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After days of travel, we arrived at basecamp at 16,400’/5,000m and I had full cell phone coverage! It was one of the things I appreciated about traveling in China, especially when I got sick. Being able to FaceTime my parents gave me a huge boost. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀One of the hardest challenges came before the trip, when it came time to tell my parents I was going to the Himalayas to climb an 8000m peak. I was so worried about their reaction, and all the sleepless nights I would cause them while I was gone. I felt guilty, shameful and my anxiety about telling them was so crippling, I waited until mid-summer to tell them, just a few weeks before departure. Trips like these are trigger points in my family after we lost Martin, my half-brother, in an avalanche when I was 15. Losing a family member in the mountains is something that has changed us forever. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀When I told my mom, she understood. She accepted my decision, even though I’m sure it wasn’t her first choice. I am so grateful for her support, acceptance and unconditional love. It took me a long time to learn in my own relationships that you can’t control someone. You have to let them go when they need to go, and trust that they will find their way back home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀And never hold back in telling someone how much they mean to you, and say I love you freely. ️️️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Cho Oyu mini series brought to you by @keen. #keenambassador ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀photos: @rob.lea