Nepal – Day 10 (afternoon) – A Tearful Choice

If you read the last post, you know that I made it to Gorak Shep in the Himalayan Mountains this morning, I crossed over 17,000′ in elevation and I am now sitting in the teahouse with a decision to make. I am now 1.9 miles or 3 kilometers or 3,300 yards to Everest Base Camp. the goal, my goal, for this trip. Normally, I can walk 1.9 miles with my eyes blindfolded and one leg bound in a tow sack, backwards. But!!!

But I have been pushed and stressed on this trek like no other. I am suffering the start of altitude sickness, which can’t be ignored, that alone is making my steps unsure on this rocky moraine, a dangerous combination on going forward. My mind is saying fight this, just go 3,300 yards, but my body says there is no way and my common sense tells me it is way to dangerous to push even 1 yard further.

I sat down with my trip leader and said, Claire, I am pulling the plug, It is unsafe for me to go forward. I cried as I told her my decision. She agreed it was correct. We talked a little with the guide and on the logistics of going forward. To be honest, once I made that decision, my mind told me I didn’t need to trek further, even back down, so we started checking the possibilities of a helicopter lift down to Kathmandu.

At that point, I had to call Sherry and let her know my status and decision. That was where it really hit me hard, I was so close to The Goal, yet I would not make it, my body wouldn’t allow me to go forward. I think at first because I was so emotional, Sherry thought I was deathly ill. I was ill, but I was not deathly ill, physically sick from the energy expended, altitude sickness and just general stress. But also mentally shot, my thoughts at that point were that I had failed……. I had set a goal for myself and couldn’t even make it the last 3 kilometers.

After about an hour, I gave a cheerful good luck to the balance of my trekking team as they began the push to base camp. They made it there in 3 hours time, with 45 minutes to enjoy while there, then 3 hours back. The trekking mates (please forgive spelling errors) were Dan and his two college age children Elly & Hunt (Midland, TX), Scott and his college age daughter Chappel (San Antonio TX), Sarah (Great Britain), Claire the team leader (New Zealand), Shree our Neplalese guide, Di-Di (or Walter or 3 other names) our assistant guide and 4 great porters. I think the only real problem they had on the trip was Hunt losing the temp cap to a tooth, with some question as to whether Dan or Hunt misplaced it.

Later that day, Shree coordinated my airlift from Gorak Shep to Phakding for a quick overnight rest before going to Kathmandu. Even though I was sick and felt like a wet towel that had been beat on the rocks, I was cognizant enough to enjoy the helicopter flight down, it was like the spy movies, flying through the valleys with mountains on both sides. All I can say is those guys that fly the mountain helicopters are good. After a decent night in Phakding, I caught another helicopter flight to Kathmandu. While in Phakding, I will say that Shree had called ahead to line up the room and logistics. At the teahouse, the lady who owned it, checked on me, made sure I got fed and settled in for the night. The next day, she had breakfast waiting and had her son walk me down to the helipad about 8am. About 10am, after no helicopter yet, she brought me down some black tea from her teahouse that was almost a mile away and then proceeded to wait until about 1pm, before she apologized and said she had trekkers coming in and had to go take care of, she kept saying she hoped I felt better and had safe travels. The helipad operators, one kept checking on me and said, we know you are sick, but the helicopters are weather related today, so be patient and I hope you feel better. Another came and talked for about 30 minutes, I guess he saw my white stubble and asked if everyone in my country was retired by my age…. The people in Nepal and especially the Himalayan region are so caring and loving, today was just several more examples.

I will also mention that I met a mountaineering guide from Washington State and two of his clients who had just summitted Mt. Everest as they were taking the same route as me to get back to Kathmandu. They were fun to talk with and to realize their accomplishments makes mine pale in comparison. I asked what it felt like to reach the world’s highest point, both said they were still processing and just looking forward to some great food and a beer. I guess the simple things in life really do mean a lot. They said ask again in a month.

One reason this post is so late in being completed, once back in Kathmandu, I showered, shaved (Yea) and immediately that evening caught a flight back home. All the travel worked fine.

Isaiah 30:21

continue to EBC Trek closing thoughts