Bucket lists

So two Friday's ago Kid and I said goodbye to V and boarded a flight to Delhi to surprise my parents. An hour later V boarded another flight, to a long anticipated, much prepared for trip.

Just over a year and a half ago, to coincide with turning the big 4-0, V sprung it on us that it's long been his dream to climb to the Everest Base Camp. Well a year and a bit in the making he was off. He had trained and I had shopped for energy bars (amongst other essential supplies!) and he had heard and read stories of how tough yet exhilarating it was going to be. 

We had made an illustration to show us his route up and down, how many km's and hours each day. Kid was excited but I think it was/ is all theoretical to him. He doesn't understand distance or time in quite the same way yet but he was caught up in the excitement and bless his little heart he told everyone his dad was climbing Everest! 

In Delhi, the parents were suitably surprised and while it all started very well, we both promptly had a mild form of food poisoning. But we soldiered through with Smecta/ podophyllum/ Lacteol Forte. Met a few (the most important) people but not as many as I'd have liked.

We talked to V everyday on a local Nepalese number. It was clearly a tough slog despite the training and he sounded exhausted and exhilarated all at once. We got back the following Friday and V was still two days away from Base Camp, slogging it through the snow and beginning to sound disheartened that he might not make it thanks to the inclement weather. 

Sunday afternoon he finally made it. HE MADE IT TO EVEREST BASE CAMP! Called us briefly, his voice breathless with 50% oxygen and joyous with his accomplishment. Then began his descent - and finally on Wednesday night I went to meet him as he got off his flight from Kathmandu, mountain beard added and so many pounds lost. 

He spent the next 4 days exhausted, sleeping 12 hour stints, playing with his delighted son and eating all the things that he had abstained from while he trained. We've been looking at the incredible pictures and hearing the stories. It's truly an achievement and a serious bucket list item knocked off. 

Talking of bucket lists it would seem I am not inspired enough by my very fit Better Half! We went to watch the very very funny Russell Peters live in Singapore last night. Watching him live was on my (very sedentary) bucket list and he was every bit as funny as I expected. We had expensive but pretty bad seats, had to strain our necks to see him live (as opposed to on the giant screens). But we saw him live and he can really get the audience laughing so even the seats I was willing to forgive. It's been a busy time of year for us all. 

We've both crossed things off our lists this year and it would be fair to say V is an absolute WINNER in my eyes!