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Dr. Venki Padmanabhan's avatar

Kay! How wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I am a bit jealous now. I made trips to Tanzania, same airport, but I went looking for Kaolin clay for my mining business in Kerala, India. Jealous, because I didn’t even know that such experiences could be had there. I love the way you write, love the pictures. Love the sherpa vignettes, our dear frontlines.

Kay Walten's avatar

Thank you @Dr. Venki Padmanabhan . If you ever decide you’d like to go to that region, let me know I have some great contacts there.

Sean Paul Kelley's avatar

Wow, I thought my 40 hour bus trip from Golmud to Lhasa at 12,000-14,000 feet the whole time was a test of endurance. Mass respect.

And the pacing of your writing was superb. Each sentence was another victory, a new little hoorah!

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story.

Kay Walten's avatar

Thank you Sean. Actually telling the story in this fashion in the present tense to take the reader with my is my first try at this style. Usually I write in past tense. I am so glad you liked it. And I would love to hear more about your bus trip to Lhasa. I can only imagine the agony that trip was. Cheers, to you.

Sean Paul Kelley's avatar

I don't think you could've told the story more effectively than by using the present tense. I thought it was just exceptionally well paced and well done.

I look forward to reading more, and if you have any travel writers that you follow on Substack that you would recommend please do.

And I will get to work on that bus trip story, post haste.

Lisbon Diaries's avatar

What an impressive and brave trip.Hope your headache went away after the first day. Must be the altitude?

Kay Walten's avatar

Yes I had altitude sickness, all the way up. 🥾🗻

Mark Orwoll Is At It Again's avatar

I'm impressed with anyone who even ATTEMPTS this climb, whether they make the final slog to the top or not. Good job, nice essay. P.S., Please get your sleeping bag dry-cleaned before your next trip.

Kay Walten's avatar

😂 thank you @Mark Orwoll Is At It Again I always thought I would go back, but still haven’t.

Eileen Pozda's avatar

OMG…amazing. I never realized what you went through on a lot of your adventures. I am so glad you are writing about these things. It certainly gives me a new window into your journeys.