Pictures from the mountains and a rant

Sherpas are an ethnic group that comprises of nomadic tribes from some of the most remote regions in the Eastern Himalayas, their name literally means "eastern people". Tenzing Norgay (a Sherpa) and Edmund Hillary were the two people first known to have have reached the summit of Mt Everest.

Every year inexperienced western climbers use Sherpas as guides and people who carry their loads up steep mountains. I have unfortunately witnessed many wannabe climbers with more money than sense using these hardy hill people to carry absolute nonsense up mountains.

Around spring when the snow starts to thaw and the climbing season is about to begin, the Sherpas are the first people to rapidly cross a particularly treacherous area around Khumbhu icefall putting up gear and making a safe path to make the lives of inexperienced climbers easier.

They make about $25 a day for something that is not less than a death wish for many, I have witnessed first hand how much these people do for very little money and at a great personal risk. This year the climbing season began with an avalanche that killed 13 of these brave wonderful people. No group take as much risk as them, they go back and forth multiple times so their clients have an easier climb and they carry the heaviest burden of them all.

Over the years I have come in contact with the sheer generosity and courage that makes these people so special and was extremely distressed to hear this and to be honest I have no patience for rich idiots climbing mountains for thrills while others take a massive risk to fuel their pseudo adventure. Seriously dude when one needs team of twenty people to carry your gear, extra oxygen and sometimes carry oneself up and down the mountain, its not mountaineering its tourism.

Mountains are sacred and command great respect in people who live there, its not something that we treat lightly. You can read more about the contributions Sherpas makes and about the tragedy here and here.

Autumn roadtrips: In the woods, around mountains and by the sea

One of my most favourite things to do is to go through instagram feeds of National Geographic, various travel photographers and mountain climbers. For weeks now this urge to go away and be closer to nature has been hard to control and finally this long weekend we've rented a campervan with a tent and are going away camping into this wonderful continent that I have come to love so much.

I wish things work out as planned and we are able to travel a bit more in the coming years, so far having our families on two different continents and us living in the third has ensured a lot of moving and I can't wait to add more destinations to our "already visited" list.

As the temperature drops and the leaves start to change colour it is the best time to run around trees, up the hills and walk by the water. Here are a few things clotheswise that I am packing for my roadtrip, do you have any suggestions?

I can't be bothered wearing jackets on top (unless I have to) and hide my flowy tops so I generally do my layering under my clothes; which is when my collection of merino baselayers come very handy.

As the glorious Vix says "None of this running off to the shops for a new wardrobe when the season changes. Its lurid Hawaiian prints and gauzy cotton maxi dresses all year round for me. After all, isn't that why thermal underwear was invented?"

Outfit 1: Silk blouse, denim cutoffs, tall fringe boots with a merino baselayer under and a pair or merino leggings if needed with a Morroccan backpack from the Glebe markets.

Outfit 2: For those days in the mountains when its too cold to wear shorts; Icebreaker merino singlet with a Kathmandu merino pull-over on top, colourful pants to not look too wintry, a gifted suede bum bag from Pondicherry,my trusty Palladiums with thick woollen socks.

Outfit 3: Torn jeans with a merino singlet, an old tee, a block print scarf, Vintage chunky sweater and my broken in Converse with thick socks.

What are your road-trip must-wears?

Post cards from the hills

Aah to be back where it smells of the fresh mountain air, where there is so much to marvel at, so much to stop for & stare at, little rivulets of delight flowing down mountains, few people except for the special individual/s one is travelling with, every moment feels like a tremendous memory is being made and the pictures bring back those feelings of being utterly happy in that moment.

Exploring the world has been a passion since I was a little girl and I haven't been able to shake off the gypsy bug yet, every few years I yearn to pack my bags and move to another corner of the world. Travelling is one of the most exhilarating things on this planet, I wish I can travel the world soon-ish.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend spend camping at the Blue mountains away from the hustle and bustle of the city just a simple life of walking/ climbing all day, eating/ drinking by the campfire and sleeping in our little van. Ah bliss!

We go on the road soon to camp around this wonderful continent and I can't wait to start. One of our friends just visited us on his travels round the world and it got me fired up once again to go off on our little adventure. You can visit his blog here (if you like) he writes in French but his pictures are wonderful and inspires one to pack up and go.

Fingers crossed we save and start off soon.

Happy Thursday world!