be fit, you may not. Altitude sickness could keep you from summiting and that is independent of your fitness level (amazing!). But if you don’t have some toughness in this realm, you may fall short of your goals.

We are lucky that our lead guide is one of the foremost mountain expedition leaders in the world, Luis Benitez. He is also a Board Member of TFK! In an email he sent the trekkers last week, he told us that the best thing to do in this category is to expect discomfort, understand it will happen, understand it starts and it ends. All that so that when it hits at any point in the trip, you remember it will pass and you don’t let it bring you down (figuratively speaking!). I think this is a great piece of advice that will serve ME well in these 2 weeks before I leave for this hike.

Advice: Listen to Luis’ advice!

Final thoughts on climbing Kilimanjaro

I am almost done doing all the things that I need to do to be ready but, in the end, it is the emotional preparedness that I am not sure how to measure. I cannot check it off a list, like I can do with the other items on my packing list. Yet it is likely one of the most important success factors in this trek. I don’t know if altitude sickness will beat me to the summit. I can’t control that. But I sure hope I am ready enough to control my willpower and discomforts to summit or get very close to it! Kili, I shall meet you very soon!

P.S. – Thanks for all the words of support, advice, and orphanage donations via Trekking for Kids!

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A month after this post went up, I had completed climbing Kilimanjaro and started writing about every day in the trek (7 total days) and about the route we were to take. Check it out!

– The Machame Route

– Gear for climbing Kili: clothing

– Day 1 (and links to the subsequent days)

Filed Under: Africa, Hiking, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Tagged With: adventure, gear, hiking, Kilimanjaro, orphanage, outdoor, packing list, travel, travel for good, trekking, Trekking for Kids

Interview with the Ultimate Global Explorer: Len Stanmore

10 November 2012 by Raul 26 Comments

Len Stanmore has climbed the highest peak in every continent (the “7 Summits”), skied to both the North Pole AND the South Pole, and run across 3 of the 4 major deserts of the world: the driest (Atacama), the windiest (Gobi), and the hottest (Sahara). Impressed? From November 22 to December 3, 2012, Len will race across the last major desert: the coldest (Antarctica) with Racing the Planet’s 4 Deserts series. With this race, Len will be the only (yes, THE only) person to have ever accomplished all these remarkable feats – a true ultimate global explorer (with all due respect to explorers of other eras)!!

I had the good fortune of meeting Len last September as he supports a non-profit organization close to my heart, Trekking for Kids (TFK) with whom I trekked in Romania earlier this year. Len has supported TFK before and is now using his Antarctica race as a fundraiser to help TFK improve the lives of orphaned and at-risk children around the world. Check out more about Len’s support of TFK via his Trekking for Kids page and support him!

Why I am sharing Len’s story?

Len’s story has inspired me to go somewhere I have never sought to go before: the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Believe it or not, I was NEVER hoping to or interested in climbing “Kili“. But Len’s story of how he got going with this incredible journey inspired me to aim for this summit. See, Len decided at 49 years old he had to do something to improve his health. He chose a goal that would push him and he chose Kili. I thought to myself: gosh, I am younger than he was and in good physical condition – so why am I NOT trying to climb Kili??? That, and talking to Len and a couple of other veteran Kili hikers sealed the deal for me. So in February 2013, I will be headed to Tanzania for the climb of my life!

Len graciously made some time to talk to me as his training and prep wind down and the big day gets near and I wanted to share that with you…

Now to the interview… Everyone, meet Len Stanmore

–> Len, the set of races/climbs that you will complete in November with your run across Antarctica sounds like beyond the reach of mere mortals: Was this part of a grand goal you set for yourself after your first climb or how did it come to happen?

My first and only goal at the time was Kilimanjaro. It was while doing Kilimanjaro that I first heard the term “7 Summits”. I decided during that hike that the Vinson Massif, the tallest peak in Antarctica, would be next – for no good reason! I guess it not being that tall at around 16,000 ft made it seem quite attainable. Of course, I did not stop to think about how cold it would be! From then on, I would just hear of the other types of expeditions and then pursue them.

–> Did you ever feel that one of the goals was be too big of a challenge to accomplish?

I had not done much research on the 7 Summits so I was not sure early on if I would get to summit Everest. I will say that the scariest of all was McKinley. The climate is quite harsh (not that Everest’s isn’t!). In fact, I first attempted to summit McKinley but it was too stormy and I decided not to pursue it that time. Then I did Everest. Eventually I returned to McKinley and reached the summit. The other thing about McKinley is that you don’t have porters. You take ALL your stuff UP the mountain breaking into sweat for real: carrying a bag weighing about 60 lbs and pulling a sled with another 70-80 lbs (at this point, the interviewer was feeling out of breath and breaking into a sweat just thinking about it!).

–> You have said that Kilimanjaro was your favorite hike. Why is it?

Kilimanjaro is the only one of the places I have tackled that I would go back to. I love Africa. And I love that climbing Kilimanjaro allows you to experience so many ecosystems. It, along with Everest, are the better known mountains of the seven and Kili is quite doable (though training is still required!).

–> Len, I heard you say you were scared of heights…

I still am! Going up a ladder to about 20 feet is about it for me!

–> How did you work through that fear to climb the 7 Summits? How did you avoid thinking about it?

What makes you think I DIDN’T think about it?! My stomach tightens up in those situations… Usually it’s the downhill that’s the worse. I just force myself to focus and keep moving.

Len Stanmore completes the Gobi Desert Race in the 4 Desert Series

After completing the Gobi Desert race in 2011

–> Of all these expeditions which one was your least favorite? If you had to do all these again but were allowed to exclude one, which one would it be?

Oh wow. Let me recap all in my mind… (pauses for a moment) I think it would be Aconcagua. At the time it was the highest altitude I had attempted so I felt the lack of oxygen. It was really hot in the valley you crossed to get there. Plus, it was not very scenic, not breathtaking like the others.

–> Of the day-to-day things on your expeditions, what are the worst things you wish you did not have to deal with?

Oh, the worst part is when you are at altitude or in a very cold place and you wake up and have to get out of your warm sleeping bag! Then rush to find your things and pack up quickly in very little time. There is a lot of pressure in the morning. When you start for a summit, many times you leave at night. It’s a dash, trying to do everything with the headlamp, and then you realize most people are ready and you are not. It’s nerve-wracking!

–> And what do you look forward to in the day-to-day of these expeditions (beyond finishing!)?

Besides the camaraderie of the group hiking together, the best part of the every day is simple. You have left camp and started the day’s hike, past the hustle of getting ready. Thirty minutes to an hour after the start of the day’s hike, your body calms down, your heart rate goes down, and you start appreciating where you are and you soak it all in.

–> You have selected Trekking for Kids and its mission to benefit from your accomplishments – what led you to select this organization?

I was hiking Cotopaxi in Ecuador and my guide, Luis Benitez, asked me if I wanted to go with him to an orphanage he had to make a stop at. I accompanied him and saw the situation where the girls in the orphanage at a certain age have to leave. I thought to myself: if these girls do not get an education or skills, what will happen to them? And even before that day comes, at the orphanage it felt it was almost a matter of day-to-day survival. I have been skeptical of organizations that ask for money for orphanages for a long time. But it is different with TFK. The money goes to specific projects that the orphanage identifies and that TFK vets (with receipts being submitted, etc.). It blew me away the work TFK does with the orphanages – it’s amazing. I know that the funds I give to and raise on behalf of TFK is going to benefit the kids, not a middleman or an organization.

–> What would you hope people who learn about your story get from it?

Simple. My hope would be that they would identify their own quest or challenge, and that they go for it whatever it is!

–> Finally, and the most important question: You, your wife Liz, myself, and others will be hiking Kilimanjaro next February with TFK. I just did my first big hike in the Transylvanian Alps in Romania last July. On a scale of 1 to 10, how concerned are you that I will beat you to the summit? 🙂

(laughs) VERY concerned! Are you kidding me??!! In all seriousness, we will get to the summit at the same exact time as one group!

What now? And a more important reason why I share his story with you

Now? I am now eagerly following Len’s preparations for Antarctica and will follow him during the race via TFK’s Facebook page where daily updates will be posted. It will be exciting to hear about his race! Best of luck, Len, in this last leg of a great series – and I will see you and Liz in Tanzania in February!!

I find Len’s story to be an amazing one and I hope that sharing it with you may inspire you to your own epic journey (be it of this kind or any other!) as it has inspired me to push myself physically and mentally to do Kili!

Filed Under: Travel Stories Tagged With: 7 summits, adventure, Antarctica, deserts, expedition, hiking, Kilimanjaro, McKinley, outdoors, racing, travel

The Adventure Capital of the World – Queenstown

26 June 2009 by Raul 1 Comment

Queenstown’s claim to fame, perhaps among others, is that bungy jumping was invented not far from the town. By now, taller and scarier jumps have been created in Queenstown and elsewhere but that original bungy jump exists in the same bridge.

Now, I am not sure if Queenstown is indeed the adventure capital of the world. For instance, I thought me eating guinea pig in Lima would make Lima the adventure capital of the world, for me at least. But there is definitely plenty of adrenaline-pumping activities all around town as well as the more traditional and sensible activities of skiing and snowboarding. I heard people talking about the different things they did while there an dhow much they paid and I concluded (not rocket science!) that the reputation of the city as adventure capital certainly helps the city with revenues as these adventures are not cheap!

I arrived in Queenstown at the start of the winter season after crossing a good but of the west coast of the south island from Franz Josef. It was a beautiful drive with the only issues being some black ice once we left the coastline and headed inland – it was cold!!! The west coast is less populated than the east coast of the south island and it showed. Very few towns, very small if they existed.

Queenstown seemed like a metropolis after my passing through Greymouth, staying at Franz Josef, and seeing the small towns along the west coast. We did pass some inland towns that were a little more substantial with Wanaka being one of the nicest ones (on the shores of Lake Wanaka). It seems to attract similar type of tourists as Queenstown for skiing and other activities but it is smaller and retains a smaller town feel to it. I would not have minded staying there and exploring… Anyhow, back to telling you about Queenstown. It was littered with skiers and snowboarders and all the types of businesses that cater to this crowd (average age must have been 20!). I could have been anywhere in ski country USA – the town had that type of feel to it. My motel was a walk away from the center of town but was very adequate and the staff was great. As far as places to eat, I was surprised at how good a semi-hidden joint on The Mall was. Its name was Chico’s Bar and Grille and the beef and venison pie was simlpy outstanding! The Peregrine Saddleback pinot noir was a nice wine to drink with it.

A view from a square by the lake

My “Adventure” 🙂

So what adventurous activity did I undertake? Well, all the hiking in Tasmania and at the glacier ruined my left knee to the point that days later even walking hurt. So I had to drop my plans to ski at one of the two main sites (Coronet Peak or The Remarkables). I was bummed. I considered white water rafting but even with a wet suit, I could not stomach the thought of the frigid waters. It was frigid just walking around – I had not appetite for trying the waters! I could not just sit around all afternoon so I opted for a float and a massage. Not adventurous? Well, the float thing was new to me and it required getting into this sort of enclosed tank and laying there on very salty water floating in the dark for 30 mins. That was adventurous to me!

I also got to go up the mountain right above town using a gondola for some excellent views of the town, of The Remarkables, and mountains beyond. I do not know if the skiing is worth the trip down under but certainly viewing The Remarkables made me want to come back and get a shot at their slopes!

The Remarkables range (and the adventurer; I'm very proud of this pic!)

The Remarkables range (and an adventurer; I’m very proud of this pic!)

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, New Zealand - Southern Island Tagged With: adventure, explore, New Zealand, Queenstown, tourism, travel

Flying onto and Hiking a Glacier in New Zealand!

22 June 2009 by Raul 5 Comments

The village of Franz Josef on the west coast of the southern island of New Zealand (whew, that’s a long “address” to give for a village) exists to share the Franz Josef glacier with those who want to see it. This glacier and neighboring Fox glacier are 2 out of 3 glaciers in the world that end in a rainforest and miss getting directly to the ocean by not much!

Now, there are numerous ways to explore the glacier: short walks, half-day or full day hikes, heli-hikes, flyovers and perhaps more that I do not know about. I decided that due to sore knees from earlier hikes that I should not do the full day hike. But then the helicopter ride tempted me as we would start further up the glacier plus we would do all the hiking on the glacier instead of part of it being on normal ground to get to the glacier. I am always up for such a shortcut when the tradeoff is like this!

The helicopter flight up took less than 10 mins. I could not tell you how long it took as I was to busy looking out and snapping pictures. He did fly us to the top before coming back down a bit to drop us off. In that last segment, the pilot did a nice maneuver where we were almost on our side. Nice surprise…

Franz Josef, glacier hike, New Zealand, blue ice, crampons, adventure, outdoors

Approaching the glacier on the helicopter – a thrill!

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure, helicopter

With our transport after arriving at the glacier

The amount of ice is unbelievable and we didn’t really get to see the top field of the glacier which must be quite expansive (and deep!). We landed – it seems – like 2/3 of the way up the face of the glacier. A guide had been dropped off earlier to scout the terrain that day (since the glacier moves, etc. they cannot just assume the same area will work from one day to the next) and set up the landing spot for the copter. Once we landed, he quickly explained a few things to us (like how to use the crampons on our boots to better get a grip on the ice as we walked). We quickly got the groove of it and began exploring. The guide would check out the area he wanted to take us through and then we would follow.

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure

About to enter a cave

Fun place!

Like this, we explored crevasses, mini-caves and open spaces. The most exhilarating thing was getting deep into a crevasse or mini-cave and be surrounded by beautiful blue ice. Of course, you always had to be mindful of the floor of crevasses and mini-caves as they could be at any moment just a thin layer of ice and your foot would just go right through to freezing water underneath! That happened to a couple of folks in the group.

Oh, oh, how do I get out of this??

Focused…

Another solo traveler and I quickly clued in that it would be best if we traded cameras during the hike to snap pix of each other instead of constantly having to ask each other or others “can you take my picture?” He did a great job of snapping pix away of me with my camera so I have a nice set of pix of me in all sorts of tight spots, etc.!

glacier hike, blue ice, adventure, outdoors, Franz Josef, New Zealand

The guide leading the pack

About to enter a very small “cave” at the glacier

Going through one of the most vertically challenged “caves” that we went through

After 2 hours, the helicopter came back for us and took a more direct route down than he took up. A fellow traveler and I went to grab lunch and celebrate with a beer. Later that evening, New Zealand was going to be playing a match of rubgy against France so we met up again at one of the few pubs/restaurants in the village to watch with the rest of the visitors. The place was The Landing and we enjoyed the setup and the friendliness of the wait staff.

I was told that during summer, during peak tourist season, the village can get up to 3,000 visitors in one day. In winter, the numbers are much lower but I was surprised still at the amount of visitors. I think that the place is likely just as beautiful in the winter (though colder). It was not really terribly cold, in fact, we had lunch outdoors that day with no heaters (but still wearing our jackets). In the evening, it definitely got cold!

The group

There are lots of options when visiting this glacier, or Fox glacier, on what to do. Cost can be a key factor in choosing the activity but, if you can afford it, by all means do the heli-hike! You will not regret this way of experiencing nature and the beauty of glacier country in New Zealand!