It
was not a journey I expected. First, I was denied entry to New
Delhi,as I didn't have a transit visa. What is a transit visa? I wasn't
aware that we needed a transit visa to get into Delhi. Further
question, AirAsia told me that being a point to point carier, I will
have to clear immigration in Delhi and re enter again and get my onward
flight o Kathmandu. It doesn't work this way with the other usual
airlines.
So I had to miss my flight. I took the shuttle to KLIA,
where I managed to purchase a last minute one way ticket to Kathmandu
via Dhaka for the following day at 0650.So there you have it , ladies
and gentlemen, I spent my night at KLIA.
GMG Airlines was on time
when taking off from KLIA, arrived Dhaka and was supposed to take off
to Kathmandu at 1325.What was supposed to be a 4 hour transit turned
out to be 10 hours,apparently GMG Airlines is prone for delays. There I
was with a bunch of other returning Nepalis, cursing and swearing. I
was supposed to do some shopping in Kathmandu for medicine ( diamox )
and puritabs, but I only arrived Kathmandu late at night!
Don't
bother being in Thamel at night, certain parts of Thamel does NOT have
street lights. I might as well have been in India. I took the first
hotel that came by, which turned out to be a complete wrong decision,
for US $10, you would at least expect a clean toilet. I didn' mind the
toilet, but there wasn't any water! The lights was not working, the
telephone was not working, the electric socket was not working.Talk
about a money not well spent.
I paid in advance ( Rs500 ) for a
taxi for the journey to the airport the next morning,and after
collecting the flight tickets from Surendra, I waited for the cab, from
0645 which only came at 720.He dropped me at the International
Terminal but my flight was domestic, and DEMANDED money! I told him I
have already paid for this service at the hotel and pushed my bags
away, only to be turned away at the departure asking me to get to the
domestic terminal, which is about 15 minutes walk away. I ditched the
trolleys and carried my heavy bags and went to the domestic terminal,
where I was late for check in, but made it nevertheless.
Agni Air
flight 105 was late, but about 16 of us were crammed in the small
plane which looked like a dented Afghan relic. It took off, and within
10 minutes we saw the Himalayan mountain range. I stared at it, stared,
stared, and realised that the mountains are as the same height as the
plane bringing me through the heavens.
And I first had a glimpse of Everest.
We
landed safely at Lukla, and begin the trek to Phakding. I hired a
porter/guide called Pasang.Easy trail, with many trekkers and yaks
covering the trail, but very cold weather.We passed the Dudh Kosi River,
and Thamserku and KusumKangkaru mountains. At some parts of the
trail,I was completely alone, and it was so calm and relaxing. My
backpack was full to the brim, and that posed some problems coz it was
so heavy. My fingers are freezing as I type, and we're just in
Phakding. Tomorrow am continuing my journey to Namche. It's gonna be a
long day.
Stay tuned!
Phakding - Namche, 8th April 2011
We
left Phakding at 7.30am after a breakfast of black tea and toast. I
did not sleep well last night.It was too cold. I resolved to get a good
sleeping bag once we get to Namche today.We trekked past TocToc, and
we stopped for some rest. I met an Indian looking guy who happened to
be a Malaysian, but with an Australian PR. Mohan and 3 of his friends
are also doing Base Camp. After exchanging greetings, we continued the
trek. It was a fairly downhill with some uphill and flat lands. The
altitude is getting on to me so I stayed behind and not over exert
myself, a move which will save my life afterwards, I realised.
We
caught a glimpse of Ama Dablam, Pumori, and Nuptse on the way to
Namche. We trekked to Jorsalle, the checkpoint for Sagarmatha National
Park, manned by machine gun wielding army personnel. Since I am an
individual trekker and my flight was delayed the day I arrived
Kathmandu, I was allowed my TIMS ( Trekkers Information Management
Systems) card at Jorsalle. After filling out forms and got my permit, we
continued the trek to Monjo, where we stopped for lunch. I met Jeremy
and Alissa, a husband and wife pair who was really very cheerful and
all smiles from United States, but working in the Middle East. We had
lunch together and resolved to seek each other out on the trail. Unlike
me, they were doing Gokyo Ri trek, a trek which is similarly
challenging, but less crowded than Base Camp.
Sagarmatha National Park, Jorsalle Entrance Gate
TIMS card
TIMS Registration form
Jorsalle village where we had lunch before trekking to Namche, and where I met Jeremy and Alissa
After
lunch ( I had potatoes ), we continued to Namche. the sun was blazing
hot, but the winds was cold and was blowing right on our faces. Jeremy
told me that the trek from Monjo/ Jorsalle to Namche is reputed to be
the hardest on the trail due to the condition.
' Good news is, it'll be over after today' he said cheerfully.
' Bad news is, we haven't started yet ' I added gloomily, which invited a laugh from him and Alissa.
They
were gone in a jiffy, while I lagged and lagged. The trail was hard
alright. For one, it was ALL uphill. To make matters worse, it was all
gravel, which made it even harder, and the altitude. We were finally
climbing higher, where altitude illness can pose a serious hazard to
trekkers if not careful. Being a single trekker ( my porter guide has
gone ahead ) I tried to eat as much chocolates as I can and continue as
fast, but the fastest I can manage was about 15 steps before I stopped
to draw a few lungfuls of air. It was frustrating to see everyone
passing me by, but if I go fast, I was not going to get enough air to
breathe. So I managed on my own pace, arriving in Namche after everyone
has arrived and settled, at 6pm, just when the sky was turning a darker
shade of black.
We were staying two nights in
Namche, to acclimatize. I was too tired from the trek that I drop dead
on my bed when I arrived at the lodge, too tired to even have dinner.
My porter guide came around to ask if I wanted dinner, and I said no. I
must have slept through, because when I woke up it was 2am and I was
shivering uncontrollably. The temperature outside must have been - 5C. I
was also hungry, but too late for food. I put on three layers of down
jacket, zipped myself inside my sleeping bag, and didn't sleep until
the sun came up.
Namche Bazaar, 9th April 2011
Namche
Bazaar, the social and commercial hub of Sherpa society, is situated
at 3435 metres above sea level, and is a cluster of more than a hundred
buildings built on a land shaped like a huge satellite dish. Most of
these buildings are tea houses and lodges, and shophouses. Prices for
goods here can be expensive, but this is the only place in the whole
mountain after Lukla that you can find things you forgot to get or
things that have finished. I got my trekking pole here and also made
sure I went to the only outdoor shop that rented sleeping bags and got
myself a Gore Tex All Conditions -20C sleeping bag.
I
didn't do much today, I was thinking of climbing to Khumjung to
acclimatize further but when the simple act of putting my down jacket on
left me gasping for breath, I decided against it. So I walked around
Namche, observing people, Sherpas and trekkers, and just enjoying the
view.
The world's 8,000m peaks jutting out - Nuptse, Pumori and Everest 
Namche Bazaar
The shops at Namche
View from Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar - Tengboche , 10th April 2011
We
left Namche Bazaar at 7.30am, trekking towards Tengboche. Finally I
can feel my journey is actually going somewhere. It was an easy trail
for about an hour or so, passing through mountain passes, with gorgeous
settings and scenery. Even on flat trail now, I discovered,that I am
having difficulty breathing due to the altitude. So I trekked on my own
slow pace, pausing every now and then to drink some water or give way
to porters and yaks passing by.
Fifteen minutes from
Namche, I befriended Becky, from London, who is also trekking alone.
We trekked together, talking about London and the trek itself, when I
heard a familiar shout ' MALAYSIA! '
I turned to
look and was surprised to run into Jeremy and Alissa, whom I thought
would have taken a different route to Phorte Tenga, which would have
taken them to Gokyo.I learned that we would be travelling together to a
small place called Phungi Tenga, where we would have lunch, and those
heading to Base Camp will take the trail going to Tengboche and the
rest will take the trail going to Phorte Tenga going to Gokyo. We
chatted for a while and as usual, the pair was off in a flash. Becky
and I trekked on our own pace and had lunch in a small place called
Zambala Lodge and Restaurant. I try to make it a point to have rice for
lunch as I need the energy so I had fried rice.
The
weather was closing in, so Becky trekked first and I came behind. The
route was similar to Namche, all UPHILL. My nose was bleeding inside
due to the altitude, that all the smells I inhaled smelled like faint
clorox. Fearing that I am definitely going to succumb to altitude
illness, I took it as slow as I can get, and arrived Tengboche just as
the weather closed in and visibility went to hell.
One
of the first person I saw in the cloud induced mountain was Becky,
talking to Pasang, my porter guide. She signalled to me and when I came
closer, she asked if I would like to share a room with her in Everest
View Hotel. All lodges and teahouses comes with two single beds ( no
attached toilet ). Eager to have a roomie, I asked Pasang, who by then
had deposited my luggage at another dilapidated lodge, if he would help
bring my luggage to Everest View. He was reluctant, and was trying to
discourage me to go with Becky, and finally said he already booked me
in so I will need to speak to the manager.
I told
him OK, so we went together to Gomba Lodge so I could have a word with
the manager. Becky came along with me. When we arrived, there was no
manager in sight. I realised that Pasang was just trying to make me
stay there so he would get a commission, but I believe he was only
entitled to recommend where I stay, the decision will be have to be
made by me. But since we left Lukla, I have been going with his
'decisions' for me - where we eat lunch on the trail, where we stay
the night, where we stop for tea.This time, seeing him really agitated
that I was not going to go with his decision, I told him I am going to
stay in Everest View, and I will see him tomorrow when we leave to
Pheriche.
He immediately sulked, and told me to pay
his porter guide fees for 4 days and he will leave, if I don't stay
where he wants me to.
I asked him why, that we had
an agreement to go to Everest Base Camp and back. If he leaves me now,
where would I go to find a porter guide so high up?At that point in
Tengboche, everyone and every expedition would already have a porter
guide.
He refused to budge. Finally I paid him for
his service ( he even had the cheek to ask for TIPS ) and stared at
reality facing me down - a massive 20 kg backpack with no porter to
carry for me.
But I am used to carrying a pack
heavier than that in New Zealand. But not in the altitude! I can't even
carry my own pack which contains slightly more than a down suit, a few
chocolate bars, my water bottle and the banner, in the altitude, and
this is Tengboche we're talking about. Pasang left after collecting his
money. I attempted to carry my bags, and went as far as the main door.
Becky
asked me what happened and I told her the story. She was sweet enough,
offering to carry my smaller pack and even asking if she can attempt
to carry my luggage. To make the long story short, I carried my 20 kgs
luggage to Everest View, an arduous 20 minute walk, in the cold, to the
lodge. Becky was there before me, and when I walked into the dining
room, she was in conversation with some people from Intrepid Travels,
the same people who would later 'adopt' me into their group, until the
day we arrived in Kathmandu.
First, a guy called
Max, introduced me to their local guide leader, Raj. Thin, athletic and
have a no nonsense feature, he called me aside and asked me what was
the problem, and asked if he wanted me to get a new porter, someone who
he will have to summon up from Namche, or if I am happy to carry some
of my stuffs and be contented sharing a porter with Intrepid instead. I
went with option 2.
Becky and I went to the bakery
and she had coffee and cake. I was too miserable to eat so she got me a
black tea instead. We had lots to talk to, about England, about
Malaysia, about traditions, customs, the trek itself, and about the
mishap that has just befallen me. Somehow she felt responsible because
it was her who invited me to Everest View. I assured her it was not in
any way her fault.
We spent the evening in the
dining room, talking like long lost friends, and had dinner ( I had
something which I couldn't finish - the first signs of Acute Mountain
Sickness [AMS] and went to sleep at 8pm. I had to reschedule my
itinerary, instead of Pheriche, I am now going to Dingboche, with
Intrepid.
Tengboche
The highest Buddhist monastery in the world 
Weather closing in
First view of Everest from my room in Tengboche 
Peaceful Tengboche
Becky and I
One of my fav shots of the crisp morning in Tengboche 
Second from left is Jessica, and the guy with trekking poles is Raj, the local guide for Intrepid Travels
Tengboche - Dingboche, 11th April 2011
Becky
and I hardly slept. I couldn't breathe in the altitude. Every hour I
kept waking up gasping for air. It was a relief that the sun finally
came up at 5am. Becky was going back down to Namche and back to Lukla.
We got ready and went down to have breakfast. Raj came and gave me a
paper written the name of the lodge where they will be staying in
Dingboche, so I can trek on my own pace. I first got a good glimpse of
the members of Intrepid Travel Everest Base Camp Expedition April 2011.
There's:
Jessica Fernandez, always the lively one, from Spain, but lives in Japan.
Nicole, the mine of information, very well informed, from Canada.
Jeannine, a volunteer in Delhi, teaching slum kids, from Australia.
Rebecca, the serious and caring one, from Australia.
Bo, the youngest and the tallest member,who had a perpetual cold, from Australia.
Max, with sharp blue eyes, from London.
Ben, an economist, from London.
Aadesh, a banker, finished his assignment in Singapore, on a break to do EBC, from London
Brendan 'Dan', from Auckland, New Zealand.
Alex, originally from Russia, but is now an Australian.
On
the surface, they all looked like a very nice bunch. They joked,
laughed and kidded each other, it's hard to believe they all just only
met each other about five days ago in Kathmandu. They were all very
nice to me, passing me by and telling me to take it easy and trek safe.
Their jovial manner and happy nature made me smile.
I
arrived Dingboche after huffing and puffing, where we are to spend two
nights for acclimatizing. Raj had booked me at the Alpine Resorts,
where all of them stayed. I walked in and was showed into my room,where
I got settled and then came out to sit by the fireplace and warm my
icy hands.
All of them from Intrepid had already
secured their seats around the fireplace and was laughing at each
others joke when I walked in. They gamely made way for me, and I sat
about getting to know them. I found them to be the nicest and the most
friendliest people. I mean, here is a group that paid to be a part of a
prestigious adventure travel group, and they made me a part of them
without any hesitation. I was really moved.
I
realised I was not eating much since Tengboche, which is bad because
it signifies the onset of AMS. Loss of appetite. For the next few days,
it was Jessica who made me eat. She watched over me like a hawk if I
am finishing my food. If I put my fork and spoon down, I hear a voice
across the room ' Kuna, EAT! '.She also told everyone else to be bossy
with me and she tells me to force myself to eat.
I
also can't bring myself to drink water ( we need at least 3-4 litres of
water in that altitude to keep hydrated ) but I barely manage one
litre. Again, Jessica comes to the rescue. She tells me as gently like a
mother to a kid - that I must force myself to drink.It is at her
persistence everyday that I manage to swallow water as cold as ice, to
stay hydrated.
Dingboche, 12th April 2011
It
is cool morning as I woke up, no trekking today. Last night, while we
were around the fireplace, Raj had announced that they will be going
climbing the hill behind the lodge to acclimatize, a feat that should
not take more than three hours to complete. I elected to stay behind, so
did Jeannine. I spent the morning walking around Dingboche, a small
village with a handful of lodges, and residents are mostly farmers.
By
afternoon my friends have came back from their trek and wanted to go
to the French bakery situated at the far end of the village. They came
back two hours later, when it was snowing lightly. We all had something
hot to drink ( Sherpa black tea ) while waiting for the fire to start.
It
was at this juncture that someone suggested we play Chinese whisper.
The game kept us in fits of laughter for a few hours after wards. We had
sentences and words strung out in English, Gaelic, German, Russian,
Japanese, Hindi, Malay,even Nepali when the sherpas and the guides
joined us. I whispered ' Gembira bertemu awak ' and it came out ' Te
aara Ro '
No idea how, but I laughed so hard :)
We
spent the day indoors, talking and just enjoying doing nothing, and
it was snowing outside by the time it was dark. Tomorrow we are
continuing our trek to Lobuje. Every night Raj gives a briefing to all
of them, and I am always invited to stay. Their hospitality from today
would make me seek them all out after wards, during the trail down from
Base Camp.
The snow from the night before, from my window
Dingboche after snow 
The whole village covered in snow 
The trail to Lobuje
Dingboche - Lobuje, 13th April 2011
We
started at 7.30am, hiking up a steep hill behind Alpine Resorts to get
to a relatively flat section of the trail. By now the vista is
primarily mountains and sky and snow. The weather has not been good, it
was very cold and eventhough I had on 2 layers of downsuit and
sweaters, I was still shivering. The subzero wind was pelting my face
along with snow. I feel my fingers go numb ( I had gloves on ) so I put
them in my pocket to warm them.I wished the sun will come up to warm
me up but no such luck. The weather wore on, and after about 3 hours of
walking I came across an Indian team from Bangalore, who was moving
slowly. I stopped to drink from my water bottle and they stopped too,
and we got talking. They asked me where I am from and when I replied
Malaysia, one of the guys told me that 2 Malaysians had to be airlifted
out of Namche due to AMS.
It didn't take me long to
realise that the Malaysian they were talking about was actually Mohan,
whom I briefly met in TocToc, the Malaysian born with an Australian
PR. Mohan trained for EBC by doing cycling of 80 kilometres a day!
Eventhough I am afflicted with symptoms of AMS, I am still relatively
OK to go on. Grimly, I continued my trek until we reached Thukla, a
small lodge in the middle of nowhere, to have lunch.
I
was not feeling too well by this time, so when I got in, I asked for
some warm water. I drank it, and immediately threw up. I retched and
retched outside the lodge for a good fifteen minutes until the lodge
owner came and asked me if I am OK.He actually told me to start moving
down and get to Pheriche where the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic (
HRA ) Pheriche Aid Post was situated.I told him I will consider if my
situation gets worse.
All alone, I considered my
options. I figured if I can rest in Thukla for a while, I will be OK. I
ordered some lunch ( fried rice ) but only managed to eat a few
spoonfuls. I was miserable, in pain, lonely and feeling terrible. But
then I remembered my friends in Intrepid, and feel my strength
returning.
I know I got to get to them, and for that
I will have to push, forget my pains and endure what comes. After
about 30 minutes, I resolved to move on. Ahead of me lay Thukla pass, a
massive hill of rocks which I will have to climb, to get across to the
trail to Lobuje. I decided to go through this slowly.A snowstorm was
in full flow, and my face, hands and body was crying out for some sun. I
was in cold, and moving slowly. At last I arrived at the top of Thukla
pass, and was immediately greeted by a sight.
Above
Thukla Pass is a site for a memorial, for all that have perished on the
mountains, most of them Sherpa. I must say that even though the
memorial site was huge and I was in awe, I was also consciously aware
that I was all alone at the site. It was slightly more than 3.30pm, and
the weather was so bad it was darker than usual. Snow was falling in
heavy flakes all around me. I better get going, I thought, and I
continued my trek, but I lost sight of the trail!
There
was an eerie chill that hung in the air, and the silence was
deafening. I silently prayed to all the Gods of the Himalayas to show
me the way. Just then, I spotted a Sherpa I know ( we stayed together
in Dingboche ) walking towards me. He gaped at me standing there alone,
and I gaped at him, wondering how fast the Gods must have granted my
wish. He rushed to me.
'What are you doing here??'
' Erm, I lost the trail. Can you show me the way? ' I asked
'This way. Where is your guide?' he asked.
He
must have forgotten the whole thing, looks like all trekkers and
expeditions knew that the porter guide ditched the Malaysian.
' Well, I only have a porter I'm sharing with Intrepid remember? He's gone ahead' He shook his head and urged me to walk.
' It's getting dark, it's snowing. This is the high mountains, it is very dangerous to be here alone'
I
nodded and we walked together for a while, and I asked him where he
was coming from as he already went ahead very early on. He told me one
of his assistant guide and a Sherpa got sick with AMS, so they sent him
to Pheriche HRA Clinic.
A Sherpa and assistant guide with AMS!
' But how can a Sherpa get AMS?' I asked loudly.
He stopped and looked at me ' It's never the same in the mountains everyday, Kuna' and walked off.
Oh well. So that is it. AMS does not see who you are. And to think I am afflicted with AMS just 4 hours before made me shudder.
Dil
( that's his name ) went off first, and I took my own time. On the
way, I passed Lobuje East Base Camp, a cluster of yellow tents situated
on a sea of ice. It was getting late, and the final trail to Lobuje
was flat, so I could walk fast, but the fastest I could manage this
time was five steps and stop, to draw lungfuls of icy air. My chest
hurt, my legs hurt, I had a dull altitude heading pounding away. I felt
like vomiting, so I stopped to retch and saw that Raj and a porter
waiting for me far ahead.
I trekked to them and
asked Raj if he forgot something, but he said they came for me! How
sweet! He did not have to do this, but yet he did it. I am beginning to
be at loss of words to thank Intrepid for all the assistance that they
have been rendering to me. The porter took my bag, and they paused
every now and then to allow me to breathe ( I did not tell anyone I had
AMS symptoms ) and finally we arrived Lobuje.
When I
walked in Snowline Lodge Lobuje, the whole Intrepid Travel Everest
Base Camp Expedition April 2011 were seated snugly by the fireplace,
and all of them cheered! I felt my cheeks grow hot of embarrassment,
but it was one of the best moments on the trail knowing I
belong.Rebecca came and gave me a hug, Aadesh beamed, Max got up and
offered me his seat, and Jessica moved further from the fireplace to
let me sit closer.
How in the world would I thank these people for adopting me and making me part of them?
We
spent the night in basic Lobuje having dinner and sitting by the
fireplace, and going through briefing by Raj for the plans tomorrow (
Gorakshep - Everest Base Camp - Gorakshep ). Everyone slept early, in
anticipation for the big and a long day tomorrow.
Pumori
Thukla Pass
Lobuje - Gorak Shep, 14th April 2011
We
left at 5.30am. The sky was clearing by this time, but the temperature
was below freezing.I had a sandwich which I could only finish half,
and earned me a ' EAT!! ' look from Jessica. We all started easy, with
trail flat towards Gorak Shep. The snow the previous night was melting,
and hard in some parts. It was amazing view.
By
now I already could decipher the rhythm of my body in adapting to the
altitude, and after the AMS incident in Thukla Pass the previous day, I
am more careful. I am going to do Everest Base Camp today and there is
no way in earth I am going to jeopardize my once in a lifetime chance
by rushing ( well, I can't even rush even if I wanted to ) to Gorak
Shep. By here the landscape is all barren land and stone hills, which
made it even harder to walk in the altitude. Many trekkers faltered
here. I felt like I am so far from civilization that I don't know if I
will see my friends or family again.
I reached
Gorak Shep at 11.45pm, during which Intrepid has already left to Base
Camp.I was feeling really weak so I had a cup of Sherpa tea to regain
my strength. One of the Sherpas saw me and asked if I want to get to
EBC the next day? There was a snowstorm coming and he was worried of me
going to higher altitude with me being sick.
I
reconsidered my options. Everest Base Camp was another 2 hours away for
the Sherpas, which means it's about four hours away for me. Coming
back would take shorter, maybe about 3 hours. By the time I make it
back it will be after dark, and if I get caught in the snowstorm, even
worse. Plus I didn't want to jeopardize my chances to making it to EBC
and back safely by pushing my luck.
So I told him OK. Next day it is.
I
spent the day staring at Everest, its big bulky silhouette jutting out
above the clouds, wondering how would it feel standing at the top of
the world, one foot in Nepal and the other in Tibet. And here, at the
mere toes of Everest, I am already plagued with altitude sickness. One
by one of my friends came back from EBC, so I stood outside in the
billowing wind and snow to congratulate them. Rebecca looked especially
elated, she cried when she arrived at EBC, so did the rest. I guess it
was an emotional moment for everyone, enduring pain for so many days
to be granted one attempt at Everest Base Camp.They all looked
positively exhausted but so happy I couldn't help smiling in happiness
for them, knowing that the same time tomorrow, I would have done it as
well.
Stones strewn around which made up the trail to Gorak Shep
Way to Gorak Shep
Gorak Shep, 5180 m above sea level.
Gorak Shep - Everest Base Camp 15th April 2011
After
a not so good sleep in the altitude, I woke up, got my backpack ready
and went out to get my dose of Sherpa tea before I set off. Too
miserable to eat, I did not opt for breakfast. Last night, I asked for 1
liter of hot water in my bottle to warm my legs in the harsh cold.
Figuring I won't need more water, I set off.
Fifteen
minutes after leaving Gorak Shep, I had a bad stomach pain and
immediately had a bad attack of diarrhea. I have no clue as what could
have caused it, as I haven't eaten anything. The diarrhea attack
continued every half an hour or so, by the time I was too sick to push
on. I contemplated going back, but this was my final journey and I
didn't want to bail out. I could only blame the hot water which I had
two sips before leaving Gorak Shep. So after the third attack of
diarrhea, I was careful not to drink anymore water, which was not
feasible since the higher you go, you need more water to stay hydrated.
Sharp
rocks and ice was the terrain this morning to Base Camp. I saw the
spectacular Khumbu Icefall that I read so much about. It was just so
amazing. Every now and then there will a roar of avalanche, and I
actually saw two.
Halfway walking on a high ridge, I
came a cross a herd of yaks. As usual, I stepped aside a little to
give them way. But at that part of the ridge where we stood, it was
steep and there was only space for one person to stand. All the yaks
passed really close to me and safely went by, except one.
He
stood there contemplating if he would be safe passing through the
narrow ridge, and decided that I was standing in his way. With one
charge, he came barreling into me. He knocked me off the ridge and sent
me sprawling in the sharp rocks. The Sherpas ( and also the yak
herders ) came running and scooped me up. I stood up but was covered
with dust and glacial debris. He kept saying sorry, and I waved him
off. I wasn't injured, but was shaken. Had they not saved me, I would
have been under the rocks of Everest Base Camp. I continued walking.
At
long last, I saw the taxi yellow and baby blue tents that served as
Everest Base Camp.My heart skipped a beat and I wanted to quicken my
pace, but it only made my sicker. But I am here! In Base! Woo hoo!!! Now
I only need to just get THERE. Unfortunately getting THERE was not as
easy as I thought. BC looked so near yet so impossibly far away. The
altitude was getting into me and the fact that I have not eaten anything
since morning ( and not drank any water for the matter ) made me have
yet another bout of altitude headache. I stood aside to retch and
vomit. Trekkers passed by me quietly, some Sherpas stopped to ask if I
am OK. I guess they see this scenario very often.
Finally,
as I inched the final few steps to the big rock that served as the
Everest Base Camp mark, I was completely exhausted, dehydrated, sick,
and miserable. But when I saw the sign, I was so overcome with emotions
that I started weeping but immediately I sensed that I was
suffocating.
Rule number 1: Do not cry in high altitude :P
7
years.1 dream. I never expected to be here in a million years. I
looked up to Everest, and mouthed a prayer of thanks to all the Gods
that according to the Tibet and Nepal beliefs, resides on the top of
the mountain. A snowstorm was coming on, I could feel the snow pelting
my face, hard ice. I quickly took out my banner and posed for a series
of photographs.My fingers were numb from cold, and the minor
frostbites I sustained on the way to Dingboche began tingling. It is
great to finally be in Base Camp. It feels like nothing I have felt in
my entire life.
Knowing that every exposure at that
altitude counts to my sickly body, I decided to leave. Halfway back to
Gorak Shep, I stopped to vomit again. I was hungry, and thirsty.I
looked longingly at my water bottle.The sun was boring a hole into my
skull and the subzero wind was blowing at my direction. It was 2pm
when I finally inched back to Gorak Shep.
By then,
my newfound friends have already left, to Horsho, about 6 hours walk
away. Too tired to manage, I called Raj to tell him I will be spending
another night in Gorak Shep before tracking them down. Little did I
know it will take me a full 3 days, to get back to them.
In
Gorak Shep, as I was sipping a celebratory cup of Sherpa black tea, I
got talking with Sarah, who is a guide for an Everest Base Camp
expedition which just ended, and after sending the team back to Lukla,
she hiked back UP to Base Camp to spend about four days with the
Adventure Consultants team, whom that spring is attempting Pumori and
Everest. Hats off!She was really nice and was offering me advise to
counter altitude illness. Since all my friends were gone, I was pretty
much alone. I spent the evening texting and speaking to my family and my
confidante, telling them the good news. I will need my strength
tomorrow to catch my friends in Namche, a gruelling 13 hours walk from
Gorak Shep if you want to make it in one day.
Me at the start of the trek to EBC 
Everest at the background. This sign was my wallpaper at my home and work
computer
From wallpaper to reality :) 
Khumbu Icefall
Finally made it!
At 17,800 ft above sea level
Gorak Shep - Pangboche 16th April 2011
I
woke up feeling a little bit better. Perhaps 2 nights in Gorak Shep
had me acclimatized. I didn't wake up gasping for air like how I did
the night before, or the nights in Tengboche, Dingboche and Lobuje.
I
made sure I purified my water before drinking it, and set off. Getting
to lower altitude was a welcome - I was walking faster. There was
mostly uphill as well, but I managed to get through them OK. I passed
Lobuje, Lobuje East Base Camp, the memorials which I was stuck with
alone 3 days ago, now look so spectacular in the sun against the blue
sky and snow capped mountain, and with trekkers inching up. I passed
Thukla, and it was still early so i decided to have an early lunch, at
11.30am. I went in the lodge and met the lodge owner, who remembered me
as the sickly kid, and asked if I managed to do it. I smiled broadly
and told him with a triumphant YES!Only then the gravity of the
achievement hit me for the first time.
After lunch, I
trekked towards Pheriche, where the HRA clinic is situated. There, I
saw the Bangalore based trekkers, who was waiting in the airstrip, and a
helicopter was looming in a distance. One of their friends had gotten
AMS and has not recovered even at the lower altitude, so they decided
to evacuate her. Helicopter costs around US$4,500 an hour. I gasped
when I heard this figure from Sarah.
I only managed
to trek until Pangboche, before deciding to call it a day at Sonam
Lodge, also recommended by Sarah, and I should say I did not regret it
at all. They had a cozy little dining area where I managed to find a
book to read and some black tea to warm my hands. Several trekkers I
have met on my way up ( and down ) were also there, by now they all
recognized me so it was not so bad after all. At night, Gurmin ( the
owner ) gave me an extra blanket since my sleeping bag has gone with my
backpack with Intrepid. He is about 33, with a family in Kathmandu, a
wife and two children. A very quiet man, he finds comfort in providing
quality service to trekkers and expeditions, and has earned respect and
reputation as one of the best lodges to stay in Pangboche.
Sonam
had two twin sharing rooms sharing a toilet, and they were basic, but
clean. And there was water! I was overjoyed to learn only I will occupy
the whole ' suite ' which means the toilet was virtually mine. I slept
fitfully, and warm under 3 duvets.
Everest, Kalapattar and a herd of yaks, as seen when I was leaving Gorak Shep 
The memorials above Thukla Pass with the background of spectacular blue skies
I think I had all symptoms except dizziness. Thank you God for letting me get through it.
A helicopter evacuation in progress , Pheriche
The dining area at Sonam Lodge, Pangboche 
My room in Sonam Lodge
Gurmin, Sonam's owner, posing for the camera 
Sonam Lodge, Pangboche
Pangboche - Namche - Monjo 17 April 2011
I
left Pangboche at 6.30am. Today my Intrepid friends are moving on to
Phakding, and on to Lukla tomorrow.I made a resolution to get to
Phakding today. I miss them, and my luggage. It couldn't be that hard, I
reasoned. I only had the Tengboche hill to tackle.
I
arrived peaceful and serene Tengboche 2 hours later. There must be a
reason why the monastery was built here, it is so calm and quiet and
tranquil. I stopped at Everest View to greet the owner, and was on my
way. It was all downhill after that, and the rhododendrons were
blooming.If it wasn't for the dust that was so thick in the air, it
would have been fabulous. My camera died totally at this point, so
instead of taking pictures I shoved the camera into my backpack and
enjoyed the views instead. I stopped at Phungi Tenga to have lunch, and
met the remaining members of the expedition of which Mohan was a
member. A Malaysian from Rawang and another Malaysian who is an Aussie
citizen, made it of what was supposed to be a 4 man team.Another two
including Mohan was airlifted out.
I totally forgot
about a downhill that I was excitedly taking on the way from Namche
when we hiked up Tengboche. The downhill took me about 2 hours to be
done with, and now I have that same hill to walk UPHILL to. It took me
three and the half hours to make it to the top of that hill and on to
the flat mountain pass that will take me to Namche.
I
was dehydrated and exhausted because I was walking since six thirty in
the morning and only stopped for thirty minutes at lunch and barely
took any break. My water has finished in Tengboche, and now as I asked
for tap water from the small shop above the hill, I realised I have to
wait for another 30 minutes before I could drink it. I put in a
purifying tablet and went on my way.
It was slightly
more than 3.40pm when I arrived at Namche. Raj had left my sleeping
bag in Kalapattar Lodge, which thankfully was only next to the shop
where I rented my sleeping bag. The owner, a senile old man, charged me
extra Rs200 because he didn't know how to count the days, and he
refused to listen to me do it. Not wanting to argue further, I went
back to Kalapattar Lodge to ask for help in calling Raj, since even my
phone died.
Balram from Kalapattar Lodge kindly
helped me patch a call to Raj, using his phone, and even charged my
battery for free for about fifteen minutes. Raj told me it would be
dark if I were to make it to Phakding. I would have gone ahead if I
didn't remember that my headlights were inside my luggage, and my
luggage was not with me. So I resolved to try and make it to Phakding,
but with Monjo, 2 hours away from Phakding, as my best option.
The
Namche hill, which took away most of my energy, came into view. This
time, I could walk fast, and not stop to gasp for air. I saw trekkers
coming up, huffing and puffing, and I remembered myself doing the same.
The stones and rocks made it really hard on the way down. Halfway
down, I met a youth who is a student at the school in Khumjung, who
offered to guide me, but he's going as far as Monjo. I agreed to go
with him, because daylight was waning. We spoke for a while ( his name
is Khan, he is sixteen, and he kept asking if I was married ) I told
him yes. For some reason after that he was gone in jiffy. But at least
he guided me for a good part of the trek.
I
continued alone for a while, often tripping on stones and rocks because
it was getting dark. Just then, another porter came along and he said
he was going to Phakding! I was overjoyed. But he didn't have headlamp
or torch lights as well, so the journey was getting increasingly
difficult for the both of us. Finally, when it was pitch dark and after I
have stumbled upon rocks as sharp as thorns, we arrived at Monjo and
decided to call it a day.
I checked into a small
lodge called Namaste Lodge, and very sadly sat down to dinner. I was
feeling extremely down, tired, exhausted and my legs hurt after almost
13 hours of trekking. I was still a village and 3 hours away from my
friends in Intrepid, my nose was bleeding, and I was sneezing out blood
clots after blood clots.My ears hurt from the pressure of coming down
to lower altitude. I even had a fever! At that point, all my energy was
sapped away, I was in the verge of breaking down.I texted my
confidante, who immediately called me back. Thank you, Ms Confidante.
I
had the most awesome potato soup in Monjo that night, despite all my
pain. There was a few assistant guides who had expeditions staying in
different lodges, who just came to hang out at Namaste and were talking
to me like long lost friends. Somehow all of that made me forget my
sadness at not being able to get to Phakding.
Monjo - Lukla 18th April 2011
Today
I was smiling as I woke up. Not only will I be able to see my friends,
we're also going to Lukla! The final destination before we fly to
Kathmandu tomorrow. Last night Raj has already told me that he is going
to arrange my flight to coincide with the rest of them, and reschedule
it a day earlier ( my original date to fly was on 20th April ).
The
air was crisp when I stepped out,and two and a half hours later I was
at Phakding. I went to Snow Line Lodge to enquire about Intrepid but
was told that they have departed forty five minutes ago. I continued
my trek, and since the trek from Lukla to Phakding was mostly downhill,
it was all uphill now. I made it to Lukla in about four hours, and
went on to find Mera Lodge, where Intrepid was staying.
I
bumped into Nicole and Rebecca, and I almost jumped of joy. I am
finally here! I walked into the dining room, and was immediately
cheered on again, by Jessica of course, and the rest of them. It was so
so so good to see familiar faces again. Also, guess who I met on the
trail back to Lukla? Jeremy and Alissa! They promised to come by later
that evening to catch up.
I had something to eat,
and some black tea which has now become my favorite. All my friends
were so happy that I made it. We all made it! It's all OK now, and
tomorrow we will fly back to Kathmandu.
That night,
we had a group dinner, and everyone gave a speech. Even I did! How
could I ever say thanks to a group that have made me feel so welcome?
After dinner, we all adjourned to the bar downstairs, where I had my
first alcohol in months, the Everest beer, to celebrate our success. We
even danced, Sherpas, guides and all, to Jason Mraz's I'm Yours. That
song just gave me a whole new perspective.
Raj has
booked me a nice spacious room with attached bath, and it felt like
heaven after the whole trek. I slept soundly that night, so content,
knowing that I have succeeded in completing the trip. It was a bit
sketchy out there for a bit, but in the end, everything turned out to
be great.
Lukla - Kathmandu, 19th April 2011
Our
bags are packed, and the porters have transported them for us to the
airport. We all were up by 7am, and was sipping tea by 7.30am. Everyone
was so happy. We left to the airport after the green light given by
Raj. Theirs was Tara Air, while mine was Agni Air.Raj managed to get my
tickets changed, but not the time. So they went first with Tara, while
Agni was delayed for about 3 hours due to bad weather in Kathmandu.
I
landed in Kathmandu at 2.35pm, and at the airport befriended Simon
from Belgium and Anna from Germany. We decided to share a cab to
Thamel, and this was to a different part of Thamel I stayed on the
first day. This part of Thamel was bustling with activity, just like
Petaling Street in KL or Khao San Road in Bangkok.
Intrepid
was staying in Kathmandu Guest House, a high class, 4 star hotel in
the middle of it all. I got a small place, Hotel Thamel Central, a
double sized room with a double bed and a single bed with attached bath
and FREE hot water, for 300 rupees ( about RM12.65 ) per night. You
can imagine what I did first, I dumped my bags, and showered for an
hour, then charged my phone, and my camera.
Later,
after I made sure I am all clean, I went to explore. Kathmandu is a
cold place to be. Intrepid was having a dinner again in this place
called Rum Doodle, which has long been popular with expedition and
treks to Everest Base Camp and Everest, and it's customary for trekkers
to sign their names ( or their teams ) on a giant foot step placard,
to be hung at the restaurant's premises. So we all met, all clean and
nice smelling ( I took off my beanie and Aadesh commented that I looked
so different )and went to Rum Doodle.
They had good
food, great ambiance and Nepali folk dances. I even signed the
placard, which officially made me a part of Intrepid Travels Everest
Base Camp Expedition April 2011. I couldn't stop smiling. It was all
great.
On 22nd April, after spending two nights in
Kathmandu, I flew back to Malaysia, this time with Biman Bangladesh
airlines via Dhaka, and arrived at KLIA at 2am. I can't begin to
express how I felt the moment the automatic doors opened and I inhaled
the Malaysian hot, humid air.
I did it.
Author's note:
I
want to thank RBCDEXIA Investor Services ( M ) Bhd and My
Khatulistiwa for supporting the project, Peter Nicoll and Datin Sury
from Reach Out Malaysia who supported me all the way for raising
awareness for the cause, and RBCDEXIA Recreation Committee 2011 for
joining hands in the fundraising project in honour of Reach Out
Malaysia.
A
very special thank you to my confidante, Nithia Gayathri, who never
failed to call and/or text to find out how am I doing everyday, and was
there when I broke down in Monjo. Thanks for always being there, and
keeping me focused during the entire length of the journey, and for so
much more. You're just amazing.
On
Everest Base Camp I benefited from the friendship of Sarah (Adventure
Coach ), Sherpas from Adventure Consultants, Jessica Fernandez, Bo
Ballhaus, Brendan 'Dan ' Donehue, Aadesh Gosrani, Ben Broadbent, Rajman
Khabas, Aiselu Rai Sherpa, Jeannine Strohbeck, Alex, Breekh Bahadur Rai
Sherpa, Rebecca Ducrow, Nicole Braun, Dr Ahmed Shakeeb, Jeremy Nelms,
Alissa Nelms, Rebecca Byrne, Max, Gurmin Sherpa, Dil Sherpa, and Khan.
Kuna Rajandran
SEREMBAN, MALAYSIA
April 2011
