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*NOTE: If you’d like to support me in my trekking efforts and support the Arthritis Society at the same time, you can skip this post and donate here. Thank you so much, everyone*

It’s less than two months until take off. I’m leaving on a jet plane on October 1^st and travelling with 68 other Everest trekkers from across Canada to Toronto – to Hong Kong – to Kathmandu – to Lukla (also known as one of the world’s most dangerous airports. True story).

A lot has happened this past month as I get ready to go. And some of them have been ‘firsts’.

The number one – and always biggest priority is the fundraising. I’ve hosted some BBQs (three more to come in August), I hosted a Jokers night and yes – I am still making hats! I’ve come up with some odd fundraising ideas (want a career as a commercial blueberry picker?), I’ve kind of gotten over my fear of asking people for money (…have you donated yet?), and my gym’ing days have gone up in frequency.

So a definite ‘first’ from the past month was the visit to the travel clinic. Biggest take-away? Rabies is no joke (more to come on this). And the other take-away? If you plan on having a productive afternoon, plan on doing something else on your lunch break. Instead of news releases and project plans, all I could think about was my impending death. *Rabies tangent: I was made very well aware of the reality that if I get bitten by a monkey or dog, I better have the money and the resources to get my infected butt down the mountain and to a hospital in less than 24 hours…or die. This is how the travel nurse began the rabies chat and she followed that up with: ‘…but you could get vaccinated.’

YES. PLEASE.

Apparently you have to have gobs of cash at your disposal to avoid death. ‘It costs $340 per vaccine….and you need three of them,’ she said. Right on. So of course I – the 25 year-old, still-has-big-bills-to-pay young professional said, ‘well, I guess I have to avoid monkeys and dogs then.’ Taking my life in my hands, folks. Another ‘first’ for Mary-Eleanor Walker.

The final ‘first’ from the past month has been my impending and ultimately MASSIVE bill from MEC or TAO or the Trail Shop. The fact that I was birthed in September will certainly help with the final $$ figure, but it will be costly.

And speaking of cost and money and so on (you know where this is going), I need help, folks. I have a bit of fundraising left to go – any amount would be more than appreciated. I know The Arthritis Society would appreciate it! Thanks, all! I hope you’ll keep following this blog as I write about the final months and weeks, and of course I’ll be blogging while trekking the big, bad mountain!

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