Trekking Towards the Sky: A Personal Saga to Everest's Base Camp

1 January 2024

A year has passed, and upon reflection, I realised the importance of sharing something significant that I learned or rediscovered in 2023.

Following a life filled with adventures, like many others, I found myself entangled in the web of daily responsibilities. The demands of my professional and personal life continued to increase over time. The adrenaline rush I once experienced as a wildlife photographer now resides as sweet memories in the recesses of my mind. As I opened my dry box to inspect my camera and lenses, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that they were safely stored. The monotonous pattern of life had caused many of life's valuable lessons to gradually fade from my practical memory.

As I sit down to reflect on my 14-day expedition to Everest Base Camp, I can't help but rediscover how life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges our way. Sometimes, the detours we take teach us valuable lessons that we might not have learned on the well-trodden path. My journey to Everest Base Camp was one such experience that left me with a profound sense of growth and self-discovery.

Embracing Adaptability

We kicked off our journey in Kathmandu, linking up with a bunch of like-minded folks. The plan was to hop on a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, which boasts one of the world's most dangerous airports. But just as we were getting set for the adventure, our plans hit a snag: all flights got grounded for several days because of bad weather. The only way out was the classic route — a two-day ride by vehicle followed by two days of trekking to get close to Lukla. The trick? Embracing adaptability. Nature was our ultimate guru, always reminding us how crucial it is to stay flexible.

During those 14 days of the expedition, there was discomfort everywhere, right from the get-go. Whether it was the super rocky ride on the back of a truck, tackling those rough off-road tracks to reach Bupsa, or the extra miles I had to walk, dealing with messy washrooms, the lack of oxygen, and that relentless, harsh weather — everything felt like it was designed to be as uncomfortable as possible.

It is very tempting to turn back. But if we keep going, we'll find that we're stronger than we thought. And as we get closer to our goals, we start to appreciate the little things more. The more we let go of the things that weigh us down, the easier it is to move forward.

One Foot in Front of the Other

Climbing was hard, both my legs and brain hurt. I stopped looking at the top and just put one foot in front of the other. It went slowly, but I made it. That's how anything gets done, little by little. Finding Nemo's Dory may have had a memory like a goldfish, but her "Just keep swimming" advice was pure gold. It's a reminder that no matter how lost or discouraged we feel, we can always keep moving towards our goals, one fin stroke at a time.

The Power of Teamwork

Completing the 140 kilometres of hiking, both reaching the destination and returning, was truly a teamwork effort. We leaned on each other for support, encouragement, and occasional assistance. When someone lagged behind, we slowed our pace, reciprocating the same kindness when we faced similar situations. This whole thing just made me even more convinced about how powerful teamwork is and how we can bounce back stronger when we all pitch in towards a common goal.

Every encouraging cheer, every helping hand, every shared joke added a splash of colour to our journey. And when we finally reached the peak, arms linked and hearts brimming, it wasn't just the destination that felt conquered; it was the fear, the doubt, and the distance we traversed together.

Reaching Base Camp

Amidst all of these experiences, the pure elation you feel upon reaching Everest Base Camp is unparalleled. Tears welled up in my eyes, streaming down as an overwhelming expression of emotion.

Man, that journey really stirred up a bunch of old memories and taught me some valuable stuff. I chilled out, did some thinking. When I got back to the daily grind, I started wondering: Do we really need ambition in our careers? In everything else, too? Maybe all this chasing after things is watering down what life's really about. Maybe we ought to be more deliberate about how we shape our ambitions.

Maybe another journey will shed light on these questions…

The Route We Travelled

Day 1: Thamel → Ramechap → Salleri (12 Hours' Drive)
Day 2: Salleri → Bupsa (8 Hour offroad drive & 1 hr Walk)
Day 3: Bupsa → Chauri Karka (18.5 KM)
Day 4: Chauri Karka → Namche Bazar (18.22 KM)
Day 5: Acclimatisation day — Walk to Everest View Hotel (6 KM)
Day 6: Namche Bazar → Thengboche (11.5 KM)
Day 7: Thengboche → Dingboche (10.8 KM)
Day 8: Acclimatisation day — Hiked the nearby mountain (4 KM)
Day 9: Dingboche → Lobuche (8.95 KM)
Day 10: Lobuche → Gorekshep → EBC → Gorekshep (11.78 KM)
Day 11: Gorekshep → Pangboche (18.84 KM)
Day 12: Pangboche → Monju (18.6 KM)
Day 13: Monju → Lukla (12.19 KM)
Day 14: Lukla → Ramechap → Thamel