Everest Base Camp

If I have to sum up my trek to the Everest Base Camp: It was a journey of a lifetime. And it was work. I was there to cover the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon on May 29 from the Everest Base Camp to Namche Bazaar. And along with me were three photojournalists and another reporter.

So where do I start? Right from Kathmandu’s domestic airport.

Day 1 and 2: Stuck at the airport due to the bad weather in Lukla from where we were supposed to start the trek. So we spent all our time, almost 10 hours, waiting for the weather to clear.

Day 3: Finally, we get to fly! Flying to Lukla is one of the most amazing experiences—the mountains feel so close and you just get a feeling that the plane might just bump into one of the high hills. And Lukla airport is one of the most difficult airports in the world to land.

After we land in Lukla, the mountains and chilled air welcomed us. And then we flew into Syangboche on a Pilatus Porter. And what one of the staff members at the airport said: “Please don’t touch the door while flying.” The six-minute flight was just fantastic.

We then start our trek uphill. By this time, I was thrilled by the mountains. They just seemed too close.

After walking through the Khumjung Valley, we called it a day at Kyangjuma. My eyes were stuck at the view of Mt. Ama Dablam and Mt. Thamserku.

Day 4: We walk, walk and walk uphill and downhill through the suspension bridge, clicking photos and cracking jokes. The steep climb before reaching Thyanboche was something. However, it was nothing compared to the ones that we would have to climb later. Phew!

We walk and walk. And to our utmost surprise, we meet Puskar Shah, the world cyclist who had summated Mt. Everest. So in the middle of a small trail, we journalists, stop him. It was like a small press conference in itself.

After hours of walking, we call it a day at Pangboche. At a higher altitude now and feelings of altitude sickness concerned us, but so far so good.

Day 5 and 6: We start the trek to Dingboche. Walk, walk, walk, admiring the views and the mountains. Reach Dingboche. Eat. After reaching the height of 4,000m, the food just becomes tasteless. And it’s just potatoes and rice. Afternoon time, we go up to climb a hill or say a small mountain and we get up to 4,700m. Scary!

Early in the morning, we look outside the window and the Valley is blanketed in snow. Yay. We go out and play in the snow.

There’s training sort of thingy for the marathon runners in the snow. Our trek to Lobuche gets cancelled because of the snow. We enjoy the snow but after it stopped and the sun came out in midday, there was absolutely nothing to do.

Day 7: We start our trek to Lobuche. That is further up to almost 4,700m. I was concerned about the altitude sickness but thank god, nothing happened.

The trek to Lobuche was simply Oh My God! When we had to climb that steep hill at Thukla…I stared at that hill for a while and step by step, catching up my breath, using whatever oxygen amount available, I made it! Trust me, I have never climbed something steep as this one!

The places are expensive. Bottle of water costs Rs 300, coke Rs 150 to Rs 250. Go figure!

Day 8 and 9: A night at Lobuche, I feel fine at this altitude too. Now got to trek to Gorakshep at over 5,000m. And man oh man, the hills seemed they only become steeper. There were flat lands but I mean, the steeps and hills only made me breathless. And when I mean breathless, I mean I was breathing heavily to get more oxygen. At this height, I longed for some more oxygen than real food!

Reach Gorakshep. It starts snowing. Gorakshep has only four or five houses, all hotels and restaurants.

The night was clear, full moon and the mountain peaks looked amazing at night!

The next day ascent to Kalapatthar. OMG! I thought I’d die climbing the 5,600m mountain. Got an amazing view of Mt. Everest.  I literally crawled up the mountain as I got to the top because there was snow, it was slippery and I was scared of height.

One thing I really got to find during this trek: I am scared of heights.

Day 10: The Everest Base Camp…Yowaz!!! Walking to the base camp is just amazing. I was in love with everything though the walk was tiring.

It was a day for the mock race for the marathon. So interviews, photos and trekked back to Pheriche. The walk was very long, more than six hours. We got lost in the dense fog and it was getting dark and we had to find an Internet place to file the stories. And we did. Mission Accomplished. We ran like crazy and then after finding an Internt place, froze our hands typing.

Day 11: Ran like anything from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar. We had to get there to report on the marathon. So walked downhill with some uphill. Met runners on the way. And after eight hours, reached Namche! Wow! And then interviewed winners and others. Wrote a story, filed it.

Beer Time! Had some good food (Momos after almost ten days!).

Day 12: Walked from Namche to Lukla to catch a flight. Drank the most expensive Fanta for Rs 250! Reached Lukla and hopped into the Starbucks Lukla, a local one though. Some whiskey and not-so-good dinner!

Day 13: The weather was clear. Happy! The flights wouldn’t get canceled. And so made it to Kathmandu. Ah, finally home.

So here is my trek to the Everest Base Camp. Just a great experience with some fun company: Keshab Thoker, photojournalist from our own Republica, Naresh Shrestha from The Himalayan Times, Kumar Shrestha from ANA and Asim Suvedi from The Kathmandu Post. I say, memories for a lifetime.

But would I do it again? I don’t know. It was tough and I have to think like a 1000 times.

Everest Base Camp is not easy but the trek is worthwhile. The memories will live forever and I’m proud that I survived the EBC!

Stories from Republica

Story 1: Pushkar wants to go back to his roots (May 21, 2010)

Story 2: Everest marathon preparations at peak (May 24, 2010)

Story3: Running from the Everest Base Camp (May 25, 2010)

Story 4: Working up to Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon (Not updated online…err) This was a story about the mock race with details of the marathon. (May 28, 2010)

Story 5: Phurba Tamang takes the title again (May 29, 2010)