By Renee on
29/08/2008 7:34 AM
Today is my 37th birthday and I had breakfast in the Andes and dinner in the Amazon. What a cracker of a way to spend a birthday! Nat, Chloe, Lissy and Jade are all excellent at this birthday business. They organised cake at our farewell to Huaraz dinner with guide Zac and cook Abraham last night. And they showered me with some local gifts this morning at breakfast. I am really grateful to them for putting in such a great effort and it certainly made the day feel even more special.
We spent most of the day in transit from Huaraz to Iquitos. A small 20-seater or so airplane out of Huaraz to Lima and then standard issue plane to Iquitos. Apparently the airport in Huaraz is new, according to Jade it didn´t look as slick last year. We suspect it´s because of the amount of mining going on in this region. While good for local employment, mining has a tenuous relationship with the local environment and the presence of the mines is a contentious issue. On our first night in the Huayhuash we had mining trucks travelling...
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By Renee on
24/08/2008 7:43 AM
Today was a tough day at the office. 6 hours walking, 5 of which were uphill. I physically felt better today that I have done all trip (great, day 10, now I acclimatise! better late than never). From my perspective it was a good day. However we all found the endless ascent difficult, especially after our luxurious night in a bed last night and a few drinks to celebrate being in a town. I did however have a hissy fit at the ¨fake pass¨ie. the saddle of a mountain which begins the pass but is not and let me be clear is NOT the pass. I was so sick of walking uphill by that stage that I had to express my fustration to the landscape (and Lissy). These Andes are mountains that just keep on giving - just when you think you are nearing the top.... but wait there´s more.
We all hit a pretty negative space in the ¨saddle that wasn´t a pass¨and I think Jade was frustrated too. She has managed to keep her spirits high and support all of us at various times each day through the walk but today was not her favourite kind...
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By Renee on
19/08/2008 7:13 AM
Our designated rest day dawns much as the others so far - clear and cold but there is a different vibe this morning. We´re not walking today. Last night we collectively decide to have a rest day. Chloe and I are feeling physically fatigued and Chloe is feeling a bit of emotional fatigue. We have both hit a wall after 6 days of hiking - I needed some time out to buy back into why I was doing this. I was finding it pretty full on, rolling out of bed and within an hour starting a steep ascent to a pss. Chloe was feeling the physical strain and was homesick to boot.
Our rest day is perfect. We are camping at a spot that has hot springs. Two pools, 1 for swimming and 1 for washing. After breakfast, Nat, Lissy and I head straight for the baths and to wash our clothes. Chloe heads for the tent for some time out with a book.
An extended period in the outdoor bath surrounded by mountains, sheep and the odd condor, is the perfect balm for me. It allows me some time out to really soak up (pardon the obvious bathing...
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By Renee on
16/08/2008 6:44 AM
First day of walking today. We are being really well looked after by our guide, Zac, the arrieros, Javier, Samuel and Fernando and Abraham our cook. A cup of tea was delivered at 7am to start the day along with a bowl of hot water to wash. This is deluxe camping! With the help or our crew, the only thing we have to worry about is walking.
There´s a bit nervous energy as we have a steep ascent ahead of us and its the first official day of walking. None of us really know what´s ahead but we´re keen to get going. Jade tells us that once we get through day 1, we´ll be fine for the rest of the trip. It was a climb to a pass of 4700 metres. This is the highest we have climbed so far. I found it really hard going - being out of breath and doing the equivalent of stair climbing is tough. I kept thinking of how great it would be for my butt and thighs - just think thighs of steel was our catch cry when it got hard. We are all challenged by the ascent and there isn´t much talking on the way up.
At the top however we are rewarded with our first amazing view - a lush green valley dotted with cows grazing. We stopped for a snack at the top to revive our energy (delivered to us in the morning by the indispensable Abraham) before starting a steeo descent towards the valley....
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By Renee on
15/08/2008 10:03 AM
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By Renee on
16/05/2008 9:24 PM
So it's just a couple of days before we meet as a group for the first time. We're heading off to Royal National Park south of Sydney for a bit of camping, training and walking. I'm looking forward to meeting the other gals that will share this journey with me (although we'll be sans Lissy) and meeting some of the other generous souls that have associations withe Girls on Top. I have been researching my designated session for the weekend - running the event. My research has involved talking to 2 of the Girls on Top alumni and getting the lowdown on the event showdown. There are a few themes emerging for challenges to overcome and things to keep in mind which I'm looking forward to sharing with the others. It's great timing for me as my event planning is still in its initial stages. I have lots of thoughts swirling around in my head - time to get it on paper and get planning! My event is Bring back bingo... which, as I have been discovering, has been making a mild re-entry to RSL and football clubs around NSW. It's...
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By Renee on
1/05/2008 3:05 PM
The physical challenge of the Andes trek is definitely one of the things that attracted me to Girls On Top. I variously have thoughts and fears that come to the surface about the trek. I really have no idea what to expect from the terrain. I am deliberately not doing the usual of researching the area until their are no surprises. I'm looking forward to having the place unfold as I arrive. My fears are a few... Will I be too slow and hold everyone up (I am a notoriously slow walker)? How will the altitude affect me? Will my preparation be enough? After reading the walking notes and reading various entries that include the words "steep ascent" and "steep descent", I oscillate between excitement at how fit I will come back and trepidation at my performance along the way. My preparation is taking a few different forms. I've set myself the goal of running the Gold Coast Half Marathon in July so I'm running about three times a week. Myself and 5 other girlfriends are running so we've got a supportive crew of gals...
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By Renee on
28/04/2008 9:27 AM
I met with Barbara Warren, head of Nida's Corporate Program, today. Nida has a strong Women in Business Program that partners Girls on Top. The session was on communication and presentation skills.It was inspirational (and fun) to do a session that was informed by drama skills and "play" to hone habits of communication. I got 3 key things out of the session. 1. Being authentic and true to yourself must be at the heart of everything we do. It makes a huge difference to how we engage with people 2. To let go more. I for one hold myself back, I maintain a controlled outer appearance that is not quite as connected to my passionate inner being as it could be. 3. Preparation and rituals have a major influence over what is to follow. It always surprises me that it can be so hard to be authentic and true to one self. But in different situations with different people we plays roles and often we find ourselves behaving in ways we think others want us to rather than really being ourselves. I've learnt that being authentic...
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