Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many moments along the trek that it is hard to pinpoint any particular element of the trip. Anyone who has avidly read any of the books about Everest and her neighbouring peaks or the stories of expedition groups attempting to summit these ranges will be in their element as the trek to Base Camp takes in some of the key areas mentioned in so many of these books. For me, Tengboche Monastery and Namche Bazaar were particularly moving to visit and the fact that we followed the same route Hillary and Tensing took to Base Camp made it even more poignant especially with next year being the 60th anniversary of their summit.The trek is by no means easy and there are some difficult and steep passes to conquer on the way but this makes the arrival at Base Camp even more of an achievement. There is so much to see along the way, and as you pass through or stay at the various settlements and teahouses you gain a real insight and understanding of Nepalese life and a respect for the local people.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We were lead by the amazing Valerie Parkinson, who not only happens to be the Exodus Asia Base Manager, but more impressively, the first British woman to summit Manaslu without oxygen and, in her 50th year, ascended to the South Summit of Everest (8761m).I had been lucky enough to meet Valerie on two previous occasions at Exodus slide evenings - both after her return from Everest - and knew that if I was going to do this trip, that it should be with Valerie not only to hear her accounts of her time in the mountains but because I knew that I would be in good hands.Having Valerie as our Leader made the trip even more special as she recounted tales of her many trips in Nepal and India in addition to the amazing story of her time on Everest and Manaslu. There were one or two health issues along the way which she dealt with quickly and professionally with minimum fuss or impact on our holiday experiences. Nothing was too much trouble and she and her team looked after us from the moment we arrived to the day we departed.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you are planning to do this trip:-do the training beforehand - the trek is not easy, there is difficult terrain to deal with along the way, steep climbs, steep descends, narrow passes and high suspension bridges. On average, you will be walking about 6/7 hours per day and you will be tired by the end of it. Hill walking or steep stair walking would be good to get your leg muscles developed sufficiently.make sure your boots are broken in and you have the right equipment - it will be hot lower down but it will get very cold further up - don't skimp on the technical clothing. There is a weight allowance which applies to your kit bag on trek (you can carry as much weight yourself in your day pack as you like although I would keep this to the bare essentials - 7 hours of a heavy pack is not fun!) - making sure you have the right technical gear means that when you do have to wear your socks for 3 days straight (oh yes you will!!!!) they will not stink the place out when you take them off!if you can, get your visa before you go - it saves a long queue at Kathmandu airportdon't forget your sun screen and sunglasses - you will need both of these for most of the trek and in particular at Base Camp where the sun's glare is very strongpack at least 2 Buff scarves - the terrain gets very dusty along the way - it may not prevent the Khumbu cough but it might help it a little and it will also be invaluable in Kathmandu to stop you inhaling all the car fumes!go with an open mind and heart - Nepal is an amazing country with the most kind hearted, generous, hard working people - get to know your sirdar, climbing sherpa and the other local team members (including the Yak boy!). Not only will you find out more about the Nepalese culture and way of life but will enhance your holiday experience so much by chatting to them.keep smiling - there will be times when you question whether this really is a holiday but persevere - you would never return from a fortnight in Spain with the memories, sense of achievement or new friends that you will from this trip.
