When you spend 2.5 weeks on a mountain on your own with nothing but a tiny gas stove and limited ingredients, the results are less than inspiring. You spend most of your time day dreaming about what you will have when you get back home. That was until I read my email to check The Energy Diet blog topic for that week, FOOD!  My ambitions of ‘pigging’ out were immediately deflated. I’m glad I indulged in Mendoza, Argentina in an Argentinean steak before returning!

Hello from Aconcagua in Argentina! I must admit it’s been rather interesting to participate in this energy diet while attempting to climb the highest mountain in the Americas solo. It’s been a grueling few days, but I have managed to reach base camp Plaza de Mulas now at 4,260 meters.

Last night I was cold. Cold. I wore two thick layers, a down jacket, and sat inside the dining room in front of the heater. I looked at Omar and complained, “I’m cold,” as if it were somehow his fault and that he should fix it. “With your down jacket on?” He was surprised. “With my down jacket on,” I confirmed.

My brain would not stop spinning around. A mild headache was slowly finding its way into my head, my eyes felt bloated, and I was only half-way through the altitude scheme. Our target was to reach 6189 m.

Another boring day in Kathmandu airport. This time I decided to explore boundaries and see outside the waiting hall. I followed a barely recognizable stairway and found myself in a small restaurant overlooking the hall through glass. There were couches, but not a single one of them was empty. I felt my joints tremble longingly each time I looked at them, so I decided to turn around, sit on the dining table and order some food.