If there was ever a topic that needed the Adventure Attitude, high altitude living is it! Here are just a few of the things that change/are more challenging at high altitude:
cooking
baking
hydration
moving
talking while moving
talking
breathing
Pretty much everything!
Here in Quito, Ecuador we live 2,850 meters/ 9,350 feet above sea level. The first picture in this post was taken while we hiked part of Volcán Pichincha, which is the volcano that we actually live on! In that photo we were approximately 14,000 ft above sea level. All of this to say, my life is lived at very high altitudes.
When you first arrive at a higher altitude than you are used to, you MUST drink absurd amounts of water to avoid altitude sickness, which is so real. Thankfully we have been able to avoid it so far. Even now that I am mostly adjusted to the altitude, I always keeps water within arm's reach so that I stay hydrated. I have found that I need to stay full of water and food or I will feel sick throughout the day.
Baking and cooking have been quite an experiment at high altitude. Thankfully we brought our beloved Instant Pot down in a suitcase, we were dedicated man, which solves some of the most common issues: rice and pasta due to the water boiling differently at high altitudes. (Pro tip: if you live abroad, especially in Central or South America, bring an Instant Pot, you will thank me later.) Thankfully I have found some incredible high altitude recipes that take the guess work out of baking. This is one of my favorite resources: https://mountainmamacooks.com/
I love her zucchini bread recipe. When I make it, I add 1 cup of oats and 1 cup of chocolate chips and I bake it in muffin tins for the best breakfast/snack/sweet fix! One such delicious muffin is pictured above.
One benefit of the high altitude is that you always have a believable scapegoat. Basically whenever something feels hard, or goes wrong, you can just blame it on the altitude. Burn your brownies (I did this), running late to a meeting because you have to walk uphill, feel grouchy from dehydration; any and everything can be equated to high altitude challenges :) Despite the difficulties and learning curves brought on by this lifestyle, the views are incomparable! Living in the Andes mountains, surrounded by volcanoes still hasn't grown old, and I pray it never does.
Have you ever lived or stayed at high altitude? Tell me the tips and tricks that helped you thrive and stay alive.