It sounded like a good idea at the time.
That's what I said to my mother as I packed my backpack for a trip up Mt. Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia. That's what I muttered to my fellow sufferers when they asked why I chose to spend my birthday with burning thighs, endless steep rock, low oxygen, and bouts of nausea.
It was 3 exhausting days, and 2 cold nights, from 1300m to 2600m to 2000m to 2600m and finally down to 500m... unfortunately my summit attempt was foiled by the betrayal of my lungs and circulation, which decided to go on strike after 29 years of faithful service.
But the scenery was amazing. I've run out of superlatives to describe the contrast of craggy mountain peaks, aquamarine crater lake, pristine white clouds, and blue blue sky. The exhilaration of getting to the top banishes all memory of the endless slog to a distant corner of the brain (usually reserved for the Krebs cycle, Green's theorem and structures of amino acids). Only my 3 blisters and inability to walk reminds me that it was actually quite hard work.
Total gain from birthday weekend:
3 blisters
3 leeches
7 new friends (special thanks to Sam and Suzie for sharing their tent.. it was pretty cozy in there. Thanks also to Mandy -and Nick- for organizing and letting me come!)
Gazillion aching muscles and pictures.
Self respect
Desire to climb more mountains... after being able to walk again.
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