Megan Sullivan knows the importance of seizing the moment: last year, prompted by a string of bad luck, Megan travelled to all seven wonders of the world in just 13 days. So, when she saw a gap in her work schedule, a staycation wasn’t an option. Instead, Megan, a video content producer from San Francisco, spent three weeks travelling in one of her bucket list destinations—and filmed the whole adventure.
Captivated by the Himalayas, Megan travelled solo to Nepal in March this year to take a 12-day hike over 100 miles at an altitude reaching over 18,000 feet. She captured the beauty and essence of Nepal through the lens of her camera, via 120 unique one-second shots. This, like most of her trips, was “last minute”.
She researched her trip online and via contacts on Facebook, who gave her recommendations for local guides. Megan trekked with a Sherpa she met on the internet the week before. She flew to Kathmandu, before taking an internal flight to Lukla, a remote mountain town with little instance of motorised vehicle or noise pollution. From there, she began her journey through the Three Passes of Everest. This 100-mile loop crosses the Kongma La (5535m), Cho La (5380m), and Renjo La (5388m) passes, and traverses amazing landscapes.
The route gifts trekkers with stunning scenery and incredible views. “After crossing the Cho La pass, I saw one of the most amazing landscapes of my life. I experienced views more breathtaking then I ever thought possible,” she tells Lonely Planet. However, the journey wasn’t always easy. Megan had to fight exhaustion and altitude sickness, and times that brought her close to quitting. “One morning I woke when it was still dark with my nose bleeding and head pounding. I thought about quitting. Luckily, I snapped out of that nonsense, popped some Advil, packed my backpack and pressed on to reach the highest point.”
Megan travelled light on the trail, carrying all her own equipment. She shot the video on a Sony a7s, a high-quality camera that’s still small and durable. Travelling solo on the Three Passes of Everest can be very risky. It's recommended to hire guides and porters to carry equipment - this helps supports the local economy, allows trekkers to learn about the unique culture and protects the fragile environment. “The 2015 earthquake altered the lives of many in Nepal,” said Megan. “But, although recovery efforts have been slow, the beauty and soul of the country remains. Visiting Nepal pours money into its tourism industry, it’s a major way to help in the recovery efforts.”
“I was hesitant to travel to Nepal,” she goes on to reveal. “Rumours said it to be unsafe and unpredictable. I’m grateful I decided to follow my gut. It led me to experience the breathtaking beauty and pure kindness of its people.”
