‘My mind was so unbelievably clear, it is so peaceful when you are immersed in soaring mountains.’ Mia Regan’s diary about her boundary-pushing hike in Nepal’s mountains.

Usually when you see Mia Regan, she is embodying a different character in her modelling career or shooting a campaign, however her biggest passion for the outdoors has been a quiet transformation that has pushed her into exploring her limits further and further. Earlier this year, she decided to take on one of the biggest adventures of her life - Nepal’s high altitude adventure and challenge of trekking from Lukla to Amadablam Base Camp with her dad.

With the help from her friends at 66North, Regan took on her sturdiest gear, and decided to set new goals alongside taking on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure and bonding with her father like never before. ‘My mind was so unbelievably clear, it is so peaceful when you are completely immersed in soaring mountains.’ Taking images for her personal diary from Nepal, Mia sat down with GORPGIRLS founder and adventure afficionado Hannah Da Silva, and discussed at length what this trip meant for her, and how she adapted to one of the harshest outdoor conditions in the world. Creating collages out of her vintage-inspired images taken from her trip, Mia shares the serene feeling of bringing yourself to the ultimate state of peace.

From exploring the hospitality of Nepal, all the way through learning how to breathe in the highest altitudes, Regan and Da Silva share with Perfect what it means to lean into adventure all the way.

Hannah Da Silva: So, what initially inspired you to do this hike?

Mia Regan: Documentaries like Sherpa and 14 peaks sparked a lot of curiosity in me, especially about the people, culture and of course the Himalayas.

Hannah Da Silva: What is your relationship to the outdoors? Was this something engraved in you since childhood?

Mia Regan: Yes, 100%! The outdoor life has been engraved into me since forever, the majority of holidays when I was young and to this day are to Wales and Cornwall where we walk, camp, and swim in the sea. I think people would describe it as a crunchy childhood.

Hannah Da Silva: How much planning was involved for the trip and was there any physical prep or training you did leading up to the hike?

Mia Regan: My Dad and I would walk as far as we could whenever we could, we walked all around the Thames one day, west London to southeast. We mostly did Brecon Beacons and north Wales, mountains like Pen y Fan and Snowdon! I also did a lot of pilates which I really felt the benefit through core strength and breathing. My Dad and I luckily had 66°North on Regents Street at hand to help with all preparation in terms of packing and getting the perfect fit.

Hannah Da Silva: How were you introduced to the Tendi Sherpa Foundation?

Mia Regan: My manager Grace, her dad Rob is on the foundation committee and had a great friendship with Tendi, our incredible guide! So, when I told Grace that I wanted to trek in Nepal, it felt like it was meant to be :)

Hannah Da Silva: What was your experience hiking with the sherpas? Did you learn any expert tips from the sherpas or take home any wisdom from them?

Mia Regan: Tendi and his assistant guide Ngawang taught us all so much. Not only invaluable trekking advice, but I learned a lot of patience from them, especially when they taught us about their Buddhist Philosophies.

Hannah Da Silva: What was it like to walk at such a high altitude? Were there any surprising challenges or side effects?

Mia Regan: It is difficult, your body feels heavy, air feels thick and it’s hard to get a steady breathing pattern. I found the most challenging side effect is no sleep. However, I did have some crazy dreams so that was quite fun!

Hannah Da Silva: How important is your kit on this trek? What clothing and gear did you take on the trip and what were the absolute essentials for a trek of this multitude?

Mia Regan: Good kit is invaluable, the 66°North kit served its purpose and beyond. I have been using 66°North gear for a couple of years now, all their clothing items have become an essential. I will say the down puffer jacket saved me when we reached Ama Dablam base camp. Tendi stressed every day the importance of looking after our skin whilst trekking because of the harshness of the air, The Ordinary was also at arm’s reach from me, especially the barrier serum and moisturiser.

Hannah Da Silva: What was the main benefit of being out in the mountains and in nature for so long? What did you eat along the journey and did you have any special comfort food? What was the landscape, agriculture and wildlife like there?

Mia Regan: My mind was so unbelievably clear, it is so peaceful when you are completely immersed in soaring mountains. I ate omelette on chapatti, Dal Bhat and drank my body weight in ginger, lemon, honey tea every day for 8 days, there was something comforting about that routine. We crossed paths with many Yaks on route, they are very important for the locals in the mountains, they are a source of food, materials and they carry essentials. When it’s cold, the locals dry out their excrements and burn it for heat. Clever and smelly :)

Hannah Da Silva: What inspired you to also visit Nepal's WaterAid site? What did you take away from that experience?

Mia Regan: When I previously worked with WaterAid at Glastonbury we told them about our trip to Nepal, they said it was on of their main bases, so it seemed perfect to visit. I loved sitting with the kids and chatting, I was in awe of their ambitions in life and their kind hospitality.

Hannah Da Silva: What was the most challenging part of the trip? What was the highlight of the trip?

Mia Regan: The most challenging part I found was sleeping in the minus degrees at night. It is impossible to pick one highlight, but seeing the mountains with my dad and learning about Tendi’s life/culture was definitely a peak, pardon the pun.