Walk above the clouds

The morning we crossed Thorong La the stars were still out. Pasang kept everyone laughing all the way up. Best two weeks of my life, and I have never eaten so much dal bhat.

I booked the eight-day route because of the acclimatisation day and it made all the difference. Sunrise at Uhuru Peak with the glacier glowing beside us. Unreal.

I live two hours from the Dolomites and still learned something every day. The huts were wonderful and the group was the right size: we always had a table together.

The guides watched the forecast like hawks and moved the tower day to the one calm morning. We had the lookout almost to ourselves.

I was nervous about the altitude. They checked our oxygen every night and explained everything. I never felt rushed and I made it over the pass.

The wind in the French Valley nearly blew me over and I loved it. Brilliant organisation, from the airport pick-up to the last pisco sour.