The journey that has changed me: Edurne Pasaban

The journey that has changed me: Edurne Pasaban

Edurne Pasaban wrote mountaineering history when she was the first woman to climb all 14 eight -thousanders - the only mountains of the world over 8,000 m.

She has a degree in industrial engineering from the University of the Basque Country, a Master in Human Resources Management from the Esade Business School and is an extraordinary professor at the Instituto de Empresa.

Here Edurne Pasaban Atlas & Boots tells of the trips they have changed.

Which region or trip did it impress the most?

One of the trips that impressed me the most was my first trip to Nepal and in the Himalaya. I was 24 at the time. I went to Nepal to climb an 8,000 for the first time.

I climbed in many places in the world - in the Alps, the Pyrenees - but my dream of getting climbing the Himalayas meant a lot to me. I went with my group of friends from my city, the same group with which I went to climb every weekend and during the holidays.

How did it change you?

I was able to admire the splendor of the Himalaya. After climbing all over the world, I realized at the foot of an 8,000 m high mountain how small we are compared to nature, which made me respect.

After this first time I was back in the Himalayas many times and learned a lot after this experience. I learned to appreciate my life more. When I saw beautiful landscapes, I realized how lucky we are to see such amazing places with their own eyes, and I dream of having a long life to see even more beautiful places.

Alt = “Travel-the-Mich-Verlächte-Edurn-Pasaban”> Edurne Pasaban Edurne Pasaban in Nepal

What surprised you at the area?

The hospitality of the people in Nepal surprised me. You don't have much, but you share everything you have with you. They take care of them and, above all, their smile. We live in a society in which we don't often get or see a smile. In places like Nepal, they smile at you all the time.

were you back?

I repeated the trip many times. Since this first time I have been in Nepal almost every year. I have been there more than 25 times since 1998. It is a place to which I, even if I don't climb, have to go at least once a year to charge my batteries; I have to feel the peace that the place and its people convey.

Do you still have a big dream destination that you have not achieved?

I have a big dream: the Antarctic. I would like to cross the pole; Feeling the loneliness and calm of the white shelterfeis in this region.

travel guide or not travel guide?

depends on where you are going, but when you travel to an unknown place, it helps me to have a travel guide. I have a large collection of travel guides at home.

Are you a planner or onlookers?

I like to plan things, even though I should sometimes be more flexible. As an engineer, I am definitely a planner, and I have found that I will use this on my travels and my life. But I can easily adapt to changes.

hotel or hostel (or camping)?

This depends on the time and the company where you work - I can stay anywhere. My parents taught me camping since I was a child. I spent more than three months in a tent in the Himalayas, so I love it. But there are situations in which I place emphasis on spending the night in a good hotel or hostel.

What was your most important travel experience?

It is very difficult to select only one - I have a lot! One of the best travel experiences I have ever had (or rather "trekking experiences") is the trekking to the basic camp in Kanchenjunga. It is an incredible place and valley. Not many westerners have arrived so that you can feel and see the purest Himalaya.

Stay on the current or read your book Tilting at Mountains: Love, Tragedy, and Triumph on the World’s Highest Peaks.

cover picture: Edurne Pasaban

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