Hiking from Namche to Everest Base Camp

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Hiking from Namche to Everest Base Camp

Route

Namche – Dingboche – Everest Base Camp

Date

7th May 2008 - Wednesday

Coordinator

Participants

Rudra Pandey, Vishnu Kshetri, Surendra Nath Adhikari, Nishchal Shrestha, Aashish Dutta Koirala

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Date: May 07, 2008 Participants: Rudra, Nishchal, Surendra, Aashish, and Vishnu Route: Namche to Everest Base Camp Report By: EBC Team/Pallavi Caption: Nishchal/Pallavi Photos: Rudra and Nishchal, Day 6 Back at Namche, plagued by indigestion, Keshav gives up the journey while Rudra, Vshnu, Surendra, Aashish and Nischal set off for Tengoche. “………. All of sudden I had painful headache, non-stop diarrhoea, problem with breathing, vomiting ….all of it at once . I felt like I would be dead before dawn. Somehow I passed all night in a marathon from bed to bathroom. All I could remember was my home, family and friends.” - As the accent continues, the air becomes thinner and thinner. Continuous hiking over the past few days has slowly started to take a toll on the hikers. The pauses become longer and with every single step forward the body longs more more of oxygen. As his heart keeps beating faster, Surendra wonders if breathing could ever have been so hard. “Every single heartbeat is a thudder on the eardrums.The air just doesn’t seem to reach the lungs; vaporizing somewhere inside I don’t know where.I wonder if I will even make it”-Surendra Adhikari Vishnu constantly encourages Surendra but at Tengboche Surendra gives up the trek after suffering from altitude sickness. Surendra is immediately air lifted.With Surendra airlifted and Keshav flown back, the remaining hikers continue to Dingboche. Lack of oxygen has started to take the toll on even the young blood in the team.Some of them can’t help but contemplate giving it all up. Somehow they move on ………………………. DAY7 Thukla, the next stop, is located at 4500m. Aashish, Vishnu and Nischal stay back as Rudra decides to move on to Gorshep to reach the Base camp the following morning. “The thin oxygen was very difficult to cope with. Something came to my rescue………….” – Rudra Pandey Rudra continues to trek pausing for brief Pranayam sessions once in a while. He is amazed at the way a routine Yoga exercise helps him endure at such high altitude. On his way up to the base camp and far from the corporate environment of Kathamandu and Waltham, Rudra savors his solitude speaking to his inner self – one more to go……. one step ahead…….. DAY8 Rudra finally makes it to Groshep and the base camp-his only companion being determination. As he hoists the flag and poses for a photograph a sense of achievement fills his veins.There are no words to describe the feeling, its absolutely awesome.All of a sudden the childhood days at his village, days at college, days at Russia, images of family members, colleagues and all others conjures up his mind. Rudra feels nostalgic as he remembers the days of winter vacations during his school, the days when he ranked first in ISC examinations, his stay at Moscow , his ‘relationship’ he had established at Artek, moving to US…………all of them. Rudra even recollects posing for a photograph with Appa Sherpa and wonders how it would have been possible for him to scale the Everest so many times that too without oxygen………..Rudra finds himself answering the question that he just asked himself –determination! Rudra moves on savoring the beauty and majesty of the mountains. “When I reached Base camp, I had the sense of accomplishment that I can’t describe in words. Not only I reached the camp ahead of everybody else in the team, I was ahead by about 30 hours. For a moment, I felt like I had completed one of the most difficult journeys of my life. Last 24 hours of the journey was really tough for me as I had not given enough days for acclimatization. My body was more accustomed to sea-level oxygen density and a couple of days after I reached Kathmandu, I had flown to Lukla. My head started to spin few minutes after I reached Lukla. I was bit nervous, but I was able to fight. I always enjoy journey thinking of destination. The pleasure of reaching destination always pushes me.” – Rudra Pandey Back at Lebuche, Aashish, Vishnu and Nischal set off for the base camp. “The overall length was not the matter it was the altitude. At 4000m it is a totally different experience. No sleep at night, loss of interest on food, bad dreams and headache with dizziness. ……… When I reached to Gorshep at height of 5140m I felt very dizzy. Never in my life had I experienced such a bad feeling. I was not even able to walk……….”-Nischal Shrestha Even the occasional jokes are limited now. Even the stock of chocolates and titauras has gone dry.“……..the trails and routes are not that difficult, it's just a matter of walking and climbing for about six or seven hours each day for about twelve or so days. The critical factor, however, is the altitude and the thin air. Not only does it have adverse effects on your body, but it also plays tricks with your mind. It is a known fact that if you are not careful, it will kill you.” – Aashish Dutta Koirala One can only feel the pounding of the heart complimented by the sighs and the whistle made by the breeze as it passes over one’s ears. The wind plays different sounds luring one ahead but at the same time teasing the tiniest alveoli in your lungs leaving them wanting for more-more of oxygen The guys finally make it to Gorshep where they meet Rudra on his way back.Rudra greets the guys with his experience of the base camp trail. DAY-9 Aashish, Nichal and Vishnu reach the base camp. A sense of pride and achievement fills their heart. Aashish looks at his broken sunglasses and wonders what to do with them and few minutes later puts them on. Vishnu has got a pleasant smile on his face and wonders if he would ever again change the hiking route (on Sundays)in the middle to follow an easier path. Nischal breathes a sigh of relief and is happy that he has managed to capture such scenes that people at D2 would envy all their life. Mission Accomplished!!! On their way back home, atop the rocks and glaciers, the guys manage to savor an Apple pie at Asian trek Bakery.“…..in Diboche on our way back from the Base Camp. While Nishchal and I trying to help some Aanis in the nearby Gumba life a concrete slab, I threw my back and could hardly walk. I managed however, to continously walk all day for the next two days. I never knew I had it in me!! My personal goal was to test my toughness.” –Aashish Dutta Koirala It’s almost impossible to relive those moments, feel the journey and see things through as you read it. Blogging is not my forte, neither do I have the literary and blogging skills like those possessed by Rudra Pandey, Hitesh Karki, Aashish and several others.This post is only a mediocre attempt to capture and relive the days lived by some fortunate few somewhere back in time.