Each evening, on our trek to Everest Base Camp, one of us would volunteer, to say something, sing something, share a story, or even be taught the New Zealand Haka.
On our trek down the Khumbu, everyone having successfully made it to Everest Base Camp, a member of our team, Bill Anderson, had us compose a poem, with a line written by each of us, and then passed along to the next person to add to it. It is our entire Everest trek summarized below, in a photo and a few words each.
Having now done the journey myself 6 times, leading everything from the successful 50th Anniversary ascent to the top, summiting Everest with the first Black African Sibusisu Vilane, to joining with Peter Hillary and taking our families “In the footsteps of Hillary” along with a host of friends up the hill, the return, as amazing as the trek is, is overshadowed by the people who choose to share the adventure together, the connections you make with others and memories that last a lifetime.
Moments on the trail, rounding corner after corner to new vistas and seeing them through each others eyes, trading home stories, far-flung places stories and yes, even business stories over an early morning yak-dung fire, creates moments with others, summed up best in the last line of our poem:
...the journey outweighs the destination, and the people maketh the journey.
So – a line or two from each of us on the walk up and down from Everest Base Camp.
or not to Everest Base Camp,
that is the question.
Whether ’tis nobler..
the sights of Base Camp replenishing our souls or
the memories of shared meals, steps together,
and smiles on Nepali flats that will continue for a lifetime.
while waking every day to the crisp, perfect blue skies.
humbled, grounded, small, alive, pushing boundaries,
growing emotionally and physically, as...
From our group of 12 trekkers and our superb team of Nepal guides and porters, trek to Everest Base Camp, with The Mountain Company, 2023.
And to view the insights and interviews and an inside look at our trek direct from our team in the video by our member Andy Carruthers, it is here on Youtube.