Tomorrow Never Comes

They say tomorrow never comes, but it feels a lot like tomorrow is bearing down on me like a freight train. Up till now it has always been in the future, never close enough to be nervous, but now it’s here. I’m packed and ready to go.

Though I’m nervous about many things, none of them, at this point, have to do with objective risks associated with the climb.  It’s more about just getting there.  Will I be charged a bunch for over-sized duffel bags?  Will they make it to Nepal without getting lost somewhere around the world? Climbing gear isn’t inexpensive and I’d hate to have to repurchase in Kathmandu – besides the airlines give a miserly $1,000 to replace everything.  Sorry, that wouldn’t cut it!  I worry about Judy.  She’s had knee issues and I wonder whether she’ll have problems getting back down from EBC to Lukla after she leaves me.  The Sherpa who will be with her are wonderful and some of the other trekkers are apparently from Utah, so she should be in good hands.  I shouldn’t worry – but, I do.  One of my grandchildren, three-year-old Rowan, just broke his collar-bone.  It will heal.  Ty broke his a few years back at about the same age and it healed quickly.  So many things a father/grandfather can worry about.

Once we’re on the trail with all our gear, I will settle down and enjoy the wonders of the Khumbu region, the Nepalese side of Mt. Everest.

On a brighter note, Judy made a flag out of the picture above for me to carry to the Summit!  It’s really cool!  The picture itself is cloth and sewn onto a blue fabric backing between two wooden dowels.  It will be like having my family with me, because it will go everywhere I do.  We took this picture last Saturday and all are there except Jason who is in Australia.  Wait a minute!  As I look a little close, I do see Jason. Hmm.. I wonder how he got there?

Our flight tomorrow stops over in Seattle for two hours, then on to Seoul, Korea for a longer layover, where Korean Airlines will put us up in the airport hotel overnight before continuing on to Kathmandu the next day – for a total of about 19 1/2 hours in the air.

It’s finally here.  Bring it on!