Over the long weekend dad and I did the Buller Huts loop which is a 100km hike with 5300m of vertical climbing. We did it in just over 3 days and it was long but so fun!
On day 1 on Friday, we had to drive 5 hours from Melbourne to Mt Buller, and then hike 31km with 2200m of climbing 🫠🫠. It was extremely hot, and we had to be careful when making sure we carried enough water for the last 6 hours or so. The other days were also hot and very long, walking around 12-13 hours/day, but at least we could get an early start ;)) We don’t get many opportunities to go on multi-day hikes (I still had to take 1 day off school), so when we do, we make sure the WHOLE day is spent hiking.
Dad and I did this hike with no rest from our intense training, so our bodies already started out a bit tired – but that’s what everyday is like on Everest! I felt pretty good throughout, even though if I had rested beforehand I would’ve been able to move quicker.
Usually on past hikes, doing 30km+ per day with a lot of elevation gain, makes me mentally (and physically) quite exhausted and eager to come home. However this time I felt quite comfortable. I’m really happy with how I was able to settle into the walk and felt like I could comfortably keep going for a few more days.
I think a huge part of Everest (and Everest training) is getting your body mentally and physically used to being comfortable with the uncomfortable. A lot of people ask me how I can possibly train for the Himalayas when living in Australia, but hiking in Australia is absolutely brutal sometimes (route finding, extremely hot, hard to find water, snakes, often no reception…) and it has helped me so so so much with “discomfort training”.
Update: (it is now the night of us getting back home and I now have a LOT of schoolwork to get through. As tired as I am, this is all part of going to Everest when also trying my best in high-school) – writing this in my study break from english essay writing
