It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Jimmy Munro  has proved that. At 71 years of age, Jimmy climbed Mt. Aconcagua. It’s an amazing feat that, ironically, Jimmy makes light of.  

For some reason, Mt. Aconcagua likes to turn back everyone who tries to climb it. It took me three tries to finally reach the summit. I tried three seasons in a row (February 2006, January 2007, and January 2008) before I finally reached the summit. 

Apparently, it was no different for Jimmy.  

Five of the 14 in his party had to turn back, and the rest were advised to turn back, but this spirited man and the rest of his companions decided they were going to continue to the summit.  

They made it to the summit, but Aconcagua put up quite a fuss about them being there. Jimmy said the winds were atrocious and the static electricity in the air was enough to make a girl’s hair stand on end.  

One of the things I enjoyed most in reading about Jimmy and his conquest of Mt. Aconcagua was that when he returned he announced that his mountain climbing days were definitely not over. He now has his sights set on standing atop Mt. Denali.  

There are two things I learned from Jimmy. First, it’s never too late in life to chase big goals. At 71 years old, most people would give up on any goal as strenuous as climbing Aconcagua. But, not Jimmy. 

Second, I learned to follow up the accomplishment of a goal with the setting of another goal. No sooner had Jimmy gotten down from the mountain than he announced his next goal. Goals keep us going and help us enjoy life. There should always be another goal. 

This month, I expect to top Mt Everest, completing my goal of being the first Chinese woman toclimb the seven summits and ski to the poles. What will my next goal be? Hmm. Let’s see...

Many friends have made me aware that I haven’t updated my blog since I came back. Sorry, too late for excuses now.

After coming back from Aconcagua, I actually recovered faster than I expected physical wise. Within one week, I felt energetic enough to hike and climb again. But the mental recovery only started after my body was healed. I spent the next week assessing my situation. During those two months of the long stretch of expeditions back to back, my energy level was wearing down obviously. I knew I could have performed better on Aconcagua had I not arrived at the mountain with half tank. I only survived the climb thank to my guides Estaban and Damian, and a lot of mental power. But it would be dangerous if I can’t guarantee a full tank to start off Everest.

After a painful and almost depressing debate, I finally decided to postpone Everest to next year. It was not a high moment to make such a decision, but safety is the utmost important priority. Given the fact that both North Pole and Everest are the hardest of the 7+2 project, I think it’s wise though not ideal to focus on just one of the hardest tasks during one trip.