Surreal Chomolungma

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: Mount Everest — the name is enough to send the soul of every mountaineer and trekker, searing into wafer-thin environs, into vast empty spaces sans oxygen. For, to think of even going there and being a part of its surroundings, let alone summitting it, is considered an act of foolish bravery.

Everest Base Camp was a dream which lingered in my sub-conscience for many years after I had initiated myself into Himalayan High Altitude Trekking. Fleeting images of Mount Everest looming in the horizon had multiple re-runs in my mind. The trek I eventually embarked on, however, was much more than I could have ever imagined and hoped for. The thought of reaching base camp was enough to propel me into a metaphysical overdrive where my spirit and the vastness of nature would collude to create experiences which would be fascinating, original and full of catharsis!

When Jayesh Morvankar called me towards the end of 2007 and proposed the EBC trek, I couldn’t refuse! I started my preparations in right earnest. Our group was a diverse mix of 11 individuals, with varied backgrounds and levels of trekking experience — from first timers to experienced heads. Jayesh, the leader and the head of Odati Adventures, had to shoulder the responsibilities of the group’s safety and eventually the promised success of the trek. We were his clients and our reaching the EBC was important to him and his business growth. It was a first time for him too.

The trek commenced from the mountain settlement of Lukla and it took us six back breaking days to reach the base camp. The altitude profile ranged from 8,497 feet to 18,199 feet across numerous mountain ranges.

Days two and three were the most arduous as we had to move higher from the browns and the greens into the whites and the blues. Nature had begun its dominance over man. Days four five and six were characteristically different. Mental strength was a much prized resource and possession at this point. As we got closer to the final point of the trek, the severity of nature increased manifold. Difficulty in breathing, sleeping in temperatures way below what our bodies could endure, waking up with frozen heavy heads and an aching dullness made us realise the dues we all had to pay to catch a glimpse of the mighty goddess Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for Mount Everest).