On Top of the World

I started this year off at 20,000 feet and 40 below – the coldest and most exhausted I’ve ever been – at the base camp of Mt Everest, one of the most breathtaking places on Earth.  I want to get to every continent and 30 countries before I turn 30 – a goal that’s shared with a few friends.  When I get an idea in my head there’s no turning back - so after climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in 2004 and trekking in the Andes (Peru) in 2006, I decided my next feat would be Everest (to clarify base camp is 20,000 ft – only two thirds of the way to the top of the tallest summit in the world – big difference!!!).  I decided Christmas was the best time to go – it was the easiest time to take an entire month off - and something about starting 2009 from the top of the world really appealed to me.  This trip turned out to be the catalyst of me changing my entire life. 

After a few flight debacles between Pearson, LAX and Singapore -I arrived safely in Kathmandu on Christmas morning – two days behind schedule.  I had arranged to have a guide and sherpa for a 19 day trek we were to do in 14 – and now I was left with only 12 – one day less and my guide wouldn’t even let us try.  The pace was tough, longer days than what would have been ideal with the increasing altitude – and the extreme winter cold was less than comfortable.  I’d say I was warm for about two hours a day – likely somewhere between the hours of 10am and 2pm when the sun was at it strongest… the rest of the time I had a consistent chill and shiver – or even worse was when I stopped shivering... I’ll spare you of the glamorous details of my two showers in 10 days – and the bout of food poisoning that left me dry-heaving in my room for six hours one night (even better was when my guide suggested he join me in my room the next night to make sure I was ok... he meant well, but I politely said, ‘No thanks").   

So while hiking about 6-8 hours each day I had a lot of time to think.. and more while sitting next to the fire after sundown, as well as during the long nights when there wasn't enough oxygen or warmth for sleep - I realized as incredible as my life is – there was something missing - I was bored.  After two years in my current job, I wasn’t passionate about what I was doing anymore.. and my on and off 28 year love affair with Toronto was slowly fading.  It was time for a change – several changes – major changes.   It wasn’t until I got to Australia and spent time with a high school friend that through completely chilling out (something I need more of) - I realized what I wanted and needed to do..  quit my job and chase my dream of launching my own celebrity fashion website – in LA!  This idea wasn’t new to everyone in my life, it’s something I’ve talked about since living in San Francisco in 2005/2006 – and it had become more of a “when” than “if”.   Even my boss wasn’t surprised when I told him – he said he always knew I wouldn’t stay long... but there’s something very different about saying you’re going to run your own business next and actually doing it – right now that something is the reality of nothing coming in and A LOT going out – but ideally that’s not forever.   And like anything in life, it comes back to risk & reward.  There were a lot of risks in my Everest trek - as there have been in most of my incredible travels to date – but I can say without hesitation, they are the most rewarding and exhilarating experiences of my life to date.  I wouldn’t change a thing. 

k