Everest Base Camp Calling Akshay With Thrillophilia!
Remember when you were a kid learning how to ride a bike without training wheels or learning how to swim on the very first day? The fear that gripped you once your parents or coach let go for the first time? You did not know how deep the water was or how to keep the bike upright without the support. And you would feel your heart racing fast, a sense of thrill engulfing you, and then you would hear this voice 'you are doing great', 'keep going like this'. The fear was replaced by pride and joy. Instead of being scared, you get ready to take the next stroke or pedal faster.
Even today, life keeps throwing curveballs at you, and you keep knocking them out of the park. The feat still exists, and it still makes you doubt yourself. But now you own that reassuring voice, and it is your voice that gives you the strength and courage to face the challenges. And so, when the time comes to embark on the most incredible adventure of your life, you will do it without any hesitation. Maybe, like climbing Mount Everest?
Challenge Accepted
Akshay never needed outside encouragement or challenges to take on a new adventure. More than often, he would find a way to push his limits further and embark on extraordinary journeys. No one but Akshay put up a fight against this man. The travel aficionado was inspired by the tales of daring adventurers who brave the Pacific Ocean, ride the giant waves, and follow the Amazon wilderness, so he approached Thrillophilia. After a week, he had already been packing his luggage for an Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal, which was about to transform his outlook on life permanently.
"It's likely that if anyone stays with me for a while, I'll start to tell them about some of my wildest experiences. The Everest Base Camp Trek, on the other hand, was a step up in thrill for me. Assuring myself that this was everything I had set out to accomplish, if not this year, then when?" As Akshay explains, "I had my workout regimen, good eating habits, and daily mantras of my commitment to it, all in place."
The Final Confirmation
"At the Kathmandu Airport, I held my boarding pass and questioned whether I wanted to go. To refresh my memory of the experience, I quickly went back to the internet to look at more photos. I envisioned myself atop Everest with other travelers from all across the world. One of the most significant but exhilarating plane rides of my life was about to begin." Akshay says, "We arrived successfully at Lukla within only 35 minutes, considering the runway is the length of a driveway."
From Kathmandu to Lukla, you could even see valleys, mountain peaks, farmhouses, and relatively small Nepali townships as well from the air. His Tour guide, Babu Bhaiya, met Akshay at the airport and got him to Phakding, a 2,652 m peak that took nearly three and a half hours to reach. During the night, Akshay planned to stay at a Tea House to prepare for his adventure the following day and get some very much required rest.
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"We stayed in Tea Houses that were as luxurious as 4-star hotels for the duration of our journey." In Akshay's words, "The general view from the Tea Houses, beautiful landscapes, and greenery were extremely phenomenal."
And The Journey Begins
As their journey continued, the group started to trek towards the beautiful landscapes of Namche on their 3rd day. Nestled at the height of 3440 meters above sea level, this place was the next destination for Akshay. The group was greeted by lush green landscapes covering the majestic mountain peaks in addition to the gushing flow of the Dudh Koshi River. This scenery followed them along up till Namche. For most of these trekkers, the hike was a moderate level of difficulty, and they took about 5-6 hours to travel the steep trail to Namche Bazar from the starting point of Phakding. They further continued their journey to Tengboche from Namche in an additional 5 hours.
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"When we were about to reach Namche, we made a stop at Monjo, which is an amazing place for lunch on that trail. We also decided to rest at a nearby lodge for the rest of the day as we were tired from all the traveling. The next day we were asked to complete acclimatization by taking our first and a brief trek of about 20 minutes to the Namche Museum. While on our way, we could see the mesmerizing Lhotse and the magnificent Everest. In the evening, we were suggested by our guide to take a short scenic walk to the Namche Monastery. We also came across many amazing coffee shops, great restaurants, and bars in the market area in Namche. There was so much to do, so many activities to enjoy." Akshay recalls his stay with the group in Namche.
He further adds, "The first few days while traveling towards Tengboche were warm and cozy. Tengboche was actually on top of the wonderful places on our trek. And while there, definitely visit the monastery as the atmosphere is unbeatable."
Halfway On The Trek
The following days the group and Akshay met many great people worldwide traveling on the same trek. Many of these people shared their experiences of previous treks and hikes that they took throughout their travel adventures. After Tengboche, the group further trekked to Dingboche via Lobuche River. The view that greeted them on their way was magnificent, with the 3 top mountains of the region in the backdrop: Mount Cho Yu, Mount Makalu, and Mount Lhotse. Akshay's next destination after Dingboche was Lobuche trekking via the Thukla Pass. While on the trek, he crossed the Dhudkhoshi River that flows right near the Khumbu Glacier. The brief hike was detailed with memories of the brave trekkers who lost their lives in various excursions. After this day, the entire group was ready to take on the next adventure to Gorak Shep.
It's Snow Snow Snow!
"The journey till this point was all about moderately difficult treks that were flat and a bit tough to conquer. But once I started at the route of Lobuche to Gorakshep, I, for the first time, experienced the thrill of walking on ice. The glacier trek was like being in heaven, surrounded by such calming white landscapes beneath the feet and then engulfed in the shadows of the towering mountains. The view of the Everest peak was so clear and stunning that I felt a wave of joy like never before." Akshay's experience of the trek to Gorakshep was exciting to hear.
"The day after that, we were supposed to take the Kala Patthar Trek, and let me tell you something: it was the most difficult hike of my entire life. I woke up way too early and set out on the trek with headlamps, and I had reached the top by around 5:30 AM. I couldn't believe I was standing right in the line of sight of the world's tallest mountain peak, and I was watching the sunrise with its shine spread across the entire scenery. I had actually to pinch myself to check I wasn't dreaming. I don't think it can be described how I was feeling at that moment. In -25° Celcius, we had a few drinks with the incredible view, and then we later descended to Gorakshep."
Journey Downhill
"Once I had experienced what it felt like being at the Everest Base Camp, the entire group and I made our way downhill to Gorak Shep. On our way back, we again crossed the Lobuche and finally stopped at the Namche Bazar. The entire journey was 12 days, with 6 hours each trekking to and from the stop points. When going up, it felt like I needed to put more effort than I did while coming down from the summit. Throughout the journey back to the base, I would replay how it felt to witness the peak of Everest that morning. I will not lie; even today, I do it at least once a day, 10 minutes of remembering all the wonderful moments of the trek. If there comes a time when I have the chance to revisit the same, I will."
Memories For a Lifetime
"My best parts of the trip were the nights we spent Stargazing under the clear night sky. And then wake up the next morning to watch the clear blue sky with the majestic mountains in the background. I can go on and on about how beautiful the experience is and how mesmerizing the view on the top is, but one has to see it to know how that exactly feels. Everyone should visit the place at least once and soak in the beauty of the experience." Akshay got nostalgic and happy while sharing the details.
One thing that can be learned from this beautiful travelog is to stop waiting for the right time or the fear to go away. So while searching for the best adventures to embark on and vacations to enjoy, select the best tours with Thrillophilia.
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