Two Breaths, One Step: Hiking Across the Himalayas

by Sylvia Verange

"I realized I was alone and the trail had completely disappeared. I had no idea where it was, nor did I know where I had ventured off from it. I was lost, and I had backpacked enough to know this was not a good sign, not a good sign at all."

In 1984, Sylvia Verange set off on a 500 mile journey across the Himalayas of Nepal. Hiking through the breathtaking scenery, remote mountain villages, and treacherous, freezing conditions, Verange's story lays out both a historical snapshot of the region, as well as an epic travelogue of a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

Part Elizabeth Gilbert, part Paul Theroux, Two Breaths, One Step follows one woman's hike through the Himalayas as she endures nature and comes to know herself.

Genres: Memoir, Travel

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this memoir of hiking in the Himalayas in 1984 was a real trip down memory lane for me—I did a similar trek in 1985, and the descriptions of village life, local meals, and breathtaking views brought back so many memories. The author notes not only the stunning landscapes but also the daily lives of the people she meets—their resourcefulness, hospitality, and resilience in the face of poverty. Sprinkled throughout are interesting historical facts that add context and depth to the journey.

[Paul Tuohy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read account of a journey both physical and personal
Two Breaths, One Step is a wonderful book and such an engaging read. Sylvia’s account of her long Himalayan trek is so detailed, so lush, so colourful, so sensory, so tactile that we, the readers, are with her on the journey. Indeed, we are her. We’re taking each step—and those two breaths with each step! We feel her euphoria, her fear, her exhilaration, her exhaustion, her joy, her pain, her sense of wonder.
But Sylvia’s—and our—journey is not merely upwards and downwards as she moves her body across the spectacular Nepalese landscape. It’s also inwards. Two Breaths, One Step is also an intimate and honest account of Sylvia’s development as a human being, as her interactions with the mountains, its people and her travel companions cause her to recall and reflect upon her childhood, her past experiences and her own personal journey through life.
In short, through the artistry of its captivating narrative, photographs and watercolours, Two Breaths, One Step does what all good books do—takes us away to some other place where, for a time, we can live and move and have our being. It is, in my humble opinion, not simply a recommended read, but a must read.

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sylvia Verange's tone in her memoir is unhurried, gentle, and visual. At my age, many things are already known to me, such as, if you are cooking in a house over a fire, there is going to be a lot of smoke in the air. However, Verange took me inside one of the many tea houses along the path of her trek, and made me understand how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in one of their rooms, as opposed to clear frigid air inside a tent. She mentions the food as being mostly noodles and potatoes, yet she never complains about her change in diet. Or when she went back to soak in a warm spring, the village women were doing their laundry in the same place! She didn't seem disgusted by that, just that it was getting a little too crowded in there.
I didn't know that after she made it to Everest base camp, that from Katmandu she decided to do another trek to some other mountain passes. All the while she mentions that she has a cough, but she plowed ahead.
She talks about going to the town well to wash her clothes, and the sensation of the water becoming "thicker." Only after it seemed strange did she realize that the water was turning to ice. Even that little jewel of a memory was written so beautifully.
At the end of the book Verange talked about how some people expected a trek free from seeing poverty, or just the simple way that the Nepali live(d). She reflected on the beauty of the mountains rather than the "unique" hygene that spoiled the trek for some.
It was a good reminder of gratitude and attitude can change an experience

[Natalie Nussbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Sylvia at a ski lodge and her book was on the coffee table. She told me it was about her travels and trekking in the Himalayas and my response was that it sounded like torture and why would you want to do that. Nevertheless, I picked up the book, and I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in two sessions; it’s absorbing and a page turner.

Sylvia weaves back and forth about her life and many travel adventures, and then focusses on the trek, describing it in vivid detail. In passing, almost, she mentions the effect on her body—which started out not all that well and clearly endured hardships, but that is not emphasized. Her arduous climb was a meditation on beauty, and the reader can almost feel her passion for the awe-inspiring scenery surrounding her. In the end, I still have no desire to climb Mt. Everest myself, but feel enriched to have had the opportunity to experience it vicariously through Sylvia’s gifted writing.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to read, but I like to hike even more. Sylvia’s story of her trek in the Himalayas is just the right length between hikes (200 pages). Best of all, she fills the book with vivid details of the culture, landscape and especially the flora that will inspire you to observe and appreciate the beauty all around you, whether you’re home or on a distant journey. A gem of a book to read and share with your hiking pals and artist friends. Bonus: middle section features Sylvia’s photos and a few of her lovely watercolors.

[Jane Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvia Verange’s “Two Breaths, One Step,” is a fun, easy read. What makes it fun is that it transported me into the Himalayan mountains of the 1980's and it also took me back to my own youthful days of adventurous travel. Ah, youth, when we’d come up with fantastic yet naive ideas and then charge forward and actually carry them out. What is easy about the book is an unstilted prose that won’t bog you down. Like the essence of high altitude trekking, the story is portrayed without excess baggage. Easy, gratifying, and uplifting, this book makes a pleasant travel companion.

[Victoria Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book...maybe because I'd never do this myself and here I found myself traveling along with Sylvia through the Himalayas. The beautiful images and feelings she conveyed with words made it so charming and fascinating. Even the mundane things that were described added to the reality of the trip one must go through to accomplish such a feat. It was so gratifying to travel this adventurous journey with her.

[Patricia Zomber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvia has an amazing ability to describe the scenery, culture, people and food in such detail that I felt as if I am trekking right along with her. I read this book slowly in order to savor each step, each new person met, each stunning vista where she paused to take a photo. I loved this book!

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some sort of interesting facts, but I was looking forward to finishing

[Sylvia Verange · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very captivating book. One feels like they are "on the trail," witnessing so much beauty all 'round. There's a lot to be said for heading off on such an adventure at a young age, or any time, even if it's just in reading the book! So much to take in, wonder about, and discover within one's self. The author does a marvelous job on including the reader and keeping the journey interesting. Great read!

[Sue Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part adventure travel, part personal journey, and part musings on the beauty and precariousness of the Himalayas, the author recounts her own experience trekking in Nepal when she was in her twenties. Even with the advantage of youth, energy and good health, the journey is incredibly physically and mentally challenging and full of risk. In the prologue (and later in the story), Sylvia Derange describes the frightening experience of wandering off the trail in a blinding snowstorm with plummeting temperatures and contemplating her survival odds. And before the trip even starts, the trip leader warns her that if something happens and she needs medical attention, that could mean evacuation by helicopter at the cost of $2000 cash, an enormous amount given her savings.

Whether youthful optimism, a feeling of invincibility, sheer determination, or a passion for trekking in remote areas, Sylvia is not deterred by the risks, physical exhaustion, the effects of high altitude or the occasional loneliness from usually walking solo in her small group. She sets her own slow pace which allows her to fully appreciate the beautiful and varied scenery, the local people, the prayer wheels of the tiny villages, and the simple meals prepared by the sherpas every morning and evening. As she climbs higher and higher, the thin air slows her pace even more and she embraces the mantra of ‘two breaths, one step’.

More than just a personal adventure story, Sylvia shares with her readers the beauty and harshness of the Himalayas, her encounters with (and admiration for) the Sherpa people, the influence of Buddhism in daily life and the double-edged sword of adventure tourism in Nepal.

As an avid (though aging) hiker, I love reading stories of women taking on incredible physical challenges through hiking, climbing, biking or other sport. If I could turn back the clock to my youth, I would have loved to have trekked in the Himalayas. Two Breaths, One step allows me to accompany Sylvia on her journey, to take in the sights, sounds, smells of Nepal that was, and to feel the exhilaration and pain of hiking hundreds of miles in this beautiful part of the world.