Here are just a few impressions from our wonderful trip to Iran. They should just show the diversity and cultural richness of this country and its people and give you an idea of what we were allowed to experience. No more words needed...
Dear all After just having been to Iran with my friend Gerlinde, I remembered that I never informed you about the English translation I did for the book she wrote together with Karin Steinbach called "Mountains in my heart". I spent the best part of 2013 working on the book…
Sadly, our time in Iran is coming to an end and the kindness and generosity of the people is certainly reflected in the size and weight of our bags. "I think we have just packed around 30kg of presents," Gerlinde said lifting her heavy bag off the scales.…
"Your presentations have changed our lives," Ms Laleh told Gerlinde and me after having done our slide shows at the Koohbanoo exhibition in Iran. "It has been such a pleasure to have you here and we are all very happy," she continued. But the pleasure is ours and both Gerlinde and I are very…
I seem to have written the word 'apologies' rather often lately but I have just noticed that I have not posted anything since I first got to Islamabad in early October this year. So there you go - apologies for being so quiet but then again I usually refrain…
It may sound strange to someone, who has never been to Pakistan, but it feels great to be back in Islamabad, where I have lived on and off previously. And even though I have only been back for less than one week, I already feel well-ensconced in my…
Time has flown since we left Shisha Pangma ABC exactly one week ago, and I cannot believe I am already en route to Islamabad, where I will be working for the Swiss Humanitarian Aid for one month. The events of the past two weeks seem almost blurred and…
We are actually supposed to be at Shisha Pangma BC already but Sergey's gear did not arrive yesterday as scheduled. I guess this is the beauty about travelling in these countries as nothing ever goes to plan and improvising is required. Well i I guess it's also…
After our Air China plane had hobbled along the pothole-ridden runway of Kathmandu Tribuvhan airport, I was glad to be airborne and embark on my next adventure. I was travelling with Sergey Baranov from Russia, who was on Makalu with me this spring, and the two of…
After only 10 days back in Kathmandu I am in the process of packing again for Shisha Pangma - the 14th highest peak in the world, which is entirely situated in Tibet. It reaches out to 8,027 metres above sea-level and is the smallest of the 8,000m-peaks.…
I have been wanting to update my site for a long time, however, work and travels have prevented me from doing so and now I am already back in Kathmandu helping Miss Elizabeth Hawley and getting ready for my next adventure, which will be Shisha Pangma (8,027m)…
I have just paid a visit to Just-One, the organisation you so kindly supported through my Rome marathon, and the kids there all shouted a very big 'THANK YOU' for your help. Declan and I did the accounts and we came up with a total of 695,000…
Apologies for not updating my site earlier, but I needed a few days to physically and mentally arrive back in civilisation after having been in the mountains for 47 days - 42 of which I spent at Makalu Advanced Base Camp at an altitude of 5,700m with…
This is just a brief update as I thought I should make the most of the Ncell 3G network in Namche before I head into internet-free terrain. I arrived in Namche on Saturday afternoon after having been incredibly lucky to catch a flight to Lukla. The weather…
I have been back in Kathmandu for exactly one week now and I literally have not had time to stop and realise that I am actually back in my colourful life in Nepal. As I arrived back here pretty late this season I had to dive straight…
I made it. And I made it in good time, or at least in a time that I was pleased with ( everything in life is relative)! I finished in 04.05.03 and even though I didn't manage to stay below the 4-hour-mark I am happy. In fact…
In just a few hours, I will leave the office and head to Rome, but before I take off I would like to send a huge Thank You into cyberspace for all these generous donations. It has been a wonderful week and I am truly amazed by…
Long time, no write. I have just noticed that I have not updated my blog since I came back from the North Ridge of Ama Dablam in November last year, but I guess that even though I enjoy being in Switzerland in the winters and do a…
Apologies for the late last post about Ama Dablam but as you can imagine, life in Kathmandu has been rather hectic with Miss Hawley's 90th birthday on 9th November and all the (unsuccessful) teams coming back from the normal route of 'The Mother of the Jewels' -…
Just got back from climbing up to 6,200m on the North Ridge of Ama Dablam. It was an amazing climb and even though we knew that we were not going to go for the summit, it offered some of the best Himalayan climbing I have done so…
Life is full of surprises and so is an expedition to a relatively new route with a base camp that hadn't been used for a long time. On Wednesday evening, just as we were packing our things to go to base camp the following day, Russell got…
We have now arrived in Pheriche, the place at 4,300m where I stayed for about 5 days in the spring recovering from my altitude sickness. I have to say that it feels great to be properly acclimatised! I usually take two days to get here, however, this…
This is what I wrote for the Himalayan Experience website this morning. I hope you will enjoy it Sunday may have been a rest day for us but certainly not for our Sherpas. "I have just spoken to Phurba Tashi and they had a hard time getting…
This is just a very quick hello from Namche Bazaar, where we arrived this morning. I am amazed by how 'high-tech' the Sherpa capital has become with wireless internet being available almost everywhere. I am currently sitting in our lodge, enjoying a Cafe Latte and I am…
After a few days of heavy rain, the festival of Dashain and another amazing speed record that was set by the Swiss climber Ueli Steck, it is now time for me to head off to the mountains again. Kathmandu has been incredibly quiet over the past four…
I have been back from Berlin for just over one week, which has been very busy with interviewing expeditions for Miss Hawley and the Himalayan Database. Most teams have come safe and sound back from Cho Oyu and Manaslu, the sixth and eighth highest peaks in the…
Last weekend, I had the pleasure to take part in the 40th edition of the Berlin Marathon, which was an amazing event. The Germans certainly know how to party and first of all I would like to thank the people of Berlin for their enthusiasm and participation…
Last Saturday, my friend Richard and I were brave enough to enter the Kathmandu marathon, or rather the half marathon as doing the full distance in this mad traffic would have been suicidal. After the race, I wrote a story for the Guardian's Running Blog, which you…
It's all a matter of timing; if you get it right, you can actually enjoy a jog on the Ring Road. When I woke up at 5 o’clock this morning, I noticed that something was different. It was quiet. You would have thought that this was quite…
Just when I thought the monsoon rains had stopped, they have come back with a vengeance, which makes my marathon training a bit more challenging. Even though jogging in the green hills surrounding the Kathmandu valley is gorgeous, especially in the post-monsoon season when everything is lush…
