41 days

After going off track with training in California (thank you long distance flying for making me ill, again) I'm back at it. Fully paid up for my trip and into the serious business of training and shopping.

The stuff I care about most is being warm at night (hai to you new sleeping bag), having warm feet (hello soon-to-be-purchased new clunky boots) and not falling to my death - hello ice axe and crampons.

Unfortunately, crampons come the the associated inevitability of stabbing myself repeatedly. Much in the same way as idly playing with a stapler ends in a staple in my hand every time I've picked one up since the age of about 8.

Weekend training is hiking - so boots and ankle weights to simulate heavy feet and carrying a loaded bag to simulate... well, carrying a loaded bag. I have 6 weekends of training between me and Nepal. And six weeks of going to the gym every day to provoke my cardiovascular system into some form of readiness.

Oh and I should probably sort out my visa. And some innoculations. And maybe what I'm going to do about cameras... Dammit, some form of list perhaps.