Experience

Experience a sense of joy when you go on an adventure in the natural world, especially on a trek or hike.

You can find joy just from things that you see. The beauty of scenery that you don’t have at home, or wild animals and birds. Experiencing different cultures and meeting locals along the way also enhances your trek.

Joy might be found in simple, perhaps unexpected, things that you take for granted at home. Perhaps a much-needed snack on the trail or a hot meal after a long hard day.

Happiness and joy could be just from being underway on the trail and feeling alive.

Ultimately at the end of your trek, or even at milestones along the way, is the joy of achieving your goal (and the joy of a hot shower!!). You can also re-live that joy in your photos and memories afterwards.

Experiencing Joy

Our experiences include all of the above. We loved the autumn colours on our Kanchenjunga trek and pristine winter scenes above the arctic circle in Tromso, Norway.

We have relished trekking above the tree line in alpine environments, whether we’re in the Himalayas or the New Zealand Alps.

As we now have a project to trek to the base camps of all the world’s 14 highest mountains over 8000m (Project Base8000), we feel a sense of joy at each base camp we reach. Currently, in these Covid times, we’ll be joyful when we can travel again!

What do you think?

• What brings you joy in the outdoors?
• Where could you go next?

Want to discover more?

See what else can you discover through adventure here.

Discover the Secret of the Mountains.

Read our other posts on Self Discovery.

Experience awe when you go on an adventure in the mountains.

How do you describe that feeling of being taken aback and something touching you to your core, when you witness a sight that is beyond beautiful? Sublime, some would say.

It’s a funny word, awe, especially when it’s overused to describe everything as ‘awesome’. We often use the same words over and again when describing mountain scenery. For example, words like spectacular, stunning, amazing, awe-inspiring, majestic. So what does it mean to be awestruck?

There are many beautiful places in the natural world. But there is something different about certain mountains that take your breath away. They brighten your day and leave a lasting impression on you. We’ll never forget our first trek in the Himalayas, to Everest Base Camp. After days on the trail, we were so excited to have our first glimpse of Mt Everest and it’s neighbour, Mt Lhotse. But we decided our favourite was Ama Dablam, a striking mountain standing out on it’s own. That was definitely an experience of awe.

It’s hard to describe the feeling. Sometimes the view will be startling, as you round a corner and there it is. Such a grand sight of a mountain on a giant scale rising far into the sky. It’s dramatic, astounding, unbelievable. One such mountain is Mt Fitzroy in Patagonia. It seems more like a movie backdrop, with it’s granite tower overtaking the sky.

Perhaps you are fortunate to see a sweeping panorama of beauty on a clear day which brings tears to your eyes. The Himalayas delivered this for us on one particular helicopter ride from Makalu Advance Base Camp to Dingboche.

Sometimes it may be the state of mind you’re in that day. The mountain presents itself and it’s just what you needed. It’s deeply moving in some way.

What do you think?

• Have you experienced awe from a beautiful sight?
• Are the mountains calling? Time to plan your next adventure!

You might also like to read this article on Why Awesome Natural Beauty Drops the Jaw and Lifts the Spirit.

Want to discover more?

See what else can you discover through adventure here.

Discover the Secret of the Mountains.

Read our other posts on Self Discovery.

Experience balance of mind, body and soul when you go on an adventure in the natural world.

Normal daily life might be mentally demanding some days and physically demanding on others. Escaping from routine, and especially from the city and the modern life can help bring you back to the ‘real world’. You can feel more connected with the world, more grounded when you’re out in nature.

Experiencing Balance

We’ve experienced a sense of balance from different aspects on the adventures we’ve had.

For example, trekking through the Khumbu region of the Himalayas in Nepal. This kind of adventure most certainly requires mental toughness and physical fitness. On top of that we find a real spiritual element as we trek through villages and experience the peaceful Sherpa culture, and their respect for the mountains. We spin the prayer wheels, walk around mani (prayer) walls and stupas in a clockwise direction, and appreciate the colourful prayer flags and incense. We have sometimes had the pleasure of visiting monasteries as well.

On some expeditions we’ve been lucky to take part in a puja ceremony for the Sherpa and mountaineers before they start their climb. There are the sounds of the Lama chanting prayers and making offerings to the mountain gods requesting safe passage on the mountain. Then there is the fragrant smell of juniper being burnt, with it’s incense-like smoke wafting around the group. You experience a feeling of connection between the mountains and something inside you.

In another way, we’ve found balance by simply walking through gardens such as on our travel to Japan. Also the Japanese gardens in Cowra in regional NSW, Australia while on a cycling tour. There is something about the lovingly cultivated plants and water features that inspires a sense of balance and calm.

What do you think?

• How balanced is your daily life?
• Do you need to make more time for yourself in the natural world?

Want to discover more?

See what else can you discover through adventure here.

Discover the Secret of the Mountains.

Read our other posts on Self Discovery.

Experience simplicity of life when you go on an adventure.

Being around nature connects you to the world and has a nice grounding effect on you. Whether it’s amongst forests, mountains, desert or coastline. Life is at it’s simplest and most basic.

Your only focus is the environment around you, the weather, and just having to eat, walk and sleep. Your mind is free of clutter and is allowed to wander.

The Japanese even have a word for immersing yourself in nature – shinrin-yoku – which means forest-bathing. You can read this article on the benefits of shinrin-yoku for your health.

On an adventure you get to experience simplicity in how you live too. What you eat, where you sleep, and the gear you take.

There are so many less decisions to make. In fact you appreciate the simple things in life even more.

Trekking and Hiking

We experience simplicity on local walks, such as the Spit to Manly Walk in Sydney. Also on more remote treks such as those in the Himalayas. Being amongst remote communities also highlights a different way of life. One which is much less complex than life in the city. We also see the challenges of living in remote communities. We support the Australian Himalayan Foundation who work to improve the lives of remote Himalayan communities through education, health and the environment.

We’ve enjoyed Australian camping adventures such as in the Jagungal Wilderness in Kosciuszko National Park. It was fun to take everything we needed for a week in our backpacks, camp out under the stars, and enjoy sitting by the campfire at night. Our campsites were often next to historic huts. We could see how simple life was in the early days of Australian settlers. Going further afield we enjoyed hiking in Australia’s red centre – at Ormiston Gorge and Uluru, where we learnt more about the lives of indigenous people on the land.

What do you think?

• When do you experience the greatest feeling of simplicity?
• Could you benefit from a walk in nature or in the wilderness?

Want to discover more?

See what else can you discover through adventure here.

Discover the Secret of the Mountains.

Read our other posts on Self Discovery.

Experience the freedom to be yourself when you go on an adventure.

If you can escape to the wilderness then you are freed from the busyness of the world.

Being in the wilderness also necessitates a focus on your basic survival needs. You can be the real raw, authentic ‘you’ rather than hiding behind the layers that you might otherwise project to the world.

On all the treks that we’ve done, we’ve experienced a sense of freedom. Even a day hike can help recharge your batteries. For us, the feeling of freedom has come from the more remote treks such as Makalu Advance Base Camp, and our trip to the Canadian Wilderness where we met very few people on the trail and of course there is no wifi. Just being in nature or in the mountains frees your spirit.

Also the length of the trek can make a difference to your experience of freedom. For example on long treks such as Kanchenjunga North and South Base Camps, or even just any trek which is a couple of weeks or more, you’re away long enough that you develop a new way of living.

Another aspect that provides the freedom to be yourself is the level of challenge of the trek. For example the challenge of terrain, high altitude or basic living conditions. These make your instinct for survival kick in and you focus on what’s really important to you.

What do you think?

• At what times or places have you experienced a great feeling of freedom?
• Is it time to plan your next adventure?

Want to discover more?

See what else can you discover through adventure here.

Discover the Secret of the Mountains.

Read our other posts on Self Discovery.