Apologies for the abruptness of the blog.... since returning to Singapore and starting work, it has been hard finding time to put the photos together and pen down the rest of the journey. There has been so much to do since arriving home, it is easy to get lost in the sea responsibilities and this fast paced city life.
Perhaps it is about time, I complete the narration of our journey. It has been almost 6 months since our return from Nepal... so much has happened in Singapore and our journey seems so far away. However, events, reflections and strong emotions from the trip remain so embedded, it is unsettling not to pen these down.
My last blog entry ended in Pangboche.
After 2 weeks in Pangboche, I had returned with a heavy heart to Phortse. It was time to round things up in Phortse. The 3rd part of the journey was drawing close. The 3rd part of the journey involved travelling back to Kathmandu, where we will meet Mr Krishnan (Kumaran's ex secondary school teacher) and travelling together to the village of Gorkha.
As I returned to Phortse, Kumaran was about to start his summit push on Mount Everest. Once he had summited, the plan was for him to meet me in Phortse and then travel together to Kathmandu to meet Mr Krishnan.
Kumaran's Everest summit push
At this juncture, it is time to talk about Kumaran's Everest espedition. Kumaran was the only Singaporean climbing this season, with IMG (International Mountaineering Group). There are usually 2 climbing seasons for Everest- one starting in April and the other in October (which is colder and harder). There were about 30 grounps and 300 climbers stationed at Everest Base Camp, waiting to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
After having trained in many different countries on many mountains, these climbers arrive at Everest Base Camp. They spend about 6 weeks at Base camp preparing to reach the mighty summit of Mount Everest
There are 4 camps along the mountain before the summit itself. Initially some groups will bring their climbers to a smaller peak nearby to acclimitise (about 3-5 days). After a few days of rest they would start their 1st cycle to camp 1.
This is one of the more exciting parts as it will be the first time they get to cross the legendary Khumbu Ice falls, where the highest number of deaths on Everest occurs. The ice falls are basically stacks and stacks of ice with crevassses that needs to be crossed. Ladders are placed across the crevass for people to cross. There are sherpas who are called 'ice doctors' who have to check the ladders daily. This is because the ice fall is a dynamic place where the ice is constantly melting and forming and essentially resulting in the ladders moving too.
The 1st cycle (going too and fro) takes about a week, after which they rest. The next cycle is to camp 2. Besides base camp, camp 2 is the other site where tents can be set up and helicopters can land (very cautiously of course). This cycle too, takes about a week, after which they rest.
During their break at base camp, the climbers will receive training on using the oxygen tank and masks and wait patiently for a date where the weather will allow them to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
And no.. this is not an auspicious date. It is a date of clear skies and low winds. Essentially good weather for the sherpa to put the ropes as well as for the climbers to climb.
While I was in the villages running the clinics, I would get firsthand updates of the Everest expedition. In Phortse, nearly all the men were away on the expedition. We would get news about any sherpa accidents or mishaps via word of mouth.
And before each cycle, I would get to talk to Kumaran and receive updates on the situation at Everest. Then it would be a week before I speak to him again.
The wait can be nerve wrecking indeed... not just for the climbers.. but for loved ones waiting for them back home...
Kumaran summited!!!
This year saw particularly bad weather. The weather was too warm and hence the snow was not formed well. The summit date was delayed terrible. Eventually, there were 2 windows for the summit push.
Right.. so after all the wait and delays, Kumaran finally summitted on the morning of 26th May 2012 at 0650hrs.
Perhaps it is about time, I complete the narration of our journey. It has been almost 6 months since our return from Nepal... so much has happened in Singapore and our journey seems so far away. However, events, reflections and strong emotions from the trip remain so embedded, it is unsettling not to pen these down.
My last blog entry ended in Pangboche.
After 2 weeks in Pangboche, I had returned with a heavy heart to Phortse. It was time to round things up in Phortse. The 3rd part of the journey was drawing close. The 3rd part of the journey involved travelling back to Kathmandu, where we will meet Mr Krishnan (Kumaran's ex secondary school teacher) and travelling together to the village of Gorkha.
As I returned to Phortse, Kumaran was about to start his summit push on Mount Everest. Once he had summited, the plan was for him to meet me in Phortse and then travel together to Kathmandu to meet Mr Krishnan.
Kumaran's Everest summit push
At this juncture, it is time to talk about Kumaran's Everest espedition. Kumaran was the only Singaporean climbing this season, with IMG (International Mountaineering Group). There are usually 2 climbing seasons for Everest- one starting in April and the other in October (which is colder and harder). There were about 30 grounps and 300 climbers stationed at Everest Base Camp, waiting to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
After having trained in many different countries on many mountains, these climbers arrive at Everest Base Camp. They spend about 6 weeks at Base camp preparing to reach the mighty summit of Mount Everest
There are 4 camps along the mountain before the summit itself. Initially some groups will bring their climbers to a smaller peak nearby to acclimitise (about 3-5 days). After a few days of rest they would start their 1st cycle to camp 1.
This is one of the more exciting parts as it will be the first time they get to cross the legendary Khumbu Ice falls, where the highest number of deaths on Everest occurs. The ice falls are basically stacks and stacks of ice with crevassses that needs to be crossed. Ladders are placed across the crevass for people to cross. There are sherpas who are called 'ice doctors' who have to check the ladders daily. This is because the ice fall is a dynamic place where the ice is constantly melting and forming and essentially resulting in the ladders moving too.
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| Climbing the ice falls |
The 1st cycle (going too and fro) takes about a week, after which they rest. The next cycle is to camp 2. Besides base camp, camp 2 is the other site where tents can be set up and helicopters can land (very cautiously of course). This cycle too, takes about a week, after which they rest.
During their break at base camp, the climbers will receive training on using the oxygen tank and masks and wait patiently for a date where the weather will allow them to reach the summit of Mt Everest.
And no.. this is not an auspicious date. It is a date of clear skies and low winds. Essentially good weather for the sherpa to put the ropes as well as for the climbers to climb.
While I was in the villages running the clinics, I would get firsthand updates of the Everest expedition. In Phortse, nearly all the men were away on the expedition. We would get news about any sherpa accidents or mishaps via word of mouth.
And before each cycle, I would get to talk to Kumaran and receive updates on the situation at Everest. Then it would be a week before I speak to him again.
The wait can be nerve wrecking indeed... not just for the climbers.. but for loved ones waiting for them back home...
Kumaran summited!!!
This year saw particularly bad weather. The weather was too warm and hence the snow was not formed well. The summit date was delayed terrible. Eventually, there were 2 windows for the summit push.
Right.. so after all the wait and delays, Kumaran finally summitted on the morning of 26th May 2012 at 0650hrs.
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| Kumaran on the summit of Everest. Brands was the official sponsor of his climb. |
He set off at night from camp 4 to reach the summit. The trek up takes about 12 hrs. Throughout the night, I kept waking up thinking that he may have summitted at any point now. Funnily, I received news of his summit from Singapore as it was up on the internet almost immediately (via IMG blog). His sister, Kumutha, had seen it and rang me almost immediately.
Finally, after 4 years of planning, Kumaran reached the summit of Mt Everest. Words cannot describe how I felt at that point.. but the fear was still there as he had to return to base camp safely. Finally he did so safely.. and it was a huge sense of relief to hear his voice again.
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| A day we will never forget. His name on the IMG website. |
The next crazy part
While he took 3 days to climb up Everest, he had to rush to return to base camp in 2 days. We had to reach Lukla within 2 days in order to catch our flight to make it on time to the school in Gorkha. This meant that he had to walk to Phortse in 1 day. It was a long 9 hr walk uphill and downhill. Normally people would take 2 days to walk from Base camp to Phortse.
Throughout the day, sherpa's started trickling into the villlage of Phortse from Base camp. And eventually Kumaran arrived, drenched in sweat despite it being 4 degrees outside. His 1 day journey was crazy.. and his determination and resilience to return on time was even more impressive than him summiting Everest.
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