On this episode of Remarkably Human Radio, I take you high into the Himalayas as I recount my journey to Mount Everest Base Camp just prior to the devastating earthquakes that struck Nepal.   From the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to make such a trek happen - including how to prepare physically, what to expect for food, shelter and sanitation and the challenges of hiking at high altitude - to my deeply personal reflections, including how the trek challenged my willpower, emotional fortitude, and what it's like to trek with plantar fasciitis and illness (and learn how and why I temporarily went deaf!) "The most extreme experience don't happen on the outside. They happen on the inside." Throughout the episode we discuss the tragic earthquakes and how you can help by supporting the Remarkably Human Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund that I set up with GlobalGiving. (read or listen to my personal letter that followed the first quake). Plus, toward the end of the episode I extend a unique invitation to listeners.  If you're looking for a life changing experience, this could be it! ALSO IN THIS EPISODE What Mount Everest represents Why going to Mt. Everest seemed impossible, and how I made it reality. How one simple decision is all that keeps you from your dreams. How I got engaged to be married at Everest Base Camp Why I'm not an adrenaline junkie. What preparation is necessary for a trip to the Everest region. The experience of trekking at altitude. How we turned a potentially trip-ending snafu into the experience of a lifetime. The power of crying together and team morale. Why willpower was one of the biggest challenges. Where you sleep and eat on the trek. The differences between Nepal pre-earthquake and Nepal post-earthquake What the people of Nepal are like, and how it differs from the West. Why it's hard to warm up at altitude How I walked with plantar fasciitis - and cured it. Why 40 out of 100 people had to be emergency airlifted out. How I risked ear trauma. My two massive take-aways from the trip HOW TO HELP NEPAL While this episode attempts to share what a trek to Everest Base Camp was like prior to the earthquake, we face the grim reality that it's no longer the same.  The country and its people are struggling for survival.  If you'd like to help out by making a donation - even the smallest amount helps tremendously - please do so by giving to the Remarkably Human Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund with GlobalGiving.  You can read my open letter to my listeners here if you'd like to learn more about it. Or, if you'd like to give directly to Pemba (my guide and tremendous hero in the region, working hard to save lives) contact me at [email protected] to discuss ways to make that happen. DID YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE? If so, please do share it around social media.  Others may like listening to it as well.  And of course, the ultimate compliment is subscribing to the show and leaving a review in iTunes.  I may just give you a personal shout-out in the next episode!