What I learned from my Himalayan trek

· 2014/12/14 · 2 minute read
  1. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
  2. Human beings are physically inefficient for survival. The mind which is the strongest survival tool needs to be made ready for experiences the same way muscles are built - by breaking it down and building it back up. But all we’re doing is softening it down by giving the mind the most comfortable and pleasurable experiences.
  3. Carry only what’s the most indispensable. Every extra bit of baggage that you pack at the base will slow you down till you reach the peak. Good: Things you can’t live without, things that will become part of you along the journey. Bad: Things that you think you’ll use at leisure.
  4. Descents look easy, but they’re the most painful.
  5. Ascents look impossible, but slow steps and steady breathing will get you to the top.
  6. You need to reach your next campsite before dark no matter what.
  7. You’ll think the probability of rockfalls on your trek is so small that it will most likely not happen, but as soon as you hear the sounds from a nearby mountain, this probability immediately shoots up to near 100% in your mind.
  8. You’ll fight with nature and accept defeat at some point. And then you become friends.
  9. The shortcut I took in my trek was the most difficult part of the trek.