Surreal Chomolungma

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: last stretch from Gorap Shep to the EBC was an even greater physical and mental challenge for the group. It wasn’t uneventful either. Petite Trishla’s worsening headache which forced her to hire a helicopter at Lobuche (16,142 feet) and return to Kathmandu, my decision to walk light and cover the entire stretch to and fro without water which almost cost me my dream, Mandar and Tushar’s decision to return midway, Maria’s gritty determination which helped her reach base camp, Meera’s strenuous efforts at reaching base camp but not being able to, head guide Chandra’s brave decision to run back to Gorak Shep and return with hot soup for them as they ground to a standstill whilst returning, the snow storm that threatened to cover our tracks as we trekked back, my walking straight onto a frozen lake but for an impromptu deviation. Eventually just six of us reached the Everest Base Camp at 17,717 feet. The 30 minutes I spent there were the most surreal moments of my life. Everest had an extremely cathartic effect on me and I shed tears. I could finally put to rest all the mind games, all the in-built pressures, the expectations and the obsession that was Everest. At least that’s what I’d thought then. Now back home in the comfort zone after 18 days on the trek, I increasingly realise what I had fervently hoped would be the end was actually just the beginning of new journeys, of new quests, of dreams and visions in the Himalayas.