We begin this WanderLearn Show with Johnny Ward's update. Afterward, he tries to answer the troublesome question of "How many countries exist?"

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April 25, 2023 update

On April 25, 2023, after 6 days of acclimatization on Mt Everest's base camp, Johnny is starting the climb in earnest!

Climbing to Everest's summit is like a yo-yo hike. You go up and down the mountain many times to spur your body to produce the red blood cells you need to survive above 8,000 meters.

Johnny is starting the first of several yo-yo hikes. He'll go to Camp 1 and 2 and then back down to base camp to recover. 

On April 24, 2023, Johnny wrote:

After weeks and months of nerves, I feel ready. Confident and keen to try my best. We're hoping to take on the infamous Khumbu icefall tomorrow night as we make our way to Camp 1 and Camp 2, but it’s weather dependent.

6 days at our @furtenbachadventures base camp has our acclimatisation going well, and @luckydavewatson has us all feeling like we can do it. The mental game is such a big part of these huge undertakings and it feels like we are in a good place. We’ll know what’s up in the next 4 weeks, one way or another

 

 

Ric Gazarian of Counting Countries made a nuanced video to tackle this thorny topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=542UIhQcmC0 

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