15, Jul 2019 at 10:11 am
“Kathmandu, Oh, I’ll be thinking of you. ” Cat Stevens’ words came back to me when I began to contemplate the first exciting part of the adventure. The name had such an exotic ring to it.
This is the story of a group of ordinary people trekking in the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp and a little way beyond. Trekking this route is certainly not an extraordinary achievement. Thousands of motivated people do so every year. So why write a book about it ?
This book is our story of trekking to Everest Base Camp via the Gokyo Lakes. It is not designed to be the ultimate trekking guide, nor the final say on where to go or how to do it. It is written for those who are planning the trip of a lifetime, to give some impressions of what it is really like- and what to expect. The book is not written by experienced mountaineers with lots of testosterone and adrenaline, nor is it a hero’s tale about climbing the world’s highest mountain.
Rather, it’s the story of a group of ordinary people sharing a common goal. It is a pictorial souvenir for those who have been there and froze or the pictures did not come out quite right, and for those who would love to go but aren’t likely to. For those who are unable to go themselves, I hope this book will allow you to be there vicariously. Mostly, it is a celebration of the joy of just doing the things that one sets out to do in life.
The “and slightly further” part of the book is the side – trek to the Gokyo Lakes and the return to the main Everest Trek via the Chola Pass. I highly recommend this addition as it provided some of the most magnificent views of Everest as well as an opportunity to visit the highest wetland in the world.
- Robert Weiss, South Africa