Last month, Pilates Instructor, Cat Proudfoot, set off on an adventure to Everest Base Camp. We couldn't wait to hear all about her incredible expedition!
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I had climbed Kilimanjaro for charity a few years back and a promise to a friend to do Everest Base Camp had been bought up at dinner one too many times when we finally booked last year, partners in tow.
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Trekking to Everest base camp wasn’t a decision I made lightly. It has become commercialised over recent years, however, once you see what the boost in tourism is doing for locals, providing jobs and bringing in income you see that they all just want to be working in the mountains. The Sherpas, ours were only in their 20’s, had great English skills and knew that to help us would mean a worldly tip to them. Our guides were working back to back trips to make sure their children had a fair shot in life.
During the hike every which way you looked was just another incredible view... or another slope to walk up! The air may be thin, but it’s clean, fresh and crisp and makes way for seeing into the distance. Perspective has no perspective in this part of the world.
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The total trip usually takes 12 days but due to bad weather we had to condense the trek into 10 days. This meant we lost an acclimatisation day on the way up and had to walk an additional 3 hours a day on the way back down.
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We made it to Base Camp on the 2nd April in minus 15 degrees, however our stay was to be short lived, my husband did not fare well in the altitude (not helped by losing that all important day on the way trek up). Once back at our tea house, we were informed we needed to trek into the night to get him and others lower due to low oxygen levels. Fourteen hours trekking that day had taken it out of him and the next morning, after some more hiking, we were flown back to Kathmandu by helicopter where he could rest and recover.
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Looking on the bright side this did give me more time to explore Kathmandu and their maze of artisan shops full of yak wool scarves, wooden carvings and cashmere!! A massage at,
Seeing Hands, a social enterprise providing training and employment opportunities in massage therapy for visually impaired people followed by a yoga class at
Sambodhi also helped as any form of stretching had ceased once we got below -5 degrees at night!!
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All in all what an experience, I’d go back tomorrow, but I’m not sure my husband would!
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For further information about the Trek to Everest Base Camp I recommend contacting G Adventures.
