Asian chicken

I really like spicy food and asian condiments and also eating the necessary amount of protein daily. Asian chicken is one of my favourite recipes as it’s really, really tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients

800 g chicken breast

3 potatoes

3 onions

2 zucchinis

400 ml coconut milk

Asian spices (Garam Masala, Tikka Masala)

Nutritional information:

100 g asian chicken

  • 13 g protein
  • 4.5 g fat
  • 3.6 g carbs

If you want to reduce the fat, you can always substitute the coconut milk by low fat cooking cream or by just water.

Preparation

  1. Slice the chicken breast and vegetables in small slices.

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2. Mix the Asian condiments with a spoon of olive oil

IMG_94753. Add 200 ml coconut milk

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4. Add the chicken breast and stir until it changes color

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5. Add the other 200 ml of coconut milk, vegetables and another glass of water and let it to boil for ~ 30 minute

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Enjoy! 🙂

Stairs workout

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” —Aristotle

While in Dubrovnik, we found out that the city if full of stairs. What else could we do with those stairs if not a workout :). See in the video below the stairs workout we did:

Exercises included:

  • running up and down the stairs
  • jumps on the stairs
  • triceps dips
  • lunge jumps
  • plank moving from left to right
  • push-ups

Do each exercise for 45 seconds with a 15 seconds break. Perform the circuit 4 to 6 times. Let me know your thoughts on this workout.

TRX Workout

“Today I will do what others won’t so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” – Jerry Rice

After receive the TRX as a birthday gift, we started taking it with us on every trip. While in Dubrovnik, we found an empty courtyard with the potential of hanging the TRX there, so it was the perfect place for a short workout. Check-out the workout in the video below:

The workout included 45 seconds doing each exercise with a 15 seconds break after each exercise. We repeated the sets 4 times. The exercises were the following:

  • “Box” jump – we found a wall there we used as a box
  • TRX Low Row for back
  • Push-ups
  • TRX biceps
  • Abs
  • TRX shoulders
  • TRX triceps

We started to train also in holidays this year and it just feels great. We just get a great vibe after doing a short workout in the morning. You should try it. 🙂

Running in Split

 

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” – Fred DeVito

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Today workout was just about running. After arriving in Split, we looked on the map, saw a large park with a beach near it and knew that we needed to try running in there. We arrived at around 7:30 at the beach to find it empty (dooh normal at that time) and parked the car there (there is a free parking lot right near the beach).

The run started near the beach on the road and after about 1 km you enter the park where there are a lot of walking and running routes. We were surprised to see how many people were running/cycling there in the morning.

The park is also well equipped with water taps, so you do not need to bring your water bottle with you.

More details about the course: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/20251645

 

Everest Base Camp Trek 2017

1 April – 17 April 2017

1 Apr – Flight Belgrad – Kathmandu
2 Apr – Meet the guide + “shopping” in Kathmandu
3 Apr – 14 Apr – On the trek
14 Apr – 16 Apr – Kathmandu
16 Apr – Flight Kathmandu – Belgrade

Day 1 
Start – Kathmandu (1400m)
End – Phakding (2600m)
Distance – 9 km
Elevation gain – 205m
Elevation loss – 397m

The first day started in Kathmandu at 7AM when the guide picked us up from the hotel with a couple of taxis. We walked together to the Kathmandu airport to take the plane to Lukla. We knew that the flight was one of the unsafest flights ever and that it could have great delays, but we were very confident that everything will go our way. That was the actually the case, but I can definitely say that I was on the scariest flight ever. It was just like being in a roller coaster, but in the roller coaster you know it is safe because hundreds of people run on it every day and there are safe checks made there every day. I literally tied myself to the chair.

Plane to Lukla (we were on the back seats – no one was behind us)
Plane to Lukla
Plane ticket to Lukla :))
Once we got to Lukla, we stopped for lunch, and the guide explained to us the trek for the day. While being on lower altitudes we tried yak steaks and foods made of yak meat. Once we got to higher altitudes we were scared of doing so, as the meat was carried there by people – and it took 2-3 days to get there in the sun.
Lunch at Lukla – yak meat and rice with vegetables
After starting the trek, we made a break to show our trek passes to the Lukla police.
The first day was pretty easy, we just had a walk down from Lukla (2900m) to Phakding (2600m) as the guide indicated we sleep at a lower altitude. Starting with the first day we were amazed by the views from the trek.
We got to Phakding after a few hours of walking. We stayed about 30 minutes outside, but afterwards the temperature dropped a lot and we all got inside for dinner. We managed to stay awake everyday until around 20 :)). We were very surprised to find light and electricity everywhere we stayed. We were well equipped with batteries and lights.
Day 2
Start – Phakding (2600m)
End – Namche Bazar (3400m)
Distance – 15 km
Elevation gain – 1053m
Elevation loss – 309m
The first night on the trek was not the best one. We could not sleep very well, and it was very cold in our sleeping bags. We imaged the worst would come the next nights if the first on the lowest altitude was this bad. We woke up at 7AM to get breakfast to start the trek at 8AM. We found Tibetan Bread as a breakfast option, which was just awesome with jam.
Tibetan Bread
We knew that we did not have an easy day, as we had to climb 800m in just a few km. On our way to Namche we crossed over the highest bridge from the trek. Whatever you hear on the trek, just know this: the climb starts only AFTER crossing the bridge. We climbed until the bridge and after thinking it was over, we found out that it was just beginning.
On the trek with my friend Anca
Namche Bazar (3400m)
Day 3
Start – Namche Bazar
End – Namche Bazar
After a night slept in Namche Bazar we had the feeling that the first night was a joke or that our body was already adjusted with the temperature and we do not longer feel the cold. It was definitely not this :)). Everything was nice at the chalet at which we slept. In the dining room it was really warm, in the rooms the temperature was acceptable. There was also a place where you could wash your clothes and where you could shower. This was the last chance for us to take a shower as the temperature dropped significantly with the altitude. (we did not take this chance).
This was the first day of acclimatisation when we would find out how we would react to higher altitudes. Surprisingly, all of us felt really good. During day time we climbed a hill (up to 3600m) where we say Mt. Everest for the first time).
Mt. Everest (the one from the left behind all the mountains)
In Namche we realised that we did not charge the batteries we were going to use for the Stepi Pen, so we had to buy new ones. We found out that everything was negociable, and that we should never accept the first price that is given to us.
Day 4
Start – Namche (3400m)
End – Tengboche (3900m)
Distance – 12 km
Elevation gain – 814m
Elevation loss – 552m
Hehe, this was the day we realised that our guide was “stealing” from us when we heard a couple asking how much does a night of sleeping in a chalet costs and the answer was 200 rupees (we paid 500 rupees) .. We decided to accept this as this was not much – the food and accommodation were pretty cheap (500 rupees = ~5 dollars). We also discovered an amazing bakery here at this altitude, where we decided we were going to stop when we return.
Bakery in Tengboche
We met quite a couple of people here: a french guy which just decided he was going to do the trek on his own and also two thai guys that already did the trek and now they were heading to a summit at 6100m. They told us that two years ago when they did the trek this was the place where they started to have altitude sickness (headaches and stomaches). Luckily, we did not have this.
Day 5
Start – Tengboche (3900m)
End – Dingboche (4400m)
Distance – 12.6 km
Elevation gain – 682 m
Elevation loss – 399 m
Happily posing with Stelian
Day 6
Start – Dingboche (4400m)
End – Dingboche (4400m)
This was the second acclimatisation day for us. We just climbed to 4600m and stayed a little bit there. We were all very happy that we were feeling really really great and were very confident that we will reach our target.
Day 7 – the day when things started to get crazy
Start – Dingboche (4400m)
End – Lobuche (4900m)
Distance – 9.34 km
Elevation gain – 645m
Elevation loss – 86m
So … this was the day when we all started to have altitude sickness. We started to have headaches. I, personally, was very very tired. Imagine that it was hard for me to climb 2 floors (when I do cardio in the gym and run half marathons lol).
View from the trek 🙂
Day 8 – the day we got to the Base Camp YAY
Start – Lobuche (4900m)
End – Gorakshep (5100m)
Distance – 12.51 km
Elevation gain – 673m
Elevation loss – 669m
This day did not begin very well. All of us (besides Mishu) woke up with headaches and very tired. Honestly, I really believed that we won’t get to the Base Camp. We managed to get something to eat, as we did not have an appetite and started our trek to Gorakshep. We stayed for lunch at Gorakshep, left our backpacks there (I really think I would have fainted if I had to carry my 15kg backpack with me to the Base Camp) and started the walk to the Base Camp. After a small climb, we saw it – and what was the first thought that crossed my mind: “Ok, checked – seen it, what point does it have to get there?” Hahaha I would have regretted a lot if we turned back. We got there exhausted. My plan from the beginning was to get there and eat a Snickers (btw I love sweets). I got there and could not eat anything. The one and only that could do anything when we got there was Mishu, who just lit a cigarette and enjoyed the moment.  Anyhow, I am really happy we all got there and made some nice pictures.
Mishu at Base Camp
About sleeping at 5100m I can only say that it was the hardest thing we did on all the trek. We received a room in which you could feel the wind from outside (a part of the wall was actually missing). We could not change it as all the rooms were full. It was very very cold in the room. We measured the temperature in the room that had all parts of the walls and it was -2 degrees C. All the night we had a headache and in the morning we found out that there were 8 people that were carried down with the helicopter because of the altitude sickness.
Day 9 – the day when we could breathe again :))
Start – Gorakshep (5100m)
End – Pangboche (4000m)
Distance – 19.87 km
Elevation gain – 220m
Elevation loss – 1560m
Day 10 – the day when we drank the first beer on the trek
Start – Pangboche (4000m)
End – Monju (2900m)
Distance – 24.34 km
Elevation gain – 624m
Elevation loss – 1924m
On our way to the accommodation, we stopped in Namche, where there is the highest Irish Pub from the world. Of course we stopped for a beer. We also left our footprint there as we left the Romanian flag there – there was no Romanian flag there so we considered that leaving our own was a nice gesture to our country.
Heading to the accommodation, our guide stopped to a chalet that had the toilet outside (where we ate a lunch on our way up). We proposed to search for something else, and that’s how we got to Monju, where we found one of the nicest (if not the nicest) accommodation from the trek. The rooms smelled like wood, it was really really clean and we could also take a shower. The owners were so nice to us. The name of this accommodation is Mountain Lodge View.
Day 11 – back to Lukla
Start – Monju (2900m)
End – Lukla (2900m)
Distance – 15 km
Elevation gain – 562 m
Elevation loss – 808 m
It was a real relief to see all of us back to Lukla, where we knew that we did not have to carry our backpacks any more. Everything ended with a coffee at Starbucks and a great burger. Hehehe we were really surprised to see that there is a Starbucks in Lukla.

Day 12 – Back to Kathmandu

Be prepared to wait for the flight from Lukla. We stayed 8 hours in the airport because the weather was windy and the planes do not fly when the weather is windy. The airport has 0 security, so do not get your shoes or belt off when getting though the gate. Hehehe there was no electricity in the airport. When people heard that the planes are not flying everyone left for lunch. You could leave the boarding area, come back – nobody cared.

 

VIP room in Lukla airport
After 8 hours of waiting the flight back to Kathmandu was more roller coastery than the one to Lukla. We got safe to Kathmandu, where on the airpot some monkeys were waiting for us. The guide took us to the hotel with a taxi – same hotel we stayed a night in when we arrived in Kathmandu. Getting there we found that it was renovating :)) so we needed to move to another hotel. After the first hot shower in days, we managed to find the best pizza in Kathmandu and celebrated the New Years Eve with a pizza and some beers (yes, we were in year 2074 in Kathmandu – we saw the future and it did not look good)
All 6 of us with luggage in a small car
Happy new year in Kathmandu
Best Pizza (Roadhouse Cafea Kathmandu)

Recommendations

  • If I were to go again, I would go without a guide. The trek is very straight forward and the people are very helpful. The guide chose the accommodations for us and I really think we could have chosen better.
  • If you have heavy luggage, you can hire a sherpa. We did not need one because we had max 15 kg in our luggage.
  • For water we used SteriPen. With 4 baterries we filtered 21 liters of water. You can also use a life straw.
  • You should carry a hand steriliser with you. We used it daily even after washing our hands. There were two days (at 4900m and 5100m) where there was no water or the water was frozen.
Prices (rupees)
  • Charging phone 1h (< 3400m) – 100
  • Charging phone 1h (> 3400m) – 350
  • Charging phone full (< 3400m) – 350
  • Charging phone full (> 3400m) – 600
  • Internet wireless – 600 – 200MB
  • SIM card (bought from Namche) – 1200
  • 1GB internet – 300
  • Coffee – 80-160
  • Fried rice – 400
  • Boiled eggs – 250
  • Boiled water – 150 – 300
  • Tibetan bread – 350-450
  • Pizza – 500-900
  • Pancake – 380
  • Cheese omlette – 330
  • Sandwich – 500
  • Rara noodle soup – 300-550
  • Dal Bhat – 500
  • American breakfast – 650
  • Momo – 480
  • Spaghetti – 500
  • Curry rice – 480
  • Fried potato with veg. and egg – 650
  • Boiled potatoes – 340-500
  • Pringels – 400
  • Accommodation – 500 (2 persoane)