Upcoming trip: Trekking Mount Everest with Robin Esrock

ROBIN ESROCK IS a guy who knows opportunity when he sees it (or is hit with it). Five years ago, his career in the music industry crashed to a halt when his scooter was hit by a car, shattering his knee cap. After a modest settlement, he packed up his bags and took off for a year around the world.

Along the way, Robin discovered he was pretty good at travel writing, and “Modern Gonzo” was born. After he returned home, the stars aligned and Robin found himself hosting the TV show “Word Travels” for three seasons, shown on National Geographic and Travel Channel worldwide.

Now, Robin’s latest adventure is on the horizon: a 3 week trek to Everest Base Camp. And he’s looking for recruits.

TRIPS: Your style of travel is self-proclaimed “modern gonzo.” Can you describe what that means?

ROBIN: Modern Gonzo is any travel that takes you out your comfort zone. It challenges you mentally, physically (sometimes both), and teaches you as much about yourself as the world around you. It’s not for everyone.

Some people prefer tour buses and cruise ships, and others like hitchhiking and sleeping in airports. Actually nobody likes sleeping in airports. There’s no wrong or right way to travel and everyone should do what works for them, but for me, throwing in a little modern gonzo makes travel more rewarding and meaningful.

What’s the craziest adventure trek you’ve done so far? What was memorable about it?

When I did the Inca Trail in Peru, I was still recovering from a broken knee cap. It was the first major trek I’d ever done, at altitude, and were it not for the mind-blowing beauty of the Andes, I think I would have crumbled like a stale biscuit (by the way, the best Everest blogger wins a free trip to do the Inca Trail).

My most memorable trek was the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. It’s a 7-day hike through spectacular rugged terrain, and the only wildlife you might encounter are bears, wolves, and cougars. The challenge was being resourceful and carrying everything.

With Everest, we’ll be able to enjoy the trek while making silent blessings for the strength of our porters.

Now you’re headed to Everest. What makes you most excited about this trip?

Trekking in Nepal is a lifetime achievement award. Surrounded by the highest mountains in the world, if you like nature, mountains, fresh air — it doesn’t come better. Three weeks is enough time to adjust to a life on the move, with great companionship, and in a rich foreign culture. And you’ve got the ultimate goal — Everest itself. This trip pretty much has it all, the once-in-a-lifetime, the modern gonzo, and at the same time, the professional organization to make everything run smoothly.

Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. How does that serve as a metaphor for “triumphing” (if that’s even a word)?

Everest is as much a verb as a place. To Everest, it means you’re peaking (ahem), you’ve got somewhere very few people get to, both mentally and physically. That’s why it’s such an incredible adventure, and why writing about it is going to be so much fun.

It’s not just a trek, but also an opportunity to learn about travel writing. What do you hope to teach participants?

There’s a lot of myths about travel writing, which I intend to pop along the way. It’s a profession as vital as any, since we’re responsible for how people view the world around them. But it’s no holiday, so I’ll be giving practical advice about crafting stories, and getting your stories published.

The industry is in a complete state of flux, so there’s much to weigh in on there too. Ultimately, it’s not a class so much as a chance for everyone to pick each others’ brains, and learn something useful in the process. Nobody’s going to get in trouble if they’re caught day dreaming at the Himalayas.

Famous last words…

When you look back on your life one day, are you going to remember the few extra weeks of work, the few extra thousand bucks in your bank account, or the time you trekked through the Himalayas to Mount Everest, made lifelong friends, and discovered a passion for writing, photography, and video?

I’ve been living my life that way for five years, and after visiting nearly 100 countries, I often wonder where I would be if I had allowed the “But” to butt in the way. Not on my way to Mount Everest.

To learn more about the trip, visit World Expeditions.