2024

My ultimate goal has always been to live a life full of adventure and meaningful personal experiences. 2024 was no different. These are some of the most rewarding ones:

Pilgrimages

On January 1st, I set out once again to the Pyrenees, to the small town of St. Jean Pied de Port, on the south of France. I wanted to walk Camino de Santiago in winter. It was my third time walking this 800km pilgrimage in northern Spain. This time the cold, snow, rain, short daylight hours, lack of open facilities and accommodations, and the pressure to complete the entire journey in just 19 days made it an arduous experience. However, the quiet and solitude of the winter season added to the unique charm of the journey.

In September, I completed my Dual Pilgrimage by walking the ancient trails of Kumano Kodo in Japan. This pilgrimage connects three of the most significant shrines in the country: Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Naichi Taisha, and Kumano Hayatama Taisha. Walking through the lush forests of Wakayama Prefecture, amidst the rain and fog, and visiting numerous smaller shrines every day, I experienced a mystical and unique journey. At Hayatama Taisha, after showing my Dual Pilgrim "credencial" with the stamps from both pilgrimages, I was honored to participate in a special ceremony commemorating my completion of the Dual Pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago and Kumano Kodo, as established by UNESCO.

Sea to Summit, Kilimanjaro by Bike

I had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, a few times before. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was even able to paraglide off the summit and fly all the way down to Moshi, in Tanzania. I remember that one of the times I had been up there, a guide told me that there were people riding mountain bikes down the massive volcano. Later, I learned that there were also people riding most of the way up to the summit, carrying their bikes on their backs when the terrain got too rocky and steep. They started at the trailhead of the National Park. That thought remained an inspiring challenge.

In early 2024, while studying a map of East Africa, I had an idea: why not ride a bicycle from the ocean to the summit of Kilimanjaro? It would be a 350km bike ride and a 5,895 meter (19,341 feet) ascent. Riding up from the trailhead was not challenging enough. I wanted to go from sea to summit.

After months of meticulous planning and training (I’m not a mountain biker, especially not for technical downhill descents), I embarked on this journey in Mombasa, Kenya, on October 24. I rode for 3 days, enduring scorching heat, crossing national parks, entering Tanzania, and reaching the Kilimanjaro National Park. The next three days were dedicated to riding and climbing up to the summit with my 17kg bike. The downhill ride to Moshi was an exhilarating experience. With this accomplishment, I've gone from Sea to Summit under my own power on 2 of the 7 summits, Aconcagua being the other one.

Ultra running

Marathon des Sables, Shara Desert, Morocco

Ultra running continued to be a passion of mine this year. In April, I returned to the Sahara Desert for the legendary Marathon des Sables, and my second finish. Along the way, I made some wonderful friends. In 2023, I got severely ill during the 250km self-supported race and had to drop out. This time, I was thrilled to get my second medal.

At the end of May, I completed another 120km ultra race organized by MDS in the breathtaking Wadi Rum desert of Jordan. This self-supported race consisted of three stages, with the longest being a grueling 60km run under the burning sun. The stunning rock formations in Wadi Rum left me in awe. The highlight of the race was visiting the archaeological site of Petra immediately after finishing.

Following the race, I travelled to the Dead Sea, where I had the chance of floating in its unique waters. This experience became an unusual achievement: having been at 2 extremes on Earth: at the highest point, Mount Everest (8,848 meters above sea level), and the lowest, the Dead Sea (430 meters below sea level).

A few days later, I started another long journey to South Africa to run Comrades Marathon, the iconic 86km ultra race (the direction and exact distance change every year). This year it was an uphill run. This was my fifth finish of this ultra, and my goal is to complete it at least ten times to earn a coveted “green number”.

Anthropology at Oregon State University

In the past few years, I have been pursuing a degree in Archaeology through distance learning as a part-time student at the University of Leicester, in the United Kingdom. However, I wanted to continue my studies closer to home. Therefore, I decided to enroll at Oregon State University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with an option in Archaeology.

Before I could even apply to OSU, I had to study for, and complete, a GED certificate, despite already having a high school diploma from Mexico and six years of university experience at ITAM. I was accepted into OSU and my first term starts in a few days.

Reading 108 Books

This year, I set myself the goal to read at least 100 books. My total for 2024 was 108. I've kept a record of every book I read, and my current lifetime total is 1,427 books. Among the books I read in 2024, my top five are:

1.- The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder, by David Grann. The true story of a British ship on a secret mission during a war with Spain.

2.- Magellan, by Stefan Zweig. A biography of the legendary explorer and his journey around the world.

3.- The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, by Keith Higashino. A wonderful novel set in an abandoned general store in Japan.

4.- El Guerrero a la Sombra del Cerezo by David B. Gil. An epic novel of a samurai's quest for revenge. Set in Japan, in the 16th century.

5.- Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. I'd never read this classic book, and I decided to pick it up after the shipwreck was discovered at the bottom of the sea. I'm glad I did.

Bonus: Everest, Inc.: The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top of the World, by Will Crockrell. I lived through the evolution of this mountain, and it was interesting to see it very well documented.

Diving in Los Cabos

I love SCUBA diving, but those experiences don't always come as frequently as I'd like. In February, I travelled to Los Cabos, Mexico. During multiple dives in the Pacific Ocean, I was able to listen to the surreal singing of the whales.

Opera at the Met

Another bucket list item I crossed off in 2024 was seeing a performance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. On March 16, I attended the Met’s production of Turandot at the Lincoln Center. The following day, I pushed myself to run a personal best at the New York City Half Marathon.

Climbing a mountain named David

Late in 2023, I was looking at a map of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington State and saw a peak called Mount David. It was named after the biblical David. I had never climbed a mountain with my name before, but it seemed like a fun thing to do. I had to wait until the following summer, but this August I finally reached the summit of this rocky peak. I set off from the town of Leavenworth by myself and completed the 1,500-meter (5,000-foot) ascent under perfect weather conditions and blue skies. Mount David didn't disappoint.

Other bike rides

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Besides the thousands of miles I spent on the bicycle this year training to ride up Kilimanjaro, I did two fun supported rides. The first one, in August, was RSVP, which stands for Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party. This 2-day, 305-kilometer (190-mile) bike ride took us through the scenic landscapes of Washington State, with an overnight stop in Bellingham, Washington. Despite the heavy rain, crossing the border into Canada by bike was a fun experience. I did the ride, but I skipped the party.

The second ride was truly unique. In early December, I joined a 104-kilometer (65-mile) ride from Oaxtepec, Morelos, to Metepec, Puebla, Mexico. It was interesting riding next to a massive active volcano. But what made it even more unique was that I decided to do the ride on my tiny Brompton folding bike.

Before the ride, I overheard some people calling my Brompton a “toy bike” and laughing. Compared to the high-end, $10,000 bikes that were on the ride, my Brompton may have seemed like a toy, and it is significantly less efficient. Pedaling it takes more effort, and the aerodynamics are terrible. But when I finished the ride, nobody was laughing anymore. I had the pleasure of sharing this ride with my father and my mother came with us for support.

Volcán Popocatepetl, Mexico

Back to Nepal after a three-year absence

The last time I visited Nepal was in 2021, when I climbed Mera Peak. If I were to add up the number of days I’ve spent in Nepal throughout my life, I’m sure it would exceed several years. So, it was quite surprising that I had only returned once in six years. In late November of 2024, I found myself back in Kathmandu, attending Dawa Steven Sherpa's wedding. I had climbed Everest with Dawa on a couple of occasions, and he was even a guest at my wedding in India. It was an honor to be present at his wedding to Reeya and to be warmly welcomed by Dawa’s wonderful family. It was also an excellent opportunity to reconnect with many friends I hadn’t seen in years.

The Impossible Journey

Finally, in September 2024, my documentary, “The Impossible Journey” was released. I haven’t shared this before, but for a few years, I was involved in the development, production, and filming of this documentary.

The Impossible Journey, Aconcagua, February 2023

The premise of the documentary revolves around the fact that all the highest mountains in the world, including every mountain exceeding 7,000 meters, are located in the Northern Hemisphere. The highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere is Aconcagua in Argentina, standing at 6,961 meters above sea level. Therefore, ascending 7,000 meters under my own power on the Southern Hemisphere seemed like an impossible challenge. I decided to embark on an extraordinary adventure, beginning with a daring 40 meter (131 feet) free dive in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a bike ride across the Andes, and finishing with a swift ascent of Aconcagua. You can find the trailer and the documentary here.

I was fortunate to be part of an exceptional team, and it was an absolute delight to work once again with Damian and Willie Benegas. I am proud of the film. While it's not my nature to want to stand in front of a camera, this time I wanted to create a visual record for my son, hoping someday he will look back at how his father always tried to live a full and exciting life. I will continue to do so in 2025.

Ultreia et Susseia

Meeting HH The Dalai Lama and the unexpected gift he gave me

On October 10, 2022, I had the privilege of meeting with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala, India. The meeting was 17 years in the making. This is the story of how it happened and the message he shared with me.

With HH. October 10, 2022

During my early 20s I was a student of Buddhism at Tibet House in Mexico City. I spent years learning about this ancient spiritual tradition, about the history of Tibet and its spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama.

My first opportunity to visit Tibet was during August of 2004 when I climbed Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world. Its summit marks a section of the border between China and Nepal. When that successful expedition wrapped up I travelled home. Back in Mexico, I was delighted to hear that His Holiness would be offering a series of teachings in Mexico City in October. The teachings would stretch over three consecutive days inside a large theater. I was lucky (or perhaps it was my karma) to get one of the last available tickets. My memories of the Dalai Lama during those days are of an exceptionally bright and charismatic person, with an uncommon mix of wisdom and sense of humor. I found that combination to be especially effective when it came to teaching complex spiritual and philosophical themes. I was part of a crowd of about 3,000 people and I was sitting near the back row of that huge theater. Still, I had the feeling that His Holiness was speaking directly to me. The Dalai Lama never gave the impression of being unapproachable. He never struck me as one of those "holier-than-thou" religious leaders.

Visiting Lhasa in 2004 during the Cho Oyu expedition

On the last day of teachings I took part of a ceremony lead by His Holiness to take refuge in the Triple Jewel. During the ceremony, I remember thinking: "one day, I would like to really meet the Dalai Lama and have a conversation with this great man". I wrote that in my bucket list.

2005, at the summit of Everest with the Tibetan flag.

In previous blog posts I've shared how, for my first ascent of Mount Everest in 2005, I took the spur-of-the-moment decision to carry a photo of the Dalai Lama and a flag of Tibet all the way to the summit. There are photos of me at the top displaying that flag and holding a photo of His Holiness. Before climbing down to our camp, I grabbed a fistful of rocks from a pile right next to the summit.

After the Everest expedition I flew back home and I printed a copy of those summit photographs. I put the photos in an envelope along with a rock from the summit. Finally, I included a very heartfelt and candid letter that I wrote to His Holiness. I sent the package to his office in India without any expectations. The Dalai Lama's office and home are in the Indian Himalaya, on the town of McLeod Ganj (sometimes referred to as Dharamshala, a bigger town right next to it). But I held on to the Tibetan flag. It was a reminder of that unplanned but special moment at the summit of Everest. A few weeks after sending the envelope I received this is the email from Mr. Tenzin Thakla, His Holiness' secretary:

I continued climbing all over the world reaching the summit of the highest peaks. I always climbed with the photo of the Dalai Lama. That special photo parted ways with me at the summit of K2 in 2018. But I kept the Tibetan flag at home. I didn't reach out again to the Dalai Lama's office. I was happy with the reply I got from his secretary.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized that two things troubled me. First, I didn't feel like the Tibetan flag belonged to me. I felt like I was only holding it for someone else. Second, I felt it was finally time to try to meet His Holiness before it was too late. That's why in the summer of 2022 I wrote once again to the office of HH the Dalai Lama. I made an official request to meet him and present to him the Tibetan flag that made it to the summit of Everest. To my surprise, I received a very warm reply from Mr. Tenzin Thakla. After 17 years he continued to be the Dalai Lama's secretary. Since I was planning to be in India in October of 2022, he invited me to visit McLeod Ganj and meet with His Holiness. The meeting would be on the morning of October 10th, 2022.

McLeod Ganj

The day before the meeting, I took a flight from New Delhi to Dharamshala. During the afternoon, I wandered around the narrow streets of McLeod Ganj. They were full of Buddhist monks and nuns dressed in maroon and ochre robes. As I walked, I reminded myself of the personal significance of next day's meeting and of how fortunate I was for that opportunity. That night, I stayed at a very pleasant hotel overlooking the Tsuglakhang Temple, home of the Dalai Lama. My room had two small beds. I slept on one and I unfolded the Tibetan flag over the other.

Monks at Tsuglakhang Temple

At 7am on October 10th, I checked-in at the reception of His Holiness' office and I took the required COVID-19 test. Next, I went through a very thorough security check. When my few personal belongings were examined, the security guard saw the Tibetan flag and he said that I was not allowed to bring it in. He took it away. I pleaded with the head of security, insisting that the flag was the whole point of my visit. He also told me that Tibetan flags were not allowed inside the complex. Seeing no point in insisting, I gave up on the flag and I focused on feeling gratitude that I still had the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama. The head of security escorted me to a small building in the forest, near the residence, that serves as a waiting area. I had only been waiting for a few minutes when a well dressed man walked in. He introduced himself as Tenzin Thakla, His Holiness' personal secretary, and he handed me back the Tibetan flag! I was ready to meet the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness' residence is in the middle of a forest. From the waiting area I walked uphill about 100 meters on a paved road to reach the entrance. Even before I saw the Dalai Lama, I heard his very recognizable voice from a distance. As I got closer, I saw a group of monks dressed in traditional robes, standing under a veranda. And right in the middle of the group the Dalai Lama was sitting on an ordinary office chair. When I saw him right in front of me, I felt grateful for the opportunity and humbled by the personal significance of this meeting. My mind went back 17 years when I thought "one day, I would like to really meet the Dalai Lama and have a conversation with this great man". The day had come.

Presenting the Tibetan flag to HH

I bowed in front of the Dalai Lama. Mr. Thakla approached His Holiness and, speaking in Tibetan, introduced me. He told him who I am, what I have achieved, and my reason for being there: to present the Tibetan flag from Everest to him. From the corner of my eye, I could see one photographer and one videographer capturing the moment. I was asked to approach His Holiness and offer the flag to him. The monks behind His Holiness spread the flag over his lap and I was asked to stand to his left for a photograph. Then came the moment I had wished for.

The Dalai Lama held my right hand as I told him of my experiences in Tibet, what he means to the Tibetan people and why I had climbed Everest with the flag. He kept my hand close to his cheek and listened to me in a kind and patient way. He finally replied and we talked a little longer. Mr. Thakla handed His Holiness the photographs I had sent him 17 years ago and a monk gave him a permanent marker. The Dalai Lama took one of the photos, wrote on it, and handed it to me. The photo was his parting gift to me. I was surprised as I didn’t expect to receive anything that day. With that, the meeting was over. I bowed and slowly made my way back down to the office area.

While I walked down, I tried to process the magical moment I had just experienced. My head was full of thoughts and my mind was enveloped by a warm feeling. I was so absorbed by my thoughts that I realized I hadn't even looked at the photo and the inscription! The Dalai Lama had written in an unfamiliar language. Back at the office I saw a monk and I asked him if he could translate it for me. He said no but he took the photo and left the room. He returned a few minutes later with the translation in English written on a small card. The Dalai Lama had written to me:

Happiness forever. (his signature)

Best wishes,

"Happiness forever". I understood it as His Holiness' wish for me but also as the most condensed life advice he could give me. In just two words the Dalai Lama had summarized the essence of all Buddhist teachings. What I consider the essence of the meaning of life. "Happiness forever". Seeking genuine, long-lasting happiness not only for ourselves but for all sentient beings. Two simple words. "Happiness forever".

It may take a lifetime (or even many lifetimes) to understand what real happiness is (and what it's not) and to achieve a state of continuous happiness. But the message is clear and simple. It's my new mantra. "Happiness forever".

Ultreia Et Suseia

Back to Marathon des Sables 2023, and how you can send me messages during the race

2017 was the first time I ventured into the Sahara Desert for this incredible adventure. Marathon des Sables (Marathon of the Sands) involves running 250km in 6 stages (the longest one over 80km) under some of the toughest conditions on the planet. The race is self-supported and I carried a 10kg backpack with my gear and provisions. And we were only given a limited amount of water for each stage. From that experience 6 years ago I remember the extreme heat, lots of sand dunes, and spending the nights under the stars. I also remember the feeling of accomplishing something great when I received my finisher medal at the end of the race.

MDS 2017

Wanting to live that experience again, I signed up to run one more time in 2020 but the organizers cancelled the race due to COVID-19. I deferred my entry until the spring of 2022 when I hoped that everything would be closer to “normal”. When I committed myself to traveling to Morocco, I had no idea that Prarthana, my wife, would then be almost 9 months pregnant. Her due date would be just 3 weeks from the day I was scheduled to return from Marathon des Sables. For her peace of mind, and my own, my parents kindly offered us to travel and stay with her during that time. In case she went into labor while I was in the desert, there would be someone to help her out during those initial hours and to drive her to the hospital. During the race, I would be checking my satellite messages often, and I could be back home within 24 hours to be there for the birth of my son. It all looked great. In theory....

The Bivouac, 2022

I travelled from Seattle to Paris on March 23rd, 2022. I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport the next day, and, on the morning of March 25th, I got on the charter flight to Errachidia, Morocco. After touching down, I checked my satellite messages. Everything was still okay back home. The organizer's busses picked us up and we travelled about three hours to the first bivouac (camp). I spent the afternoon getting to know the people that I would be sharing the jaima (tent) with. That afternoon, I enjoyed the Moroccan dinner provided by the organizers. Before sleeping, I checked my messages. Nothing but good news.

When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I did was to check my satellite messages. I had one and this is exactly what it said: "Emergency. Your dad needs surgery. Needs urgent surgery tomorrow. Broke his femur. Complicated surgery. Can you call by phone? Don't know what to do."

““Emergency. Your dad needs surgery. Needs urgent surgery tomorrow. Broke his femur. Complicated surgery. Can you call by phone? Don’t know what to do.””

I was able to call my wife, who was surprisingly calm and she explained the situation. My father, 72 years old at the time, had gone out on a bicycle ride. He had tried jumping over some railroad tracks and he had fallen hard. So hard that he broke his femur and he needed surgery. With nobody else around, my mother would have to be his caregiver. Nobody would be left to help my wife in case she went into labor. To make a very long story short, I decided right then to leave the bivouac and return home immediately. Not because there was anything for me to do for my father's surgery but because someone had to be there in case my wife went into labor. It was a decision that I don't regret.

I explained my situation to the race organizers and we worked out a strategy. They would get me on a Land Cruiser to get to the first small town out of the desert but after that, I was on my own. I barely had enough time to get my suitcase from the jaima before the journey back began.

Espresso machine on the back of a van, on the way to Casablanca.

My only chance to make it before the surgery was by flying to Europe via Casablanca that same afternoon. But it was an 8-hour drive. It would be very tight. With my limited French, was able to convince a taxi driver to take me to the Moroccan capital. He loaded up with a thermos of super strong coffee and we went off. We reached Casablanca in the afternoon, a few minutes before the flight to Paris departed. I was too late. Check-in was closed. The last international flight of the day was to Nantes, France. I took it. I arrived at Nantes at midnight and I was able to sleep for a few hours before catching a 5am flight to Paris. I had to rush to to take a COVID19 test at Charles de Gaulle airport. When it showed negative and I got my certificate, I ran to the counter to check-in for my flight to Seattle. I reached home in time, but just barely. It was the afternoon of Sunday, March 27th. The first thing the following day was to sign up for Marathon des Sables 2023.

Two surgeries later (one of them was a total hip replacement), my father is moving around very well. My son was born just a few days after my return from Morocco, well before the due date. For this year's race I trained hundreds of kilometers with him, pushing him on a stroller while I ran, wearing a 9kg (20lb) weight vest. My wife is still as supportive as ever, and I'm on my way to run Marathon des Sables once again! Most importantly, my father has promised not to get on the bike while I’m gone.

During Marathon des Sables 2017, one of the things that kept me going after every tough day was receiving messages from friends, family, and even strangers during the race. Every afternoon, the organizer’s staff would walk around the bivouac handing us printouts of messages that had been sent to us over the internet. Hearing from you during the race would make a big difference to me.

From 23rd to 29th April, you can send us messages through this link (the option for sending messages will only go live on the 23rd. It’s not active right now but it will be there during the running days):

https://live.marathondessables.com/en/

During those days you’ll be able to type my name and see my live position and ranking. Although I’ll not be able to write back during the race, I will carry all the messages with me until the end. I promise to reply to each of them once I'm back home, back from the Sahara Desert.

 Ultreia Et Suseia

2021. Another great year

Hello cyber-friends. I know it's been a while but here I am, writing again. Thank you for your patience. It took me some time but I promise I'll be writing consistently from now on. For this first post, I want to share with you some of the most interesting things I got to do in 2021.

  • Reading 106 books

    That's not a typo. During 2021 I read 106 books. I love to read and I never leave home without a book (or my Kindle). Reading is one of the first things I do in the morning (I usually wake up around 5am) and one of the last ones I do at night. Sometimes I listen to audio books, especially when I'm walking or driving. But, for the most part, I read e-books. Some of my favorites this year:

 
 

Northwest Vipassana Center

  • Vipassana meditation retreat

This one had been on my bucket list for a long time. Although I've been meditating for about 20 years, since I began studying at Casa Tibet in Mexico City, I had never been to a retreat before. And what a retreat it was! 10 days of living a monastic life, completely focused on meditation. No phones, internet or contact with the outside, a vow of complete silence, 10 hours of meditation per day and discourses every night. For me, it was not just about learning this particular technique. It was about living like a monk and finding that I truly enjoyed this transformative experience. My next blog post will be about this.

  • Making walking a daily habit

At the beginning of this year, I set myself the goal of walking an average of 10,000 steps every day. Well, I did it! During 2021 I averaged 13,361. And that's a total of nearly 4.9 million steps in one year. It's obvious that living an active lifestyle brings significant health benefits. But, for me, the biggest benefit is that taking daily walks, no matter where in the world I am, has become a habit. And it's a habit I plan to continue for as long as my legs can hold me. My daily walks have become one of the most enjoyable moments of my day.

Daily steps in 2021

  • Starting to study a BA in Archaeology

During the summer of 2021 I officially became a university student again. I started studying Archaeology through the University of Leicester (UK) distance learning program. It will take me 6 years to get my bachelor's degree. But in the 6 months that I have been immersed in Archaeology, my whole notion of the human race and our planet, has been completely transformed. 

  • Leaving social media

I closed all my social media accounts on February of 2021 and I haven't regretted it for a moment. It's not that I used to spend hours a day scrolling through endless feeds. My use of social media was for sharing my experiences and connecting with people interested in what I do. But the reality is that, by using social media, social media is also using me, whether I'm aware of it or not. So, no thanks. I continued uploading photos of my adventures and experiences on my website. And I've continued to communicate with the people that want to stay in touch with me. That's good enough. I'm glad I took the leap.

 

  • Scuba diving in Maldives

This year I got to go back to Maldives. And, for the first time, I got to spend a few days scuba diving in this tropical paradise. Maldives is one of those places that you must be there to believe that such beauty really exists on our planet. And even when you are there, it feels like a dream. But underwater the world is just as stunning. I have never dived surrounded by so many green turtles and so many sharks (mostly black tip and white tip reef sharks). Spending time with the local diving boat crew was almost as fun as the dives themselves.

  • Recovering from a 4-year-old leg injury

Somewhere around the 80th kilometer of Comrades Marathon 2017 I started having intense pain on the lower part of my right shin. I finished running the last 7km. But I was limping for a few days afterwards. The pain was so intense that I had to cancer my planned run on the 250km Gobi March, in the Gobi Desert. I thought I had recovered a month later for Red Bull X-Alps, but the injury kept me from having a decent competition. The doctor at X-Alps told me I needed surgery. Since then, the pain became chronic. Even after spending two months off running while climbing K2 or Kanchenjunga, when I started running again, the pain came back. For nearly 4 years, the pain became my reliable and unfortunate companion. After doctor's appointments in 3 different countries, several MRIs and X-rays, running form tests, changing running shoes, changing running surfaces and terrains, ultrasound therapy, laser, TENS, massage, rest, nothing worked. That is until I started working with Dr. Siddhartha García Tamez in Mexico City this spring. The solution: not just treating the pain but focusing on strengthening everything around the painful area. After 3 weeks, I was pain free, running strong, and I have remained healthy since then. I'm ready for a lot more running in 2022.

  • Visiting the Hidden Beach in the Marietas Islands, Mexico

During April of 2021 I finally visited the famous Hidden Beach, on the Marietas Islands. This small group of islands on the Pacific coast of Mexico has one of the most unique beaches in the world. It is a sandy beach, completely surrounded by cliffs. Rock walls 360º around. The water, and visitors, enter in through a cave in which the ceiling is only a meter or so above. In fact, we were required to wear a helmet while swimming through the cave. Once inside, this place is like no other in the world. Like something out of a sci-fi movie. We were lucky to have this very special place to ourselves. 

  • Completing the World Marathon Majors

I have been running marathons for decades. I love running. In 2021 I was finally able to complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors. This involves running all these marathons: New York, Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo. I had run the New York City marathon 4 times, Boston, Chicago and Tokyo 2 times each, and Berlin once. And perhaps 30 other marathons and ultra-marathons around the world. But for many years I wasn't been able to get an entry to London. On the summer of 2019, I got a number to run on April, 2020. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, the marathon was first postponed to October. Later it was cancelled. It wasn't until October 3rd, 2021 that I was able to run London, complete the challenge, and get my massive 6 star medal. The reason the medal is meaningful to me is because it’s a symbol of perseverance.

  • Climbing Mera Peak in Nepal

On November of 2021 I travelled to Nepal to climb once again. It had been three and a half years since I last stepped on that Himalayan country, after summiting Everest for the 7th time. This time I had a very short amount of time to climb Mera Peak. Actually, only one week. I will be writing a full blog post about this unique climb. Mera Peak is 6,476m (21,247 ft) high. It's a non-technical climb over heavily glaciated terrain. It took me 7 days to make a round trip from Kathmandu and up to the summit. I did this mini expedition with Tshering Dorjee Sherpa. He is someone I respect and one of the handful of people I chose to be with me at my wedding. Even if the peak was not technically challenging, I loved being back in the Himalayas. After the climb, I returned to Kathmandu full of ideas for new and exciting climbs.

 

Bonus: Starting to train for Marathon des Sables, again.

How do you train for running 250km across the Sahara Desert on a multi-stage, self-supported running race where midday temperatures can reach 120°F / 50°C? Definitely not the way I'm doing it, by running in the snow at 23°F / -5°C with strong winds. But races like Marathon des Sables are not just about being prepared to run all day. They are about being resilient. Running in harsh conditions is certainly helping with that. The reward is spending some time in the sauna, after the run, at 185°F / 85°C. That’s more like it!

Ultreia Et Suseia

Why I’m quitting social media and what’s next

On February 10th, 2021 I’ll be deleting all my social media accounts and I'll continue sharing my adventures and experiences through my website: davidliano.com. I understand that canceling my accounts is irreversible and, once I close them, they can’t be recovered. This is not an impulsive decision, so I would like to share with you the reasons behind this choice.

An upgraded version of my original PDA-Satellite phone setup. This PDA had a built-in keyboard

When I started going on interesting mountaineering expeditions that lasted multiple weeks, I would come back home and share my stories and experiences with many friends and family members. I would repeat to each of them the same anecdotes over and over again. For my 2008 Lhotse and Everest expedition, I decided to do something different and bring with me a Hewlett Packard PDA (personal digital assistant) and a satellite phone. With them, I would spend hours in the cold mountains using a tiny stylus to type on the PDA’s digital keyboard, wait several minutes for a satellite signal, and hopefully post daily expedition reports on a blog. That is the origin of the blog you are reading today. When I went back home after that expedition, instead of having to tell the stories to friends and family, I had very interesting talks with them about specific moments of the expedition. In a way, they had been living the climb through my words as if they had been part of the experience. We had lived the adventure together.

That’s me during that 2008 expedition.

I've always thought that mountaineering, paragliding and single-handed sailing can be very self-centered endeavors if they are not shared and if they don't serve a higher purpose. My purpose for sharing was to inspire others to live an exciting and meaningful life through my experiences. It was never to showcase myself through my achievements. So I kept sharing on my blog as much as I could.

In just a few years, with the expansion of social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram became the tools to reach a broader international audience. Tens of thousands of people would see everything I posted. I always tried to reply (or at least acknowledge) every comment on a post. And I've always made an effort to respond to the vast number of direct messages I receive. They are messages from people that want to do the things I do but don’t know where to start, or people asking for specific technical advice. After my association with The Live Love Laugh Foundation, I continuously received messages from people going through depression or asking for help for a loved one.

At the summit of Everest in 2016, supporting The Live Love Laugh Foundation

For me, the word "follower" has a negative undertone. It implies there is a leader and someone, not equal, trailing behind. Instead of thinking of them as "followers", I’ve always seen the people that read my posts as supporters who are interested in doing something unique and exciting with their lives. The benefit I get from using social media is staying in touch with, and encouraging my supporters. Whenever I plan a new adventure, during a paragliding competition, or with my work in finance, I'm constantly making a risk/reward or cost/benefit analysis. So, if that is the benefit to me of using social media, what is the cost?

During the last week of December I take time to meditate about the year that's coming to an end. I think about what I could have done differently and what areas of my life I should focus on during the next year. 2020 was an unusual year in so many ways and there was so much to think about. But there is one particular issue I had been pondering for months, if not years: the serious privacy concerns that arise from using social media.

Along with everyone else, I don't like that what I share on social networks is controlled by algorythms that display to followers what they must be shown to keep them engaged for longer. But I'm even okay with that. And I'm not concerned about the images, videos and stories I voluntarily post on my public accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I am responsible for what I willingly post. My concern is the indiscriminate and voracious amount of information that social media platforms collect while I use them. But, most importantly how they track and collect information when I use the rest of the internet, outside their platforms. They continue their frantic tracking. They collect information about me, my networks, the places I visit, the companies and people I interact with, the things I search for, the ads I click on, what I buy, how I book my travels, the devices I use, when and how I use my phone, the news articles I read, the food I order. Even if I use tracker blockers and ad blockers as I do, and I have good habits when it comes to cookies, the amount of information that is collected by social media platforms is ridiculous and it makes me very uncomfortable.

I'm not comfortable with social media companies exploiting my information and selling it to third parties and advertisers. I'm not comfortable not having control or ownership of that information. As Tim Cook, Apple's CEO recently said: when it comes to privacy, social media seems to give you "choices that are not choices at all". I don't have any hope that there will be serious regulation regarding user’s privacy and how that information us collected and used. So, to address those concerns, I've decided to close my social media accounts.

An upside to social media was using it to raise awareness about the problem with garbage high up on Everest. This was Camp 4 in 2018.

I’ve had multiple conversations with close friends and family members about this topic. They tell me they don’t mind having social media tracking them all over the internet and collecting information indiscriminately if the result is that they are shown “more relevant” ads. They believe it’s harmless. They tell me they have “nothing to hide” so they don’t mind being tracked. But their answer is very different when I ask them how they would feel if they had someone physically inside their home, following them around their bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, dining room, taking notes of what they do, what they eat, what they wear, the time they do every single thing in their lives, recording what they watch, who they talk to, who they are in contact with, what their personal habits are, following them to the office, social gatherings, etc. keeping track of everything.

When I make this comparison, not a single person says they would feel comfortable with that. They say it would be extremely creepy. They say their privacy would be violated. And that’s exactly what we are voluntarily giving up by allowing social media to track us. Whether it's a public or a private account, we are being continuously tracked. We are giving up our privacy and it's just as creepy. But most people are not aware of this happening. Thankfully, I am. To me, the costs of using social media now outweight the perceived benefit. That’s the reason I'll be deleting all my social media accounts on February 10th, 2021.

Perhaps my decision would be different if I didn't have an alternate method of reaching the people that support me. But I have my personal webpage. I have this blog (which I call my Adventure Journal) and a newly expanded gallery with every image I’ve ever shared on Instagram. I will continue to expand it to include videos of past and current adventures. To remain in touch with whoever wants to reach out to me I've set up a new contact page . I've decided to post more regularly (mainly short form posts with lots of images) on the Adventure Journal and to keep inspiring others through my own experiences. I want my adventures to continue being useful to others and I don’t want my personal achievements to be completely self-centered. So I will keep sharing through my website, just as I did at the beginning. At a time before social media.

I don't expect most people will understand or agree with my decision. Nobody in my immediate circle approves of this. But I haven’t lived this extraordinary life by doing what most other people do" I’ve typically been an outlier. I know that it's very likely that I’ll lose touch with most of the tens of thousands of supporters I have on social media. But I'm sure that those who subscribe to receive updates by email and those who come to the blog regularly to read new posts are the true supporters. I hope they are the ones on whose life I've made a positive impact.

If this is the last you hear from me, you have my sincere gratitude for the amazing support. Your likes, comments and messages make you an important part of any success I've had. If you decide to stick around for the rest of the journey, outside of social media, then lets get ready. 2021 will be an amazing year. The adventure continues.

Kangchenjunga Base Camp 2018

Keeping a positive mindset in the times of COVID-19

Without a doubt, the pandemic has disrupted the life of almost every person on the planet to a certain degree. Millions have been infected with COVID-19. Many more have lost their jobs. Hundreds of thousands have died. Countless personal plans and project have been cancelled or put on hold.

One of the most important words in my life is gratitude and I cannot begin to count the ways that I'm blessed. I practice feeling gratitude when I meditate. I always try to tell the important people in my life how grateful I am to have them close to me. But the COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of how fragile we are as humans and how life changes in an instant. Today more than ever I'm grateful for my health and for being alive.

2020 began in a very exciting way, with back-to-back paragliding competitions in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. At the end of February I went back to Kilimanjaro with my wife and father-in-law. Although wind conditions were not safe for paragliding off the summit, I was able to stand on the highest point of Africa one more time. The rest of the plans I had for the first half of 2020 were some of the most hectic I've had for a long time:

April

  • Marathon des Sables.- I was going back to the Sahara Desert in Morocco to run this 250km multi-stage, self-supported race. I ran it in 2017.

  • Exploring Morocco with my wife after MDS.

  • London Marathon.- This is the only one of the Abbott World Major Marathons I'm missing. I've run Tokyo (2x), Berlin (2x), New York (4x), Chicago (2x) and Boston (2x). I'd been trying for many years to get an entry for the London Marathon but usually I was climbing in the Himalayas during April.

May

  • Paragliding in the Pyrenees.- As part of training and scouting the route for X-Pyr (see below).

  • Bornes to Fly.- I signed up to take part in this challenging 3-day hike & fly competition in France.

June

  • Comrades Marathon.- I was going back for the third time to this 90km ultra-marathon in South Africa. This time I was hoping to get a special medal for finishing back-to-back, up and down years.

  • X-Pyr.- I had been waiting for this opportunity for many years. I took part in the 2016 edition of this incredible race hiking and flying across the Pyrenees. Since I was selected last year, most of my plans and training were pieces of the X-Pyr puzzle.

Those were just my sports and adventure goals for the first half of the year. I had many other personal and professional goals that were as exciting.

The consequences of the pandemic became evident at the beginning of March and one by one the events were cancelled or postponed. I dreaded checking my email because I would keep getting discouraging updates from race organizers announcing cancellations. Every plan on my list, except for Marathon des Sables and London Marathon, was cancelled. Those two were postponed to September and October respectively, but I don't think they will continue as rescheduled.

By definition, adventure has an uncertain outcome. I'm good at adapting to change, especially when the circumstances are out of my control. Still, I would have never imagined that all the adventure and personal plans I had for this semester would be wiped out in such an unexpected way . We live our lives under the illusion of permanence and continuity. A microscopic coronavirus has shown us how insubstantial those illusions are.

For some moments, as is typical of human nature, I internalized the situation. I only thought of how COVID-19 was ruining my plans. I thought of the terrible ways in which the pandemic was afecting me. The "wasted" months of planning and training. Thankfully that moment didn't last long and I put the situation in its right context. Hundreds of thousands dead. Millions of people sick and quarantined. Whole countries in lockdown. Medical professionals all over the world placing themselves at risk, and selflessly taking care of others. With the Tokyo 2020 games cancelled, more than 10,000 Olympic athletes lost four years of dreams and sacrifices. My "problems" were insignificant when put in perspective.

The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees

I didn't think of it anymore as wasted time training for competitions that were cancelled. I thought of the great pleasure I got from those training runs, hikes and flights. I thought of how fitter they made me, and of the lessons I learned and could apply for later. The pandemic and cancellations were not under my control. What was under my control was how I adapted my plans and life to the new situation. It was up to me to decide if I would waste months of my life or if I would use this time for personal growth. For resetting my goals. I transformed my way of thinking and I found the positive side of my situation. These are some of the things I've done during the pandemic:

  • As I plan to get a degree in Archeology in the future, I thought it would be useful to enroll in online classes to study the major world religions throught their scriptures. I took HarvardX courses on Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. I spent about 120 hours studying these courses.

  • I restarted my meditation practice. I'd been neglecting it for a few months. I also started doing breathing exercises that help me feel energized or relaxed, depending on what I need at the time.

  • During the lockdown I've read 10 books, fiction and non-fiction. They have subjects as diverse as the independence of Arabia, Shamanism, Buddhism, philosophy, Scandinavian noire and the history of the FBI's elite serial crime unit.

  • I studied cryptocurrencies and blockchain, which is something I'd wanted to do for a long time.

  • Respecting social distancing and mostly in the forest, I've run nearly 350km during the pandemic. That has helped me to stay fit and healthy, both physically and mentally.

  • To boost my immune system, I started eating healthier than ever and I felt the possitive effects immediately. I'm vegetarian and the only animal products I eat are dairy and eggs. I became very strict with the nutritional quality of the food that I eat.

  • I've read a lot about the benefits of fasting but for a long time I'd put off trying it myself. During lockdown I began fasting for periods of 48 hours every two weeks. I more focused and my mind is sharp.

  • I spent long hours updating my bucket list and adding amazing places and adventures. I'm committed to make them a reality and to stop finding excuses to procrastinate.

  • I took self-scored IQ tests, and I started doing daily mental exercises to keep my mind active. I committed to take the Mensa test as soon as it was safe to do so.

  • I started researching options for self-publishing a book. I learned as much as I could about Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

  • I've watched the sunrise and sunset every day since lockdown began.

I did all this while still working remotely.

My personal plans and adventures for the first half of 2020 were cancelled or postponed. That doesn't mean my life is also on hold and I'm happy with the way I've spent this time. I'm grateful for my life and I'm grateful for my health. Now I'm also thankful for this unusual opportunity to get so many things done. I've been careful but I don't live with fear.

It will take a long time for the world to go back to what we used to consider "normal". When it does, I'll be ready to continue living my life to the fullest.

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Why having BIG goals is important.

Crossroads are used in someone's life to describe a moment where new challenges or opportunities arise. Last month I found myself in one of those crossroads.

2019 had been an extraordinary year. I got married to an extraordinary woman, I travelled a distance equal to 8 times the circumference of the earth. I got to walk Camino de Santiago again and I attended some of the biggest religious gatherings on earth. I saw places on this planet that seem like belong to another world. I piloted airplanes, paragliders and rode in all kinds of crazy vehicles. Through my training, I swam hundreds of kilometers and ran for a few thousand. So yes, 2019 was a phenomenal year.

This is Ireland, but it’s a scene from another planet.

This is Ireland, but it’s a scene from another planet.

I ran my first New York City marathon at 19 years old. Since then, my life has been a streaming progression of setting goals and achieving them. And if I wasn't successful the first time, to rethink, improve and triumph. Climbing, running, flying, sailing, learning. Because of my nature, I never settled for little goals. They were BIG, challenging goals.

It was usual for me to reach one of the highest summits in the world and start planning the next big adventure. To set set new and exciting goals for myself. In that way, I always felt motivated, always looking forward to testing my limits and pushing out of my comfort zone. It's essential for me to always have BIG goals in all stages of my life.

I've never been impressed by what people consider "celebrities" even when I've been in a position to meet many of them. So I've only collected two autographs, from people I truly admire and respect. The first one is from Wernher Von Braun, the German rocket scientist that ended up working with NASA. He made it possible for men to reach and explore the moon.

The famous Visor Shot

The famous Visor Shot

The other one is a signed photo of Buzz Aldrin, the Apolo XI astronaut and the second person who walked on the moon. The photo is the famous "visor shot" of him standing on the surface of the moon. After his return from the successful mission on July of 1969, Aldrin was an instant celebrity and one of the most recognizable people on the planet. But in his book "Magnificent Desolation" he explains what happened to him just a few months after he came back to Earth:

"How could I have gone almost overnight from being on top of the world to feeling useless, worthless and washed up? I wanted to resume my duties, but there were no duties to resume. There was no goal, no sense of calling, no project worth pouring myself into. Although I didn`t realize it at the time, I had started drinking more. Life seemed to have lost its luster. On some days I couldn`t even find a reason to get out of bed. So I didn't. Something was wrong; something within me was beginning to crack. I only hoped that I could figure it out before I broke down completely."

It's clear that a life without goals is an empty life. It took him years to battle depression and alcoholism. But he got his life back on track and setting new, personal goals is helped him through. Now he's one of the most ardent promoters of space travel and space exploration, inspiring a whole new generation. Robert Byrne wrote: "The purpose of life is a life with purpose". Buzz Aldrin gave a whole new purpose to his life after his return to earth.

So, back to my own goals. The goals and challenges I've set myself in the past have always been ambitious and exhilarating. But the nature of the goals has been evolving in the last few years. I believe this is natural in one's life.

For 2020 my goals include more ultra running and hike & fly, paragliding races, taking tests and getting certifications. They include a little less climbing of the highest peaks. But they are still BIG goals. They are exciting. They are challenging and ambitious. They make me feel motivated and want to do my greatest effort to achieve them. And it's because they are BIG. It takes the same effort to dream of BIG things than to dream of little things. So I choose to dream BIG.

I've always said that, with everything I do, I'm not trying to be the most technical climber, the fastest runner, or the best paragliding pilot. I'm simply trying to be the happiest. And that is my ultimate BIG goal.

IMG_8113.JPG

The story of how a very special photo of the Dalai Lama came into my life and left in the most extraordinary way.

I clearly remember standing in front of one of those circular racks that typically hold postcards. Instead of holding photos of idyllic beaches or stunning monuments, this unique rack was full of postcard-sized photographs of the Dalai Lama. One of the photographs stood out because it was the only black and white portrait of His Holiness. His face had the same peaceful and untroubled expression that's known around the world. I picked up the photo, held it in my hands for a moment and decided to get it. I could have never imagined the extraordinary journey I was about to begin with that photograph. Our travels would take us around the world several times and up to the summits of magnificent peaks all over the planet.

I got the photograph around September of 2004 and I'd been studying of Buddhism for four years at Tibet House in Mexico City. I heard that the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, would be visiting our country. It was an incredible opportunity to attend 3 days of teachings and learn from an extraordinary spiritual teacher. But I had just returned from an expedition in Tibet where I had summited Cho-Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world. I got to see the land that the Dalai Lama was forced to abandon in 1959 after the Chinese occupation. Attending these teachings was an even more meaningful experience. On the last day the Dalai Lama spoke, I decided that I would bring the photo with me on my next climbs.

The portrait of the Dalai Lama was not the only photo I carried. Around the same time, I bought a disposable camera and I took a photograph of my family at the time. (father, mother, brother and two dogs. The family has grown now!). I wanted to have an image of them that I could bring during my expeditions to show my gratitude for their support.

During puja on Everest Base Camp, 2005

I kept that photograph and the picture of the Dalai Lama together and I made a little protective pouch out of a cardboard box. I cut out two rectangles slightly bigger than the 4x6 photographs and taped them together with duct tape. The photos would be "sandwiched" inside the pouch and I would put that inside a Ziploc bag. With that simple protection from bending and moisture, I took my photographs on their first expedition to climb the highest peak in Antarctica on January 2005.

Two months later, I travelled to Nepal for my first expedition to Mount Everest and the photos came with me. In Kathmandu I got a flag of Tibet to keep them company. The photos were with me every step of the way, inside my backpack. It was a very tough season, but I was able to reach the summit of the highest point on Earth! Up there Cheewang Nima Sherpa took photos of me holding the photograph of the Dalai Lama and another one holding the Tibetan flag. Before I started my descent, I called my family on the satellite phone and I picked up a few rocks from the summit.

With the Tibetan flag

First Everest summit with the postcard

Back in Mexico, I got in touch with the office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India. I sent a package with my photographs at the summit as well as a summit rock. I included a letter explaining my solidarity with the Tibetan people and their struggle to preserve their culture. To my surprise, I received an incredibly warm reply from the Honorable Tenzin Taklha, Joint Secretary of the Tibetan Government in Exile. The reply said: "The rock and photos have been presented to His Holiness. I am pleased to convey to you his prayers and good wishes”. With that, I was determined to bring the photo of the Dalai Lama to every one of my climbs and adventures. And there were so many of them!

The photo reached the highest point of all the remaining Seven Summits. It reached the summit of Everest a total of 7 times and to the top of other 8,000 peaks. It survived, as I did, the earthquake in Nepal in 2015 while I was on the glacier at Camp II on Everest. It was with me during my singlehanded sailing adventures. It was also my companion during many of my paragliding trips. I even had it when I crashed during a paragliding take off and I was unconscious for some time in the remote Rolwaling Valley of Nepal. It also came with me when I rode a bicycle across Nepal to the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, where tradition says that Shakyamuni Buddha was born.

At the summit of Lhotse

I also lent the photo to some friends for their summit photos.

2018 was a year of significant change in my life. Among other things, I tried to climb the four highest mountains in the world (Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga and Lhotse) in the same year. In the middle of May, I climbed Everest and missed my chances on Kangchenjunga and Lhotse. But in July I travelled with my photo of the Dalai Lama to Pakistan to try to summit K2, the second highest mountain on Earth.

K2 can be a deathly mountain. Its climbing history is full of tragic accounts. There is a memorial near base camp where climbers and trekkers are reminded of the dozens of people that have lost their lives trying to reach its top. Before starting our climb we had a Buddhist puja, in spite of being in a traditionally Muslim country. During the puja, the photo of the Dalai Lama came out again to share its blessings.

The summit of K2

Two people died that year on the mountain, but we pushed on. K2 marks the border between Pakistan and China. The summit is actually divided between the two countries. In the early hours of July 22nd, 2018, I took the last few steps on the gentle snowy slope that leads to the summit of K2. It was a windy morning. The odds had been against us, but we reached the summit!

What do I do when I reach the summit of a big peak? The short time I spend on top of these massive peaks usually goes the same way. I congratulate my team members with hugs and slaps on the back. I stop for a moment to take in the view and I drink some water. I take out my satellite phone to call my family, to let them know I made it and to thank them for their unconditional support. I enjoy the view some more. Finally, have a few photographs taken while I hold the photo of my family and the photo of the Dalai Lama. I then repack my gear for the descent, enjoy the view one last time and start heading down.

At the windy summit of K2, I began my routine. It was so cold that I kept on one of my heavy gloves while I took out the photographs from the Ziploc bag. A teammate took a photo of me holding the photo of my family. Done. I switched photos to keep the one of the Dalai Lama in front. My teammate took the second photo. An instant later, a strong wind gust wrenched the photo of the Dalai Lama off my fingers. The iconic black and white photograph, my companion for 14 years, flew away over the cliffs surrounding the north side of the summit. It was blown away, into China.

The last photo I took with the postcard before it was blown away, seconds later.

Tibetan Buddhism has many ways of spreading blessings. For example, they have prayer wheels that share the blessings as they go around. They also have multi-colored prayer flags that are spread over the highest mountain passes and summits.

As I saw the photo of the Dalai Lama flying off into China, I thought of the blessings I had received from His Holiness after my first Everest expedition. I knew this was the way those blessings were reaching the Tibetan people at last.

After a long search, I recently found a digital version of the original photo. I plan to print it and take it with me to continue the adventure. The wheel of karma keeps turning…

The things I love

In spite of all that I share on this blog and on social media, I believe I'm a very private person. I share to try to inspire others to go out and see the world, set personal goals and live unique adventures. Here are some of the things I love and that I don't usually talk about:

-Jazz.- particularly jazz standards. I look for jazz clubs everywhere I travel. I appreciate the level of the artist's skill and perfection where most people would hear chaos and a cacophony of sounds. 

-Reading.- this one comes from my father. He taught me to read at a very young age and would constantly leave adventure books for children on top of my pillow for me to read before bedtime. On a good year I read about 100 books but my average is closer to 50.

-Vinyl records.- because, no matter what they say, analog sounds better than digital!

-American football.- I played this sport long enough to appreciate how a player has to be, at the same time, be brutally tough, incredibly agile and brilliantly cunning.

-Sunsets and sunrises.- nature's light shows. I make an effort not to miss one. I like watching them in silence.

I also love long motorcycle trips. This one was in Iceland in 2016.

I also love long motorcycle trips. This one was in Iceland in 2016.

-Bourbon or Rye.- on the rocks or in an Old Fashioned.

-The sea.- I can watch the sea for hours and hours. I can hear it calling me.

-Running.- to me, this is the purest form of exercise. It's meditation in motion.

-Opera.- it's not for everyone, but I try to see at least a couple of performances every year. True story: Plácido Domingo once complimented my mother for her beautiful soprano voice. 

-Airplanes.- flying them and as a passenger. I'm writing this during a transatlantic flight. There's really something magical about boarding in one place and getting off in a different country or continent. I put on my nose cancelling headphones and read or write. No interruptions. 

-Waking up early.- I have a hard time staying up late at night but I love waking up early. I feel I make the most out of my day.

-Playing musical instruments.- piano, guitar, violin, saxophone, drums, ukulele. Put an instrument in my hands and I'll play it (or at least try).

-Coffee.- no better way to start the day than with a strong, rich cup of coffee (no cream or sugar). I don't drink a lot of it but I like good coffee. One of the best purchases I've made in the last year is an Ember cup to keep my coffee at an even 62.5ºC.

-Classical music.- my mother played classical music records every afternoon while my brother and I did our homework. I don't think my homework turned out better because of it but I grew up loving it.

-Red wine.- a glass of Rioja or Ribera del Duero.

-Gray colored clothes.- I have a very limited wardrobe by choice and most of it is gray. I should ask a psychologist about this. 

-Rain.- I love the mood of a cloudy, rainy day. I love walking and running in the rain.

-Chewing ice.- when I order a cold drink, I usually ask for a glass full of ice on the side so I can chew it after I finish my drink. I'm sorry if this is annoying to others.

-Cold weather.- this one may not be surprising, but I have a hard time in hot weather. At the office, in hotel rooms and cars, I always set the AC as low as it goes. I usually have people complaining about how cold it is or, whoever knows me well, simply brings a jacket along.

-Simple food.- I like meals that are easily prepared. I'm perfectly fine with eating the same thing every single day if it's nutritious and simple. I completely avoid fancy and "chic" restaurants.

-Journaling.- I always have Moleskine notebooks with me and I love writing about my experiences, thoughts and plans. I particularly love writing on a new, blank journal. It gives me the feeling that the possibilities are endless. 

-Meditation.- or, more specifically, how calm my mind is after I spend time in silent meditation.

-Family.- I could write a whole book about my love for my wife and my immediate family. They are the ones that make it all possible.