It’s time for a competition!

We need a title for our new trekking guide and would love your help.

Jay Reilly, our newly acquired son in law,  has written a brilliant guide all about trekking to Everest Base Camp. It is currently with Bill Journee, our illustrious eBook designer,  and is coming together beautifully. It looks magic. The only problem is we cannot decide on a title.

That is where you come in.

The competition is to come up with a catchy title (and subtitle if you can) for the new guide.

It’s that simple!

To enter, think up a title and either leave a reply below or a comment on our Facebook page.  Don’t stress if you double up or have one the same as someone else (or just Like one on Facebook)  this will help us decide the most popular title.

The broad chapter headings are listed below to give you an idea of the content. It is quite extensive and as someone who read the draft version recently emailed:

The book summarises about 100 hours of Google searching and chats I had with people who had been over there. For me, I am obsessed about being physically fit enough for the trek and so chapters 4 & 5 were fantastic.

The good thing about this eBook is the little tips for things that you wouldn’t figure out until you got there and thought ‘aha next time I should bring this

The prize? A free copy of our other new eBook Pick your Gear – Outdoor Photography for Beginners.

Yes, everyone who makes a suggestion or Likes one on Facebook will receive a free copy of Pick your Gear!

The best suggestion,  that is the one we use for the  book,  will receive a copy of all our eBooks (Food to Go,  How to Hike the Overland Track and Pick your Gear) and, of course,  a free copy of the new Everest Base Camp guide.

Value? Around $60

So who is this Jay Reilly and what qualifies him to write a guide on trekking to  Everest Base Camp?

Jay  started visiting the Khumbu Valley (where the trek to Everest Base Camp is located)  in 2002 as a commercial mountain climbing guide. Since then he has led around 20 mountain climbing and trekking expeditions in the Everest Region. He has summited Ama Dablam (6856m) 5 times out of 9 attempts and Pumori (7145m) twice and actually holds a record for being the only Australian to do so.

During his guiding exploits, Jay spent most of his time in the Khumbu Valley and has an intricate knowledge of its moods, politics and people.

Jay is somewhat of a Nepal expert, having dealt with storms, injuries and illness, both altitude and otherwise – as well as now having a good understanding of the way Nepalese bureaucracy works.

Apart from being in the Khumbu region, Jay spent a lot of time hanging out in Kathmandu between mountain climbing expeditions. His knowledge of the city and his ability to get off the tourist trail make him a sought after leader and guide. Recently his travels have centred around facilitating Australian school students performing community service work in Nepal.

Finally, to get you rolling on a title, here is a broad outline of the contents:

• When to go – the best season and why
• Health – vaccinations, altitude, acclimatisation
• Training for the trip – yes, you do need to be fit
• Gear and equipment – what to bring from home or what is available there
• Guided v independent – helps you choose what is best for you
• Kathmandu Survival Tips – enough said
• Tips for the Trail – independent advice from an expert
• Costs – setting a budget
• Local contacts – trusted people who have worked with the author
• Suggested Trek Schedule – yes, finally you are on the trail!

That’s it!  What title would catch your eye if you were searching for a guide on trekking to Everest Base camp?

Leave your suggestion below or on our Facebook page

The competition closes on Thursday 29th March at midnight (AEDST)  The winner will be announced soon after, as will instructions on how to grab your prize for participating.

(Oh, for anyone who is interested, the guide will be ready in under 4 weeks. We will let you know details soon about registering for an advanced copy discount)

We recently found a jewel of a travel blog. A wonderfully written, detailed site that shares some great travel adventure stories and information.

There are some talented adventure writers around the world.  People with great  skills and a wonderful  ability to tell a story.  Thanks to Nora (the Professional Hobo), we ‘discovered”  Sherry at Ottsworld (we are sure she has been well discovered before now,  but we just discovered her)

Sherry uses the tag : Travel and Life Experiences of a Corporate American Runaway , and she has just completed a terrific series called Tiger Balm Tales

The Tiger Balm Tales will be a series of posts and photo documentaries which chronicle our father-daughter journey to Nepal for 26 days; the trekking, the people, the culture, the great heights (and some lows), and the excessive use of Tiger Balm.

I asked my dad if he wanted to join me as I really thought that he, out of any of my family or friends would appreciate the simplicity of Nepal and the rural lifestyle of the villages. Plus, at 73 years old, I felt like it would be quite an opportunity to see the mountains of Nepal. After a lot of uncertainty and pressure from others in the family (the most coming from my mom) he decided to join me. Game on…

Please take the time to read Sherry’s series, there is some terrific information and it is a great planning tool if you ever want to visit Nepal.

Do you have a favourite travel blogger?

Have you done the Annapurna Circuit or other hikes in Nepal?

We would love to read your story or comment. That’s what the spot is for below!