This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
I would set off on my trip for Everest Base Camp — a dream I have had for a long time. As my friend Linda and I boarded the plane at Wellington airport! couldn’t help wondering if I had done enough training. Would I get from the altitude? I had been training for about 2—3 hours a day, six days a week over the last six months, doing.a variety of things including swimming, running, working out at the gym and hill work. My husband Wayne, played a big part in the hill training, loading my day pack with sinkers he used for fishing. I knew I was as fit as I could be, but would it be enough? It took about 24 hours from the time we left Wellington to the time we arrived at Kathmandu airport where we were met by our guide, AJ. I had decided to arrange our trip through Amadablam Adventures, a group who had about 20 years experience guiding in the Himalayan mountains. I also wanted to make sure we would be well looked after and supported throughout our trip. Kathmandu was very much a culture shock for my friend Lynda and she was pleased when we eventually headed for the hills. I was a little more prepared for the poverty and pollution. Once one was able to see past this, the city had so much to offer with its amazing temples and other scenic delights. Once the rest of our team had arrived from their various destinations, we were all briefed on what lay ahead, and issued with the equipment we would need. We had two people from Britain, one from Sweden, one American and of course us two Kiwis. That night we all headed out for a typical Nepalese dinner, which was fantastic, and by the end of the night we had all become friends. The next day we headed to Kathmandu’s domestic airport to fly to Lukla where we would start our climb up to the base of the mighty Mt Everest. This was not before two of our team had succumbed to a bout of the dreaded traveller’s diarrhoea. That seems to be a certainty when visiting a third world country. Tom made a reasonable recovery but Don, the American, who was a fitness fanatic, was to remain sick for the whole trip. Alison was the next to be hit and it took her a long time to recover, spending quite a lot of time off the trail. I am pleased to announce that the
Fic the day had arrived, 17" April 1999, when
Joanna Donovan
two Kiwis remained fit and healthy throughout the whole trip. Thirty-five minutes into the flight we were heading towards a huge mountain-face with these almigh mountains in all directions. BANG! We had landed on the smallest runway I have ever seen. To greet us were some of our porters who would cook, carry and generally look after us for the next 16 days that we were on the trail. Once we had loaded all our gear on the yaks (a longhaired cow-like animal) we headed off for our first campsite, a place called Phakding. I was already starting to fell the effects of the altitude, becoming quite breathless as we started on our way to Phakding, and part of this was downhill! It was like being in a different world where time had stood still. The beauty of the mountains is indescribable. They tower above you everywhere and it’s hard to take it all in. You feel an incredible sense of peace that you are unable to put into words. All along the trail there were little teahouses where you could buy all the necessities, including toilet paper that would be vital to some members of our party. The Nepalese people are very friendly and a simple “Nameste” will produce a big smile and a response in turn. Later on we were to realise how lucky we were that we had decided to use tents instead of staying in the teahouses on the trail. They are extremely smoky inside and you can become quite sick with the fumes. We were treated to a three-course meal that night and this set the precedent for the whole trip. Our meals were nothing short of a miracle when you saw how little our cook had to work with. It was better not to see the actual preparations as hygiene, although high by their standards, left a lot to be desired. From Phakding we started our first really big climb to Namche Bazaar at 3243m. This took all my strength. The heat was unbelievable — I only wore T-shirt and shorts, but once the sun went it got very cold. Once we arrived and camp was set up, we had to climb approximately another 400 metres and remain there for 45 minutes to help acclimatise and we would do this every day we ascended. The mountains around us were amazing; so many of them, Amadablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Everest, and many more.
Trip Reports
A day to acclimatise, but this didn’t mean resting up. We had another slog to Syanaboche airport where we spent some time to acclimatise further and take in the incredible sites around us. I knew now why I wanted to visit the mighty Himalayas. I managed a shower —well, sort of a shower — a bucket with holes in it filled with water. After all the dust and dirt it was sheer luxury. We headed up to Thyangboche at 3867m, the highest monastery in the world. I was starting to realise it would take all our energy and determination to complete our goal. The monastery was beautiful but unfortunately no flash photography was allowed so I was unable to record the beauty. It’s something you just have to see. I wasn’t feeling so good that day. The altitude was really kicking in and I felt very light-headed and nauseous and had a major headache. I was starting to wonder why I was putting myself through this torture as we headed to Dingboche at 4343m. The temperature had dropped to below freezing and we had our thermals out. Another acclimatisation day. No energy, feeling completely wiped out and having serious doubts about making it to Base Camp. AJ, our guide, was fantastic, reassuring me that this is normal and you must accept that there are going to be side effects at this altitude. I was feeling very dirty, but didn’t care. We headed to Lobuche 4930m. Thanks goodness I was feeling good again that day, thinking, yes I can do this. It was Linda’s turn for an off-day and my turn to reassure her. I was amazed at the loads the Nepalese people carry up and down the trail. They appeared to have very little clothing on when it started to get very cold in the afternoon. I was to learn later on that some do run into serious problems e.g. frost bite especially above Base Camp. This was the day when I would try to fulfil my dream of getting to Base Camp. Luckily it hadn’t snowed, as if it had we would have had to wait for the yaks to set the trail. We left camp at 6.00am heading for Gorakshep at 5288m and from there we headed across the moraine (very loose shingle rock) which seemed endless. We crossed what can only be described as the valley of death. There were small piles of rock everywhere, each pile representing someone who had perished on Everest. It makes you realise how many lives Everest has claimed. Amongst these piles of rocks is a memorial to Rob Hall and the other climbers who perished on that terrible day in May 1996. We then headed across the glacier, which was ice covered in loose shingle and with cracks in it. We had to be extremely careful not to lose our footing as we could easily have hurt ourselves and at this altitude that becomes a major problem. The whole walk to Base Camp was extremely demanding and took every ounce of energy and determination I had. We arrived at Base Camp (5400m) at 1.00pm. What a sight — little tents scattered all over a very rocky basin. So many people all trying to reach the top of the world and I guess all asking themselves the same question — will I make it? Alison, one of our British team members, had a letter to deliver to one of these mountaineers hoping to make it, from a friend who had summitted in 1997. I was to learn later that he made it on May 12", but another member of his team was to perish on the way down. I think the main thing that stood out so clearly was the incredible Khumbu Icefall. Climbers must ascend this as their first major obstacle. I can only describe this as HUGE! It was at this point that I realised this would be where the real test of our power of mind and ability would be tested, and I could only marvel at those who have headed up this unforgiving mountain. Our Base Camp stop only lasted about 11/2 hours as Don, the American, was suffering from what was thought to be altitude sickness and needed to be on oxygen. We had to get him down in a hurry. This was definitely proof that altitude sickness can affect anyone, as Don would have been one of the fittest on the trip. Itwas hard work getting Don down, as he was very dizzy and vomiting. We eventually arrived back in all our thermals at about 5.30pm and were followed by the rest of the team who made it in at about 6.15pm. I HAD MADE IT! It was time to head home with some incredible memories, some new friends, and an incredible sense of achievement. At just short of my 40" birthday, I have fulfilled a dream I thought I never would.
WRAPPERS Lk LAR ed LER