Heading for Everest Base Camp!

[garyp]

Greetings All:

This week will be following a dream developed a few years ago now. On Wednesday will be departing for Nepal with the goal of hiking to Everest Base Camp at 18,000 feet. Dave suggesed I post news of this upcoming event to this Forum.

While I will not be the first MSer to make it to base camp (2 fellow patients actually climbed up Everest last year, with 1 making it and the other turning back close to the summit), but I do believe I will be unique in that I am going with my two children aged 12 and 14.

During the course of this journey, am going to attempt to send Dave text messages with updates on progress which he wil then post to this forum. I do know for a fact that there is cell phone infrastructure at base camp (was recently installed) but not sure if there are cell towers along the hike to base camp that can pick up signals. If you see see no postings from Dave, then assume the technology is just not working!

For your interest, below is the itin with location and altitude for each day.

17-Apr Arrive Kathmandu, Nepal 4500
18-Apr Fly to Lukla 9100
19-Apr Namche Bazaar 11200
20-Apr Namche Bazaar 11200
21-Apr Tengcoche 12665
22-Apr Dinboche 14175
23-Apr Dinboche 14175
24-Apr Lobuche 16160
25-Apr Gorak Shep 17590
26-Apr Periche and base camp 18000
27-Apr Tengcoche 12665
28-Apr Monjor 9300
29-Apr Lukla 9100
30-Apr Fly to Kathmandu 4500

[AMFADVENTURES]

Gary,
Very cool, best of luck. I will be anxiously awaiting news of your trip.

[garyp]

Day 1 :tomorrow

Safely arrived in Kathmandu today.

The group we are going with numbers 15 in size - from a variety of nationalities including Canada, Sweden, UK and Estonia.

Tomorrow we fly to Luka, one of the world's most dangerous airports as it is on the side of a mountain, then we begin the trek with a half hike to first destination at 8,000 feet. Day 2 will the harest day we have been told, which is then followed by a required rest day to acclimite to altitude.

Learned from our guide today that the oldest person he has taken on this trip was on his last trek - that person was 69 years old. My son at the age of 12 will be the youngest he has taken at age 12. So...two firsts in 2 trips. Decided not to tell him that there will be a third first given my MS diagnosis, but may tell him at the end!

Have been told that will have acess to internet at different points along the way so will attempt to update here directly. If at some point no access for a few days will send Dave a text.

[ActiveMSers]

Gary, I didn't get your earlier text, so I hope your e-mail access continues. Based on a story in last Sunday's NYT, you should have mostly reliable connections.

[Becham36]

Garry Good luck for your remaining tour..!!!
I hope you will share your best moments and some interesting news with us here and keep updating us...!

[DeeDee]

you are really doing it!

well, old non-techie me - but i finally figured out how to use this blog thing, so now i may never stop talking - you know me! way to go - you are the kids are setting all sorts of "firsts" and I am so proud of you - what else could I expect? Just keep on keeping on and I know you are all three going to be famous - at least in my book - and that is what counts! take lots of pictures!!! Your kids friends are going to go crazy with their accomplishment - how wonderful for them...
Wishing you all the best, Dee Dee

[garyp]

Report through day3/4

Landing at Lukla airport was the thrill we all thought it would be - approaching via a narrow-ish mountain pass, then descending rapidly to a very short run way which by design goes up hill to help brake momentum.

Within the hour of arriving, our trek had begun with the first day being limited to a half day of hiking along reasonably flat terrain. Accomodation that night was spartan -but comortable enough.

Day 2 was more strenuous. The first half of the day saw the group hiking mostly along the bank of a river, crossing some made for movie type suspension bridges across rivers. By the second half of the day the rain began, and a steep 800 meter (2,400 ft appox) ascent to Namche Bazaar began. By the end of the day, the wether had cleared and we arrived at our destination.

Namche Bazaar is, by himalyan mountain region standards a thriving commercial location set on a steep hill side with dramatic views of himalayan mountains. There are no motorized vehicles of any type here - with the vast majority of goods arriving via porter along the same trail we had taken ourselves.

Given the steep ascent, today is a planned rest day in Namche Bazaar. We spent the morning hiking up a steep hill to see our first view of Everest itself plus several its a very high close cousins.

In about an hour, the group will be holding its very own international foozball tournament -strictly amongst group members! Today is also a chance for the last hot shower before getting into the meat of our trek - so will be taking advantage of that.

So far, my body is coping well. More frequent visits to the bathroom, a combined result of Dimox a high altitutde managemetn medication and the urgency that many MSers live with on a daily basis. Still pinching myself that actually doing this trip - and that earlier today saw Mount Everest and several other of the world's other highest peaks with my own eyes with my wife and children standing by my side. A memory I will never forget.

From this point forward, the ascent to base camp will be gradual but relentless. Will do my best to post more as opportunities arise. You may have seen from another post from Dave that technology is preventing me from communiating with him via text for more frequent updates.

[AMFADVENTURES]

I love this stuff Gary, fantastic! Thanks for including us in your trip and wishing you all the best for the rest of it.

[garyp]

Now Dinboche

We arrived yesterday in Dinboche, altitude 14175. The tree line is behind us now and teh temperature is getting obviously colder. Today is another planned rest day, though we did spend the morning hiking up several hundred more feet in order to take advantage of some spectacular views of some of the highest peaks in the world that can be seen from this location.

For the first time since we left Kathmandu, we actually have flushing toilets! It is still BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) but not having to bail water in after a visit is a welcome relief.

My son introduced the group a card game called Spoons which has led to much excitement and ongoing games. There was a also a few chess games going on when I left the lodge we were in to seek out an internet cafe.

Tomorrow we leave for Labouche and then to Gorak Shep and from there to Base Camp.

I remain in good condition. I have figured out that it is best to take Dimox after eating - as it results in fewer trips to the bathrooms. Previous nerve damage to the bowel area is also coming more into play as have to manage urgency in that area as well - over the counter laxatives are a good pre-emptive step to take here.

Will provide more updates as able and as time allows - and frankly as local curency availablity allows!

[garyp]

Success!

Brief message - we all made base camp earlier this week. Now back in Lukla - planes for Kathmandu currently on hold due to bad weather but remain hopeful can still leave today. If we cannot leave today, then at risk of not making return flight to U.S. tomorrow. Will provide more detail once get to a place where can spend more time. The last few days ended up being more of an endurance battle due to several members of our group not feeling well but as we came to a lower altitude things began to improve.

[garyp]

Back home!

After 24 hours of traveling back from Nepal, got back home about an hour ago.

Left Nepal with nothing but respect for its people....and for those who even attempt to climb high peaks such as Everest.

Heading now for my first real shower in almost 2 weeks! Wished I could have provided you all with more detail as the journey progessed....plan is to write a story that will hopefully in due course be published on this web-site.

[ActiveMSers]

I hope the jet lag isn't too bad. Can't wait to hear about the experience!

[garyp]

Made it home!

Arrived back in the U.S. to Newark Airport Monday morning 05/02 at the ripe hour of 4am! After waiting 5 hours for connecting flight, got home to Annapolis, MD at around 11am. Then spent most of the rest of the day sleeping!

We leave Nepal behind with nothing but respect for its people and those with the fortitute to take on climbing the world's highest peaks. For us to reach base camp as a still young family - an accomplishment that will remain with us for the rest of our lives. Three days later we remain tired from the experience - but as the weeks pass that tiredness will be replaced with other more enduring emotions.

The journey to get there with MS? The physical strain for me was manageable - the challenge for me related to working through bodily functions impacted through nerve damage that no longer work normally even at sea level. One day a needed bowel movement was so urgent that I had to sit down on the side of the trail in full view of passers by, with no place to hide. Then after that, it was amost a week before the next bowel movement! Go figure....

A near term plan is to write a more detailed version of the story of this jounrney for future publication on this web-site. Can't promise how fast that will happen, but can promise that it will be done.

For now, will leave with this thought : why do something like this? My answer - why not?! For each of us - find that equivalent of the trek to base camp and see if can make it happen. For some - getting to the bathoom independetly is our trek to base camp. For others, a walk at the local park. For two of our fellow MS patients - last year they went beyond base camp and attempted to summit Everest. One made it - the other had to turn around close to the top.