It's a lesson she learnt first-hand when she tackled the world's tallest mountain, Nepal's formidable Mt Everest, in March.

Abbey undertook the climb to a Mt Everest base camp as part of UNICEF's Inspired Adventures organisation, a fundraising agency which allowed her to raise money for the Nepal earthquake children's appeal.

According to Abbey the trip, while physically gruelling, was "incredible."

"I don't think anything could prepare me for what it was like," Abbey said.

Abbey, who grew up in Taree and attended St Clare's High School before moving to Newcastle in 2007, trained for several months ahead of the trek.

However, she still admitted to being shocked by the difficulty of the journey and, in particular, the effects of altitude.

"It was a lot more challenging than I thought," she said.

Abbey said she'd assumed there'd be a beaten track but for much of their journey they were climbing over rocks and rugged terrain.

One of the challenges the predominantly Australian group found was the difficulty in adequately preparing for a trek in such conditions.

Abbey was happy with the fitness work she had undertaken ahead of the trip, but acknowledged the sheer difference between the Nepalese and Australian climates.

"For Australians, there's no way you can really prepare for it," she explained.

"The conditions are so different to anything we get here."

With temperatures dropping as low as minus 20 degrees at night and snow blizzards a constant threat, trekkers found themselves being pushed to their limits physically.

"The wind feels like it cuts through you," Abbey said.

Altitude sickness was another major factor, with only half of Abbey's 18-strong UNICEF team making it to base camp.

Abbey managed to reach the ridge above the base camp, an altitude of 17,600 ft (just under 6000m), but a sherpa cautioned her against making the trip down to the camp itself due to the difficulty in getting back up the ridge.

Abbey herself didn't leave the mountain unscathed either, becoming seriously ill during the descent with high-altitude pulmonary edema, a life-threatening condition which causes fluid to accumulate in the lungs.

As a result she had to be airlifted in a helicopter back down the mountain to be hospitalised in Kathmandu, but fortunately she will suffer no long term effects.

Despite being disappointed that she couldn't finish the final return leg of the trek, Abbey looked at the bright side, with the amazing views of Mount Everest from the helicopter a trip highlight.

"Every turn was a Kodak moment," Abbey said of the picturesque mountain regions.

The incredible views weren't the only outstanding feature of the trip.

Visiting a monastery in the village of Tengboche where monks bless Mt Everest travellers was a moving moment, as was seeing firsthand the communities that their fund raising would benefit.

Nearly 12 months after a massive earthquake killed more than 8000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, Abbey said that progress was slowly being made in the country.

Much of it was "stuff you can't necessarily see" with child counselling, a massive vaccination campaign and education supplies primary benefactors from foreign aid.

Despite progress in these areas, many people still live in what was supposed to be temporary accommodation near the capital city of Kathmandu.

Abbey managed to raise $10,500 for UNICEF to be spent on medical care, rebuilding schools and homes, nutrition programs and funding counselling for children.

Knowing that she had helped fundraise for the country helped keep Abbey from feeling overwhelmed by the widespread damage there.

"If I hadn't I would have felt pretty helpless," she said.

Abbey thanked the Taree community for the "incredible support" during her fundraising efforts.

A fundraising evening at the Manning River Hotel and a donation from the Lions Club of Taree were key contributors to her exceeding her target of $10,000.

"I'm always amazed at how generous the local businesses are here," she said.

lachlan.leeming@fairfaxmedia.com.au