My Everest Dreams

Trekking Route - Lukla - Everest Base Camp - Chola Pass - Gokyo - Lukla

Me, Kiran, Akhilesh, Vikram & Urshmitha

On October 15, 2010 I began my journey to Nepal from Mumbai, India. I trained rigorously for six months in the gym, running outdoors, and hiking mountains around Pune along with strict diet to get in perfect shape for this trek. This adventure was a life changing experience. I would like to thank God first of all, my family, friends, and the entire staff of Nepal Trek Vision for making this possible. Akhilesh, Kiran, Urshmita, and Vikram were my trekking buddies from Pune and we decided together to do this Everest trek.

After driving from Pune to Mumbai on 14th October, we took the Jet Airways morning flight to arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal (KTM) at noon on October 15th. Prem, from my travel company, Nepal Trek Vision met us at the KTM airport. He took us to the Hotel Blue Horizon in Thamel region of KTM. As expected the buildings, people, noise, not to mention the smog and traffic jams of the city was very similar to any Indian city. At the lobby we were given a warm reception and I was quite pleased to read FREE INTERNET and WI FI for all Hotel guests (although the state of the computers was much worse than what most of us used a decade ago). After some refreshments our guide Prem ran through the details of our trek providing all necessary details; although our focus became stronger only when he stressed on the Inclusions and Exclusions in our tour package. Evening time we strolled into Thamel area (which eventually became my favorite hangout). Kathmandu’s famed tourist district chocked with cycle rickshaws and street hustlers was known for its great shopping, tones of cafes, bars, tour companies, money exchanges etc and they ran through the many by lanes of Thamel.

Day 2 – 16 Oct 2010: KATHMANDU

Early in the morning we got up to take a 16 seater mini propeller plane to the start of our trek to Everest region at the village of Lukla. I was a bit nervous because I had read and heard so much about the landing strip of one of the most dangerous airports in the world. But as fate would have it on reaching the airport we were told that the weather in Lukla was bad and due to unclear weather; flights often don’t take off from Kathmandu. We waited and waited …and waited until we were told “All flights cancelled for the day”. Later in the evening we went to Pashupatinath, the most sacred Shiva temple in Kathmandu, also attended the open Arti ceremony.

Day 3 – 17 Oct 2010: KATHMANDU

Fresh start to a new day and we reached the airport even earlier today hoping to get the first few flights out; but only to find out that a flight landing at Lukla was diverted back because of rains / foggy weather conditions. The trekking company was as disappointed as us and on our way back to the Hotel we realized that our previous Hotel was fully occupied and we were left hunting for a decent hotel for the night. Though we shortly found another, it was a mere adjustment and barely enough to keep all our Everest spirits from drowning. Dinner at a great place where Everest beer and Sheesha kept company for some in the group. Back to the hotel with joint prayers we crashed hoping for a clear morning.

Day 4 – 18 Oct 2010: KATHMANDU

6 Am in the morning we got up and rushed to the airport in desperate measures, though the weather still looked overcast. This time around we were woefully concerned and thus attempted a seat in a private helicopter. Although the price was 4 times that of a flight, no other option seemed possible as our dreams of the Everest were starting to diminish. All day we ran behind the Nepalese officials to book a helicopter for us almost ignorant of our flight status. When the weather started detoriating further we knew for sure the helicopter was our only way ahead. We were told the chopper could fly at much lower heights and could avoid most of the heavy clouds en route to Lukla. After many tense hours with the officials and heated discussions with other trekkers regarding pricing, everything was sorted and the chopper arrived. We were given our boarding passes, bags loaded and we were taken into the boarding room. Just when I convinced myself that the worst was behind us the Nepalese official took me in a corner and said, “we are sorry we have received instructions from the captain it is unsafe to fly the chopper either”. My world was crashing in front of me and worse, I was entrusted with the task of sharing the news with the remaining 24 chopper inmates. Germans, Canadians, Hungarians and Polish made up for the other trekkers. One Hungarian, one Polish and I then requested to see the captain of the helicopter; surprisingly the officials agreed and drove us in a car 15 mins away on the runway of the airport for a meeting with the captain. That by itself was the most exciting thing to happen to me in KT yet. (Dodging planes moving on the airport en route for a meeting with the captain) Alexander, a Russian ex fighter pilot, the captain of our flight, looks at us calmly while we were vividly tensed. Only after completing and flicking his cigarette butt he explains to us that he just returned from Lukla and the dense clouds were already at very low levels making it dangerous to fly. He was surprisingly more friendly than we expected and after a few camera shots from the cockpit we hurried off to see our friends who were impatiently awaiting our return.

Dissapointed passengers at KTM airport

Our Captain explaining its unsafe to fly

The good news however was that all our bags loaded into the helicopter and we were promised the first ride out at 6 am next day. Yet again we return dejected from the airport this time sans any luggage or toiletries etc
At Thamel we wandered around, bought some essentials, took cycle rickshaw rides to interesting spots and after a hurried dinner decided to crash early in anticipation of our biggest day tomorrow. On the way back from dinner Prem explained to me that he would be unable to come with us to Lukla and that another guide from the same company Kim, would be awaiting us at Lukla airport. Also mentioned that for any reason if we cannot go to Lukla tom we should change our trekking route and head to Annapurna circuit/ Annapurna Base Camp Trek (no matter how beautiful or spectacular he tried to explain the trek was, I was clearly not paying heed and kept my focus purely on the Everest ONLY) I anyways nodded and let him off.

Day 5 - 19 Oct 2010: KATHMANDU – LUKLA – PHAKDING - MONJO

Spirits soaring high we left our Hotel at 5 am for the airport and were not surprisingly greeted with a serpent forming line at the airport of desperate trekkers like us. Many trekkers had actually made other plans, some headed to the other peaks, some cancelled their trips and returned to their countries though some like us remained persistent. Though the line was forming since 5 am the airport doorway opened only at 6 am. Once opened, our (not so dependent) Nepalese official quietly whisked us inside the airport and before realizing it we were inside the boarding room staring at the runway in delight.

Jammed inside

Our Helicopter

Once, all the inmates gathered together, we were driven away in the airport bus to the chopper awaiting us at around 7 AM. Honestly, the chopper was far from impressive; it was dented remains of the Indian army, as big as a school bus and looked like it had been fit together at some local welding shop. The flight officials handed out cotton butts to stuff our ears and the chopper finally soared into the air with a head splitting roar. The floor and end of the chopper was piled with duffel bags, backpacks and boxes. We were jammed into random seating facing inwards, knees pushed against each other. The deafening sounds of the turbine engines made conversation out of the question, although we got some great photography from our windows. It wasn’t a comfortable ride but no one dared to complain. I was relieved when we finally landed after a 35 minute flight. Lukla was very different from the hustle and bustle of KTM. It was cool and the air was pure. We finallly began our trek we have been dreaming of. Kim our guide introduced himself to us and we moved to Namaste Lodge in Lukla where we had some good toast and eggs for breakfast. From Lukla the way up was through the spectacular Dudh Kosi river and excellent paths besides its banks. We shortly arrived at Phakding in 3 hours where we were originally meant to spend our first night but because of the loss of days we decided to toil further until our first night halt. The trail from Phakding was great and we saw about a dozen homes and lodges crowded onto a level ground on a slope above the river. A late lunch and another couple of hours later we reached Monjo where we would spend the first night of our trek. The air suddenly had a chilly sting as night fell, and we all cuddled near the heated furnace in the center of the lodge.

Dudh Kosi River

Monjo to Namche

Day 6 - 20 October 2010: MONJO - NAMCHE

Next morning Kim informed us our trek was going to be physically strenuous and long as well. So after some good breakfast we headed north. After a few hours of trekking the sun rose high and temperatures soared again as we kept peeling off layer by layer of clothes. By late noon we’d crossed some wobbly footbridges suspended high over the Dudh Kosi river. The ‘hanging bridges’ as they were called was quite an experience and was crossed likewise by all - guides, porters, trekkers, and also Yaks ! Squeezed into a corner to allow the oncoming Yak to cross, the experience often went from joyous to petrifying in couple of seconds.

Aerial View of Namche

People unfamiliar with the demography of the region often assume all Nepalese are Sherpas when in fact I was told there are no more than 20000-25000 Sherpa’s in a country of a population of 20 million. Sherpas are mountain people basically Buddhists, who originally migrated from Tibet 4-5 centuries ago. There are in fact some sherpa villages scattered in Sikkim and Darjeeling in India but the heart of Sherpa country is the Khumbu (valleys in the Mount Everest) Additionally, because most sherpas lived for generations in villages between 10000 and 15000 feet they were physiologically adapted to the rigors of high altitude.

To handle the growing traffic from the Western climbers and trekkers new lodges and teahouses are springing up across the Khumbu region, but the new construction is especially evident in Namche Bazaar. On the trail of Namche I passed countless porters headed up from forests carrying wood, oil and other necessities to feed the many trekkers. Longtime visitors to the Khumbu region are saddened by the boom in tourism and the change it has brought to the entire region. Local teens hanging out in Namche carrom and internet cafes are more likely to wear Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts than the traditional robes. Although this transformation of culture is certainly not for the best, my guide Kim thinks otherwise. Hard currencies from trekkers and climbers, as well as grants from international organizations have funded schools and medical clinics, built footbridges and brought electric power to Namche and other villages.After many hours of sweat dripping off my chin, finally arrived at Namche and was more than pleasantly surprised with what I saw. Internet Cafes, Coffee Shops & Bakeries (Italian ILLY Expresso coffees were great) laundry services, shopping (clothes, souvenirs, trekking equipment etc).Except the height (11,300 feet) I did feel I was lost in one of the smaller by lanes of Thamel (KTM)

We had a great stay in Yak Lodge and were spoilt with the facilities on offer. (Electricity and power point in rooms, clean beds with big windows and the common toilet and wash basin was surprisingly clean with running water) The food was great too and after a few hours of rest, I headed up to trek to the Mount Everest View Hotel. (The rest of the group decided to skip this trek but i wouldnt want to miss the views from up there for anything)

First Views from the Everest View Hotel

This hotel is one of its kinds in Namche and has the first direct views of the Mount Everest. A surprisingly steep climb and couple of hours above the village I arrived at the most breathtaking view. Two thousand feet below me, the Dudh Kosi river flowed silently through the valley and approx Ten thousand feet above me soared the Ama Dablam (3rd highest peak in the world) and approx Seven thousand feet even higher dwarfing Ama Dablam was the icy thrust of the Mount Everest itself, almost hidden behind the Nuptse (4th largest peak). Condensation streamed from the Everest summit like frozen smoke and the view left me gazing in disbelief. Turning my attention towards my watch I knew it’s going to get dark soon and without further delay ran down the peak in 30 mins literally to reach the hotel in almost darkness. I was very tired after a long day, had an early meal and retired to bed.

Day 7 – 21 Oct 2010: NAMCHE - TENGBOCHE

Unfortunately, Vikram fell sick in Namche and although his condition improved from the night, it was still far from perfect. However after a good breakfast we left for our next destination - Tengboche. Today again was supposed to be a long and steep climb especially towards the end of the trek. An hour into the climb and Vikram felt uneasy and started throwing up along with a heavy head; choice less he started his descent back to Namche. This was the first instance of any of us experiencing HAS (High Altitude Sickness) and was a warning to the rest of the group to follow all instructions carefully and be wary of any symptoms.

Departing Namche

Enroute to Tengboche

We took off hiking to Tengboche village. It was another steep climb and some beautiful trails en route too. The skyline boasted of peaks that I had been reading for about a year. Because some of our gear was carried by human porters, my own backpack held basically essentials (jacket, toiletries, 2-3 liters of water, sunglasses, chocolates and my camera). We all trekked at our own pace and unburdened I was caught in the simple joy of walking alone in an exotic country. Often, I fell into a kind of trance but the euphoria seldom lasted for long. Sooner or later I’d remember where I was headed and the effect that the Everest had cast across my mind would snap me back into attention. I paused often for refreshments at trailside teahouses and often chatted with passerby’s. I frequently found myself travelling in the company of big groups and single trekkers likewise, all with a common mission who wore the same excitement on their faces.
Ok, so the final part of our trek today was climbing the hill up to Tengboche. As usual, it was a grinder but with some perseverance and determination (oh, and some Snickers bars) we made it up. It was becoming quite evident that there was less oxygen in the air with each passing day as we got higher and higher. But for now, we could rest in Tengboche. When i arrived at Tengboche village it was raining. The village was very small. Made up of 4-5 lodges in all. It soon stopped raining and we were treated to some of the best views of Mt Everest and Ama Dablam so far. We all got in some great camera shots. One of the attractions in Tengboche is a very nice Buddhist monastery. It's quite a spectacular place to have a monastery with the mountains all around. They actually had a procession (I'm not sure what else to call it) going on in the main room (I'm not sure what else to call this either) when we arrived. As is customary we removed our shoes and went in. We weren't actually allowed to take photos in here (ummm sorry for disobeying!!). There were lots of colour especially red and gold, also a huge golden statue of Buddha at the front and the place was decorated from ceiling to walls, mostly with detailed paintings.

Tengboche Monastery

There was of course a lot of chanting going on. I didn't understand what they were saying, or the significance, but it was beautiful all the same. After a day of trekking and especially the uphill battle to Tengboche, it was fantastic to experience the environment of this monastery and witness this procession in person. For me that truly was a great way to cap off the day.No running water at Tengboche. Toilet was a hole in the ground with a bucket to pour down water and a western style toilet which did not flush. I was looking forward to what the next village brought. Tired and sweaty I longed for a hot shower. The severe cold and feeble effort of what defined my “hot shower” left me spellbound, though somehow still feeling better. I slept really badly at night. Sleeplessness is a common symptom of altitude sickness, as your body has to adjust breathing due to the lack of oxygen in the air.

Day 8 – 22 October 2010: TENGBOCHE - DINGBOCHE

The daily routine was a wake up at around 6 am and breakfast at around 7 am and then a departure at around 8:00am. Lunch was either along the route or at the next village. Dinner was at around 6:30pm. The food was basically the same in all the teahouses. Above Namche, the facilities were very limited. Running water and electricity were scarce. We departed to the next village of Dingboche.

Today was a steady four hour walk to Dingboche. Once again it was very misty, but today I didn’t mind. The first part of the walk was a few hundred meters downhill through stunning cloud-forest. The mist only added to the fairytale-like atmosphere. The last few kilometers were a steady climb from 3700 to 4410 meters, which brought me above the tree line for the first time. It wasn’t a particularly strenuous climb, at least, not compared to the climb to Namche or Tengboche, but today was the first time that the altitude started affecting me. Fortunately I only had mild symptoms, but as we reached our destination I felt a bit dizzy. Took a paracetamol, spent a few hours in bed, reading and listening to music, which helped making me feel better.

Unlike the villages which we had visited so far, Dingboche is still very much a traditional village. Sure, there are many guesthouses as well as the obligatory Internet café and a bakery, but the village itself is still decidedly rural. The whole village is divided in small patches of farmland, yaks roam through the streets freely and locals are working on the land or collecting yak dung for fuel, rather than hanging out in pool cafes like it was the case in Phakding and Namche.

We were now at 4410 meters and the next day shall acclimatize by breaching the 5000m mark for the first time before returning here. Also we heard from Vikram today, he felt much better and was diagnosed for water related issues at Namche. He would be joining us tomorrow in Dingboche on our rest day. Electricity was powered by solar and it was scarcely available, so basically after sunset we had to rely purely on our head torches. Had an early dinner and crashed around 8PM.

Day 9 – 23rd October 2010: DINGBOCHE ACCLIMITAZATION

Today was an acclimatization day thankfully. An opportunity to rest after the fairly hectic previous two days. (YA RIGHT!! We soon would realize)

Oxygen levels were low; I did have a little trouble breathing overnight, but did manage to have a very sound sleep, felt refreshed when I woke up in the morning. I knew it was near freezing weather outside and didn't want to go out till the sun was out. And also, we had to go all the way to the dining hall to wash our faces as there was no basin near any of our rooms. Long way for me at least, as I had my room at the other end. Today was the acclimatization day, would have been great had we not needed to venture out and trek some peak. Soon, Kim told us to get ready by 8 to start summit the peak just behind our hotel. We just had a look at the peak and it really looked like a small hike after doing Namche and Tengboche. I instantly thought we'd come back in half an hour. Neither of us had any idea what’s in store for us. We had to gain over 600m to reach Nagarjuna Peak. Vikram was on his way from Namche and Kiran, Urshmita and Akhilesh joined on this trek (Akhilesh and Urshmita returned back at different times as they didn’t feel too good)

All was well, and we were moving at a decent pace, taking very tiny breaks every now and then. To be frank, the terrain was getting really tough. As we were climbing up, i had some problems in breathing. We had to really struggle in the final 15 mins, as there was hardly any route. We had to literally do some rock bouldering. As I reached the summit of the peak, I could see handful of trekkers (staying at the same lodge as me) smiling and welcoming me at the top. They helped me with a few pictures too. A breathtaking view at the top, we could see many mountains all around but ‘Ama Dablam’ was the closest. This truly is one of the fantastic climbs for acclimatization. You almost climb to the level of Ama Dablam Base Camp (which is actually visible from there on a clear day). The pano view of Ama Dablam, Makalu, and Island Peak is just breathtaking from the Summit. Reached our hotel by 2PM, after few hours of strenuous trek, gorged on lunch and then soaked myself in whatever sun was available. We were overjoyed to meet Vikram; who joined us back here at lunch time. He seemed stronger and more at ease now.

Used the only Internet Café of the village (small hut but no place to stand inside, crowded with trekkers desperate to get on their emails) 20 RS a MIN!! A rip off for that unbelievably slow speed. Few were seen arguing that their mails didn’t open and shouldn’t be charged. During the walk I got friendly with this group of 8 from different parts of the globe; one of them was from Bangalore, who happened to be staying at the same lodge as I did. Also, an English family (or rather, a mother-daughter and her friends) who we sat with after dinner and had some discussions regarding the trek and our respective countries. Once again I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food at the lodge. For dinner I had ordered a Sherpa Stew, which is basically a soup with whatever leftovers one can find thrown in. It had plenty of vegetables, as well as noodles, and rice. Very filling and definitely providing sufficient fuel to burn on the trek.

Day 10 – 24th October 2010: DINGBOCHE - LOBUCHE

Today sees our team trek from Dingboche to Lobuche. The last two days and nights were spent in Dingboche and this 48 hour period forms a vital part of the acclimatization schedule for this trip. Dingboche is situated at around 4400 meters right at the base of Ama Dablam with great views up the valley to Lhotse and Island Peak. Dingboche is also the altitude where we leave the tree-line so from here the landscape becomes progressively more barren. Another 7:30 AM start for the day with breakfast and on the trail by 8:00 AM. Finally a perfectly clear day. After an initial climb out of Dingboche, we came upon a wide sandy plateau above the Khumbu Khola. Below us we could see the river and Pheriche - an alternative stop to Dingboche on the way up towards Base Camp. Views of the mountains in all directions were superb. Took lots of photos (probably too many) and then ascended slowly to Dughla at 4630m (15190 ft) for a tea/lunch stop. Then a long, steepish ascent up to the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. The final 2 hours to Lobuche are a continuous push, up a steeper slope which flattens out at a site known as the monuments. Urshmita was painfully suffering by now, the altitude had made her weak and she struggled to get to the top. Even Vikram was struggling with the thin air and weakness made his trek up painful. At the top was a memorial site to many sherpas and climbers who had perished on Everest throughout the years. Most people take some time to reflect here before heading further up the valley. The most famous being the one to Scott Fisher who was immortalized in Jon Krakauer's book “Into Thin Air”. Another few hours of trekking and we reached Lobuche - 4910m (16109 ft) around 5 PM - from a trekking perspective it not the toughest walk but due to altitude issues most of us were suffering.

Helped by our guide Kim and also Kiran we barely managed to get Urshmita to Lobuche. On arrival her condition deteriorated and was looking quite bad (In our minds we were almost convinced this must be the end of the trip for her). Other trekkers too at the lodge were feeling pretty lethargic from the altitude. These all were clearly signs of altitude sickness. Nothing major but enough to be of some concern. I popped a Diamox tablet too, to help with the altitude tonight and was also suffering from a severe headache. If I sat up too quick my head reeled and vertigo set in. Dinner came at 6:30 PM as usual and mostly everyone headed to the cold bedrooms soon after as tomorrow was the ultimate goal of the trek, Everest Base Camp, and this meant an early morning start (6:00 AM).

One final note – Lobuche was by far the worst location I stayed at in my entire trek. Lodges here were more dirty and grimy than others we had stayed in. Rooms were very cold and breezy which made an uncomfortable night at altitude even more so. Food was not as good as other places and I wasn't holding a high standard in the first place. Not that I was traveling for the accommodations, but Lobuche was definitely the roughest of the nights I had in Nepal.

Day 11 – 25th October 2010 LOBUCHE – GORAKSHEP – EVEREST BASE CAMP

The night at Lobuche was restless and uncomfortable. Sleep by now had become elusive, a common symptom of altitude sickness. Most nights like last night I would wake 3-4 times gasping for breath, feeling suffocation. I was up shortly after midnight and couldn't get comfortable to fall back into a good sleep which was necessary for what was to be a long, long day. However, in the morning Urshmita headed southwards with a porter, and Vikram (although not feeling much better) after much debate, decided to carry on trekking with us to Gorak Shep.

The first stage of the trek from Lobuche to Gorek Shep was mostly easy walking (other than the fact that we were crossing 5000m (16500 ft) of elevation. We started below the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and gradually ascended. Then came the crossing of some other glacier(s). At first there was a steep section of climbs up onto the glacier and then a series of rocky and occasionally icy ups and downs, which at 5000+ meters was a real pain (and would prove to be even more of a pain later when we were descending). But we finally passed across and then a short descent brought us to Gorek Shep (5140m - 16863 ft).

It was still quite early on arrival at Gorek Shep (12:00 PM) but our day wasn't nearly done yet. We checked our bags into the lodge; ordered some hot tea to warm up, had some early lunch and stocked up on additional cereal bars as needed for fuel; before heading off to the EBC. Vikram decided to not tread further, while Akhilesh, Kiran and I took off to the Base Camp .The trail kept winding side by side, up and down along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier before eventually stepping out onto the glacier itself. The walk across the moraine was very tough, going up and down over large rocks all the time. By this stage we were at an altitude of over 5 kilometers, where the oxygen in the air is only half of what it is at sea level. The oxygen deprivation, the freezing cold, the tough track - it was a draining experience. The views on the way were magnificent though. Landscape is always remarkable; i love the silence that accompanies the area, absolutely dead silent. Sometimes you can hear falling rocks or ice from the glacier. It's nice not to hear voices and cars. For most of the time we walked right beneath the magnificent 7861m Nuptse peak, with the pyramid shaped top of Everest just peeking above its ridge. Strangely enough you can't see Everest from the base camp - by that time it disappears entirely behind Nuptse.

After a final push I dragged myself to the Everest Base Camp. At this level I am definitely feeling the effects of the sub zero temperatures and thin air, there is less than 50% of the oxygen than at sea level. It will be like functioning on one lung, but we’re feeling exhilarated to finally reach the base camp of Sagarmatha / Chomolungma (in Nepalese and Tibetans languages respectively) The Mother Goddess of the World - The Mount Everest. A reason why it is small is because it’s on the glacier, and with the glacier moving all the time, base camp has to be re-located and setup. We had been told many times that all there was at base camp was a sign and ice fall, it didn't sound glamorous at all, but once we got there; with the glacier, snow, mountains and base camp itself, it's actually all that and more, absolutely fantastic. The views from base camp are still spectacular and amazing.

Getting back to Gorak Shep from Base Camp was a little faster. Maybe it was from the excitement of reaching Everest Base Camp or the fact that we were excited to be heading down in altitude. On the way back i started to feel a bit sick and had a small headache, so just to be safe I popped another Diamox. It seems that i get worse when I'm dropping in altitude rather than heading up. But we finally got back to Gorak Shep and had some garlic soup for dinner.

DAY 12 – 26th OCTOBER 2010: GORAKSHEP – KALAPATTHAR - DZONGLA

The alarm sounded at 4:15 AM, but I had been awake most of the night tossing and turning restlessly after only a few short hours of sleep from the sheer exhaustion that accompanied yesterday's nearly 10 hours of trekking. When I woke up I was starting to set in with some dry cough. I snucked out of the room quietly so as not to wake my roommate, Akhilesh, who was not going to make the climb to Kala Pattar. In fact only Kiran and I were going to attempt the Kala Pattar. We started the climb in pitch darkness with our head lights and it was steep immediately as we attacked the mountainside of Kala Pattar. It was freezing cold – A friend’s device read the outside temperature at -13 degrees C when we first started climbing. As we continued upwards the Everest finally graced us with its presence coming out from behind Nuptse. And then slowly the sun cleared the mountains as it rose over the Everest and favored us with some immediate views. It was still freezing and worse whenever I paused for a drink of water I could feel some ice sloshing around in my water bottle (which I filled with hot water when we started!!!) The thin air made it feel even colder. Kiran was nearly exhausted and dropped pace but kept pushing forward.

As I neared the top, it became a rocky scramble to the last 50m or so of vertical ascent to the top. On seeming the summit I pushed on as fast as my screaming lungs would let me. I forcefully hyperventilated myself all the way up. There is less than 50% oxygen levels at Kala Pattar, and my body was feeling it. It was probably one of the toughest things I have ever done and pushing myself to be up the hill didn't help either. The higher I got the more I felt like passing out. I reached the very top trying desperately to catch my breath the whole way. My legs weren't as tired but I was totally stuffed. After I summited I sat on a rock and rested(I didn't think I was going to recover). After few minutes I was able to slow my breathing down and then climbed right to the top rock trying not to get tangled in the mess of prayer flags. I was extremely careful at this point because I was still dizzy from the altitude and was looking down a 600ft sheer cliff.

The views from the top were superb. A wide view of Everest was visible in the early morning light. An entire panorama of the mountains we had seen throughout the week (Ama Dablam, Kantega, Thamserku, Tabuche, Cholatse, and Pumori) surrounded us up and down the valley. We could also see up and over Lho La (Pass) into Tibet (China) only a few short kilometers away. After taking few photos it was time for me to descend as the cold had made my feet numb and started swelling. What had taken almost 2 hours going up took less than 40 minutes going down, a story that would prove achingly similar over the next few days.

This however was the end of my trip with my friends from Pune. They were heading back and I decided to push further. A group of 6 Hungarians and 3 Germans who had been accompanying our group most part of our trek from Lukla onwards were next heading to the Cho-la Pass and Gokyo Peak. We packed our packs and left Gorak Shep, and I carried on to Dzongla with my new group. We passed yet more beautiful mountains and glaciers that can’t be described with words. We arrived at Dzongla at 6:30pm to sloppy weather and threatening clouds. Tomorrow was the dreaded Chol-La Pass. The lodge was probably as bad as in Lobuche and as expected. No electricity, No water, No toilets and scarce decent food

Day 13 – 27th October 2010: DZONGLA – CHOLA PASS – THAGNAK – GOKYO village

Dzongla was around 4850 high, a lot lower than what we had been but we still didn't sleep that well. Worried about the weather we had that night we all got up at 4:30am with mixed feelings about what was in front of us. I had shared room with another Hungarian, Saltan who is now a good friend. He actually spoke the best English in his group which made it more comfortable for me. After a quick porridge we all left together to tackle the tricky Cho-La pass. We all agreeing to stick together over the Cho-la, it made everyone feel more comfortable that they wouldn't be alone in this dangerous place. Only 2 weeks prior, a porter got killed from falling rocks so everyone was uneasy about the whole thing.

The only one that didn't seem nervous was our guide Raaj. But shortly after we started walking up, it was getting hard for the group to keep up. Raaj wanted to get over the pass asap and was concerned about the melting glaciers at the pass. Leaving Dzongla by 5:00 AM we all powered up the hill. As we gained altitude the weather started to clear from the surrounding mountains. The sun came out increasing the chances of melting glacial ice that would release massive boulders and rocks onto the pass. We scale up a 100 ft high rocky crevice that led to the top of the glacier. Honestly the taller men found it easier to climb; our long legs provided the extra lengths to reach the next rock above, while others struggled to keep up because of the distance between the high rocks. We were up at 5300m high by this time and it was hard, harder than EBC and Kala Pattar maybe. By the time we summited, all of us were sweating and panting hard from the high altitude and stress of climbing, our chests pumped in rhythm with our hearts, breathing rapidly was all we could do just to keep from fainting. We summated around 9:30am and looked back to a stunning view of the valley below. Ama Dablam was a prize with incredible views of cloud bands layering across her. We had to rest 5 minutes before we even had the energy to take out our cameras for photos. Raaj, screamt a word in Nepali that indicated “Let’s Go!” some hardly got a rest. We then walked to base of one of the most dangerous part of Cho-La, this is the hill face on the left hand side that contained a quarry of pebbles, stones, rocks and boulders, some as big as a car. Even Sir Edmond Hilary said in his book this was a dangerous pass.

There was debris everywhere from previous rock falls, they littered the glacier surface below and it looked a lot more frequent than what I had originally imagined. By the time we were at the base of the hill we were already exhausted again, with no time to think and unsure of what to expect I followed the rest of the group. I struggled over the rocks like a wounded animal while keeping one wary eye on the hill above, I tried to remain calm, I wanted to rest so bad but had to keep pushing, pushing, and pushing, I was so tired, it felt like I had a transparent plastic bag over my head, I could not get enough oxygen into my body, my chest felt like exploding. I could hear little stones tumbling down as if somebody was throwing them from the top. Just above me a small landslide the size of two basketballs slide down the hill, it stopped only few meters in front of me and spilled over the bigger boulders. This made me realize that it was best to get out of here quicker than what my body would let me, and this was enough to find some extra super human strength skipping across the next 50ft of boulders. Once I knew I was in the clear I collapsed on the slushy glacial ice trying to get my breath back. I lay down for as long as I could knowing that most of our group yet had to cross the dangerous pass. We understood how easy it was to have a life taken and we also learnt of how a porter lost his life only two weeks prior when he stopped to light up a cigarette. We weren’t out of danger yet. We still had to cross the glacier that we were all standing on. Raaj gave the order to hurry up and get moving; I didn't know Raaj that well until now and later when I did, he shared with us how anxious he really was on that day. The minute we were all safely passed Cho-la he sung for the entire group this Nepali song for the next 4 hours. After a day or two of listening to his song, even I started to hum the words not really knowing what they meant, but it was catchy enough to take my mind off the exhaustion. The ice crust was taxing to walk on; looking down all I could see was a river of melted ice under my very feet. It was an unnerving feeling walking. We did this for 500m or so until we reach the base. By the time we arrived at the base we were stuffed, it was like walking in soft sand, it sapped the last little bit of energy out of us. We had one more hurdle to cross, this was an ice cliff and it was faced with loose boulders putting us in danger once again. We had to cautiously climb the slippery path being careful not to dislodge any boulder or rock. We all managed to get through unscathed; so relieved that we had conquered the mighty Cho la pass and congratulated each other.

Spirits were high, it was all downhill from here but it wasn't over yet, we still had another 4hrs of walking and now a 100m cliff to scale down. It wasn't clear to us as first but the track was covered in invisible ice due to the mist we had the night before. It glazed the outside of the rock face like wet paint. One misplaced step and it would be all over. We were on the very edge of a cliff face that had ice everywhere, after Chola we laughed this off, it was just a minor hindrance but it was still dangerous. The next three hours were tough; until we finally made it to Thagnak after 8 tiring hours of trekking since morning (Thagnak is originally meant to be the night halt but because some in the hungarian group were in a hurry to complete the trek and return back home they pressed the rest of the group to toil further until the village of Gokyo; another 3 hours away for the night halt) Not all in the group were in extremely prime age or fitness and I didn’t think they might have all agreed. But after completing a late lunch all agreed to push until further (unbelievably I felt tired but yet ready to carry on too)

From Thagnak the route to Gokyo was after passing the enormous Ngozumba glacier. What seemed a relatively easy start to the end of the day was clearly misleading. Four of us moved ahead of the rest and were pretty sure were moving in the right direction. It ended up being the blind following the blind, we were lost. The trail took us to the edge of the glacial moraine, we looked out at the huge glacier, and we all agreed this looked like the way to go. Unlike the other glaciers we crossed, this one made more noise; it cracked, creaked and groaned under the enormous pressures of moving ice, colliding rocks and boulders. The final obstacle was a huge 150m high cliff that contained a steep trail out of the glacier and onto the Gokyo Hill. Once over the moraine we climbed a small hill giving us incredible views of the Gokyo Lake. The lake was a magnificent blue colour, almost like a tropical lake. We climbed back down the hill, losing all too often the altitude that we tried so desperately to accumulate, to finally reach Gokyo village, our night halt. By the time I had reached Gokyo my left foot had 3 blisters and right foot had 2 massive blisters already. I put band aid over them but unsure how much they would help.

Day 14 – October 28th 2010: GOKYO – GOKYORI – MACHERMO - DOLE

Somehow every night I slept, I had this feeling that today was the most gruesome and challenging day possible; yet almost every morning I woke up am a little more petfied of the challenges of the new day. I was thinking of excuses of not going up Gokyo Ri but ended up dragging my sorry ass out of bed (wake up was 5.45 and breakfast at 6.15 AM) . From this peak of 5357m (17575 feet), we should have a view of four of the world's 14 - > 8000m mountains, including Everest.

The hike starts out on time and I realize 5 of the group decided to skip the mighty challenge of the Gokyori (and had instead started the descent already) Weather was cloudy as I crossed the beautiful Gokyo lake just before reaching the base of the peak. The water colour was even more impressive close up; though the temperature was sub zero, it still looked inviting for a swim. The sun was shining on the white sand and the blue water had small waves breaking on the bank that were created from the wind. After climbing 90 minutes we're only 2/3 of the way up and worse yet, there are clouds everywhere, people are starting to come down disappointed. Since it's our only day available, we trudge on, climbing for the accomplishment more than the view. But as we get near the top, the wind shifts and the clouds begin to dissipate. Everything clears just as we are arriving up top and we have almost perfect sunshine and clear skies to observe the majesty of the Himalayas. When we saw the prayer flags we knew were practically at the top, we were so so relieved. The struggle to go the last 50 feet was excruciating but we did it and what a sight it was. We had just climbed about 600m vertical and we had views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu & Cho-oyu. The morning's climb was one of the most exhausting things I've ever done, but the panorama made it all worthwhile. It was the best view I have ever seen in my 29 years of being on this earth. After a thousand photos we walked back down Gokyo Ri, it only took about an hour to get down. Had we had some eggs for breakfast, packed our bags and started our decent around 11:00am leaving the thin altitude behind with every step. We followed a shallow incline trail passing Gokyo lake and the the 2nd and 1st lakes. We then walked through the valley up and down to reach the next major village called Machermo where we had lunch. As we dropped altitude the fog blanketed the valley and it was the last time we saw the mountains again until we flew out. We started to see trees again and started seeing more animals too.

By the time we got to Dole (our night halt) it was cold, foggy and wet. We had dropped 1000m in altitude and the air had never tasted so thick and sweet. Ordered some fried noodles for dinner which was great. Decided to take a ‘hot shower’ as it had been many days since I felt clean. It’s a true luxury if you can take a hot shower at this altitude .The "shower" is more of a large bucket with a tiny spout coming out of it. The lodge owners heat some water on the stove and pour it in the over head bucket for our use (this luxury lasts for about 10 mins). Actually I was real happy to be under the nice hot water but the struggle is managing to keep the entire body covered in the hot water at the same time (my left arm almost froze while the water kept my right arm company) Also, once I closed the valve releasing the water I was reminded of the bitter cold that was outside and had goose bumps all over my body. Then we sat around and listened to the lodge owner speak about his climbing days. Last year was his last year of climbing. He had previously been up as high as Everest base camp 4. He was sick of seeing his friends die climbing and wanted to concentrate on his family. He said the money was great but it was no good to him if he was dead. At this time I would find out that this would be my last day with the nine trekkers I had joined. On calling India from Dole, I found out that due to Diwali all flights flying to India were going full and my reaching India before Diwali looked suspect. My only aim was to now reach Kathmandu asap and then do everything possible to snatch a seat to India. I bid adieu to my Hungarian and German group, (I shared a lot with them in a short period although often we faced language barriers) exchanged contacts and retired to bed early as I knew the next day was going to be a struggle of sorts.

Day 15 – October 29th 2010: DOLE – PORTSE TENGA – MONGLA – NAMCHE – PHAKDING – LUKLA

I had the best sleep ever; the thick air filled my lungs making it hard to wake up. It was also a pleasure not to awake with a dry mouth. Yet I was up at 5 AM ready to get myself slaughtered today. My blisters hurt more now; and I knew, on descent because of the pressure applied on the feet they would swell further. However, ignoring the same, I started the walk with my porter, Kshitij who shared the weight I carried. Just an hour and half after I left, we reached the village of Portse Tenga where we hit a massive hill. We were at 3600m high and had to climb 4000m to reach the small village of Mongla after which we again needed to descend few hours to 3400m (Namche). I was not expecting this climb, the track had switch back after switch back and even though the air was thicker we had to push ourselves the whole way up. Once we reached the top after over an hour I knew the worse of it was over, we only had another couple of hours to walk before reaching Namche Bazaar losing altitude the whole way. Had some hot lemon tea at Mongla and immediately got back on my feet. I payed my respects to a Sir Edmond Hillary statue located inside one of his many schools before moving on.

Only then I had realized my blisters had become so sore that I could hardly move, and my next trek towards Namche (which was originally meant to be 2 hours ended me taking 3 and half hours) was going to be the most excruciating walk ever. Somehow, limping slowly, reached Namche. Checked in at an internet café to check the status of my flights, stocked up some snickers bars and spoke to my lodge owner in Lukla who had confirmed my local flight for next morning to Kathmandu. However, Lukla was still a minimum of 7 hours away (a distant reality), it was almost noon, and the pain in my feet was unbearable. I visited a local doctor who recommended some blister blasters and some pain killers. At a local medical shop met some British friends who I had met on our trek up to Dingboche, exchanged telephone numbers and decided to meet in Kathmandu (if I didn’t manage to fly back to India)

Had some quick fried rice at Buddha lodge and without an extra minute delay, departed Namche not knowing how far my feet are going to carry me. By now the effect of the pain killers had started showing and also the blasters were giving some relief. Taking advantage of this, I sped off with negligible halts. After couple of hours of swift descent, I had no choice but to ‘pop’ another painkiller as I could feel the effect reducing and I couldn’t afford to stop at any cost. I knew Lukla was still 4-5 hours ago and the pain from my feet was now shooting through my entire body. The only relief was because of the descent, the air was getting thicker and thicker and easier to breathe. Finally, reached Phakding at around 5pm and called my Lukla lodge owner again to remind him that I was on my way and that I should be arriving shortly. The Lodge owner expressed his concerns which I chose to ignore. (He advised that I should take a night halt at Phakding and leave at 5 AM next morning to reach Lukla by 8 AM in time for the flight.) Somehow I was against it, I knew my body was already pushed to such limits that I may go on for couple of hours more; but hoping to wake up at 4 AM the next day to trek up 3 hours again seemed far more impossible. Also once the effect of my pain killers ended I knew what I was in for the next morning.

The going was getting tougher. The last stretch from Phakding to Lukla was about 2.5-3 hours of mostly uphill climbing. By now the valley was almost lost in dense clouds and complete darkness, my feet were getting worse, and my many months of hard work of training was pushed to its fag limit. I was concerned and so was my porter. Doubting my own limits, I popped in the last Combiflam I was carrying, put on my head torch (was unsure if it would stay on for 3 hours, though I was now relieved paying double for the alkaline batteries) and together with my porter made my last brave effort to push beyond my own imagination. We toiled for 1.5 hrs in darkness, snapping by the last supplies of biscuits and water I had, and at the same time in my mind kept questioning my irrationality. My porter Khitij was a quiet guy and I didn’t really bother much about him for the last couple of weeks, but all of a sudden he was my only support and comrade in this hope. Shortly I knew all about him and his family (he thought I was insane to be attempting this marathon today!!) On route we saw three other local porters making their climb upto Lukla with torches as well, instantly Kshitij tells me that I should increase my pace for the last 1 hour and we should walk together with the others as its more safer that ways. Clearly I was struggling for breath in this uphill battle, whilst I watched in amazement how the porters kept rocketing ahead. The thought of not making it back to India flashed across my mind once more, which provided to be the final fuel to my fire to reach Lukla.

Finally at 8 PM and after 15 painful hours (of almost self destruction) I reached Lukla. The feeling honestly was greater than summiting any of the peaks I had achieved on this trek. Almost instantly I crashed in bed at Namaste Lodge.

Day 16 – October 30th 2010 LUKLA – KATHMANDU

Kshitij my porter (cum friend now) woke me at 7 AM from what was definitely, the most satisfied sleep I’ve had in years. I lay in bed unbothered, doors wide open, gazing at people running around trying to make their way to the airport which was merely a 100 meter walk from the Lodge. After some toast and coffee, collected my belongings and limped myself to the airport where I was given my boarding pass by the lodge owner. Around 10 AM boarded my flight from Lukla to Kathmandu, staring at the snow capped peaks from my window seat for a final time. The pain in my body though as severe; seemed less important now as I had achieved getting on this important flight to Kathmandu where I start my next battle of getting a seat on the flight to India.

Checked into the Hotel Magnificent View (no connection to the name) by late noon. The hotel seemed more like a palace compared to the humble huts I lived in for the last few weeks. Got into the room and was wowed with the inside. Jaguar fittings in the bathroom and carpeted rooms with a television!! A full length mirror and a proper hot shower after 2 weeks, I almost cried in disbelief. Chicken biryani for lunch followed by a nap (the good life). Unfortunately, my blister pains left me crippled in bed for the rest of the day (really didn’t complain much, the rest was great) Jet airways call center and travel agents in Kathmandu repeated the same thing to me time and again – No seats available to India until after Diwali. Simultaneously, I was talking to my travel agents in Pune & Mumbai and my uncle in Hongkong (owns a travel company). The owner of the my trekking company, Mr Keshav came to see me at the hotel and was shocked to know all that I had covered on my trek in the limited time on hand. Said I should not tell others as it was too risky and can have ill effects. He too tried to work flights out for me, but in vain.

Day 17 – October 31st 2010: KATHMANDU

My blister swellings had reduced and my drive to get out of the country was now in over desperate mode. A quick breakfast and few emails later was in a cab on way to the Jet Airways office. Explained to them my urgency, pleaded them to get me on today’s flight to India (Jet Airways flies to Mumbai once every day at 12pm). “First available flight is on 5th November, that too at a premium” came the reply after 1 hour of waiting. Dejected I left the office and went to 2 different travel agents in the same area who convinced me that even Business Class had no seats available and that I have no option but to wait till 5th November.

By now the fact was settling in that whether I like it or not, I have a few days to hang around in Kathmandu (could be anywhere from today up to 5th November) Went back to my favorite hangout, Thamel and wandered the streets like I did when I first arrived in Kathmandu. Went into a local trekking company and got all details for this most spectacular Bungee jump in the world, the 2nd largest in the world; 166m wide steel suspension bridge over the Bhote Koshi River. Located close to the Nepal-Tibet border, a three-hour bus ride from Kathmandu. I firmly decided to do it the next day as my chances on the flight looked suspect anyways. Met up with some trekkers in Thamel and did lunch, sheesha and some shopping too. Broadband internet kept me busy for most part of the evening after which I met up with the English group (I met couple of times during my trek). Decided to meet them (an army of 20) for dinner at one of the terrace restaurants after which we headed for drinks at a nearby English styled pub, Tom n Jerry’s. Had a great evening guzzling Everest beer and listening to Kanye West and Kesha after long!

Day 18 – November 1st 2010: KATHMANDU – INDIA

Woke up today and dumped all my belongings together and rushed for the airport. No, I did not have flight tickets but had decided to do whatever it takes to get on that flight at 12pm. I checked out from the hotel. (although I requested the manager to keep the same room for me and that I should be back in 2 hours) Reached the airport at around 10:30am and after some stress at the security gate (for no valid ticket) managed my way inside and arrived at the Jet Airways check in counter. I begged and pleaded and made the most genuine reasons (lied) as to why I need to get on that flight. After waiting for half an hour, I was asked to meet the manager of Jet Airways. Similarly I sold the same stories to him, waited again for a while after which manager said one seat available (some last minute No Show probably), you may be able to fly to India.

Joy and disbelief together took control of my emotions, whilst I threw my bag at the check in counter and was asked to run towards the immigration and boarding gate (without a boarding pass). My receipt and boarding pass was still being printed and I was told it would arrive at the boarding gate and someone will escort me through all the security. Now, I realized what the politicians and VIPs in India enjoy. No waiting in lines, No filling forms, everything was being done for me as it was already 11:50 and I was far from boarding yet. I was literally carried and thrown into the airplane (which was full to the brim with glaring eyes) and seemed ready to leave if I hadn’t arrived in the next 30 seconds. In minutes we were speeding down the tarmac and next few minutes lost in the clouds. I shut my eyes and clinched my fist tightly until I felt the pain in my fingers… “No this isn’t a dream”. I had managed my way back to India.