Thirty.
3-0.
I've always said I would go to Vegas for either my 30th or my wedding - whichever came first. Turns out, it's going to be my 30th (and I couldn't be happier about that - but that's another story altogether).
I told my sister and our aunty and uncle this over dinner, sometime in October, and I couldn't help but overhear some scoffing.
"Vegas?!" exclaimed my uncle. "But it's so tacky..."
I looked at him and realised I wouldn't be able to reason with him. I know I will love Vegas, tack and all, but there was probably no point trying to explain this to my uncle over a lovely dinner.
So I changed tact.
"Actually... there is something else I'd like to do for my 30th," I paused and waited until all eyes were on me.
"I'd like to climb a mountain."
My uncle blinked a few times and gave a nod of approval.
"I want ice axes, crampons and ropes attached," I explained. "I'm thinking .... Gran Paradiso."
I actually had no real idea what the Gran Paradiso was, but I'd heard the name somewhere and it sounded very cool. What's more, I loved the way it sounded more like a tropical retreat than a snow capped summit of dangerous proportions.
My uncle acknowledged that Gran Paradiso is indeed a mountain, however it can be crowded and because of this it can be tricky to summit. I watched as the cogs turned in his brilliant mind.
"Ah ha!" he exclaimed. "Piz Bernina."
I wasn't so sure. The name sounded less like a tropical retreat and more like a sewing machine, but nevertheless I enquired further.
Piz Bernina is of decent height: at a lofty 13,284 feet she is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps and the highest in the Bernina Range. While the climb bears few technical difficulties, it does incorporate exposed ridges and high altitude and most importantly: ice axes, crampons and ropes are required.
"Done and done," I stated. With a quick toast, we locked in Piz Bernina for September 2015.
Me, my sister, our intrepid aunty and uncle.
And ol' Bernie.
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Photo of Piz Bernina courtesy of Pinterest
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That was about a month ago now and although I've thrown the words around a fair bit, I can't say I
have exactly started working towards the goal I've set for myself - probably the most challenging yet.
Now, it's safe to say I'm no couch potato but I'm certainly no extreme sportswoman. In fact, I'm not extreme at all. And above all, I am definitely no sportswoman.
I don't go to a gym. I don't run. I don't play a team sport. I prefer to spend my time seeing friends, drinking coffee, traveling, reading, writing, going out, visiting markets ... and, as I like to say: just being.
In other words: climbing a mountain is not an everyday activity for me. And I never dreamt it would be. In fact, I have been known to say there are three things I would NEVER do - not even for all the money in the world - and they are: become a chef; go into space; climb a mountain.
But with 30 looming and along with it a fear worse than death (becoming comfortable/too relaxed/stuck in a rut) I figure there is no better time to set myself the challenge of getting out of my comfort zone.
WAY out of my comfort zone.
13, 284 feet out of my comfort zone to be exact.
And so today, I commence my challenge. There's 320 days until I turn 30. That's 320 days to get ready to climb Piz Bernina.
320 days to go from Couch to 13, 284.
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