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In October this year, Martyn Aldridge and his wife Tania completed their Mount Everest Trek - all in aid of The Smile Foundation:
Dear all,
We have said it many times already but again, many, many thanks for all your kind donations for the Smile Foundations Support for the ADIMI hospital in Mijas, Malaga, Spain. We made it, and got back again.
There was a group of 8 friends and acquaintances making the trip, without giving you every detail here is a brief synopsis of our trip.
Feb 2008, started training - my weight about 84 kilo, 13.2 stone. Tania 67 kilo, 10.5 stone.
Feb to Oct training, many local walks of 1-3 hours and weekends of 5-6 hours.
Oct 2008 ready to go - my weight 79 kilo, 12.5 stone, so I’d done some work ???? Tania 64 kilo, 10 stone.
Oct 8th day one, took off for Lukla from Kathmandu 6.30am, lots of flights all in 12-20 seater small planes. The plane in front of us, the second of the day, crashed while we were waiting to land, 18 dead, "our thoughts are with their families", we returned to Kathmandu, all flights cancelled for the day.
Oct 9th, took off for Lukla, same plane, same agenda, lots of nerves as we now new what had happened the day before. Landed at Lukla, all flights in cancelled some 2 hours later, we were on our way.
Oct 12th, visited the Thyangboche Monastery 3860 mtrs, joining in a ceremony with the Nepalese monks and Lama. One of our party had to go back because of serious headaches and nausea, "altitude sickness".
Along the way.......
Breakfast - porridge, eggs, toast.
Lunch - Garlic Soup, Vegetable Curry.
Dinner - Various soups, Vegetable Curry, Tea.
Bed by 7-8 pm in sub zero temperature.
Squat loos (hang ten), no drains, the occasional hot shower.
Accommodation, luxury 2 bed rooms with single wooden beds/benches and single plywood walls, with glass windows, (all iced up in the morning), heating... no.
Thursday Oct 16th, Everest Base Camp 5364 mtrs, after 6 hours trek up hill and then over the Khumba Glacier we arrived at base camp 1300 pm, this is on the ice flow, and underneath the start of the ice flow climb up Everest, temperatures between -5 and +2 degrees Celsius. The 7 remaining in our party made it, but lots of stories on the way of others that did not.
After base camp there was a three hour walk back to our base, everybody agreed that this was the most physically demanding day that they have “ever” undertaken, (other than giving birth for the two ladies amongst us).
Friday Oct 17th, Kala Pathar 5550 mtrs, after 2 hours walking, well one foot placed begrudgingly in front of the other, (started at 4.30 in the dark other than a full moon) I and Richard Laycock arrived at the summit of Kala Pathar (Black Rock) at 0630 am in order to see the Sunrise over Everest, was it worth it, ????? After the base camp trek we didn't know better. Fantastic views, freezing temperatures at 0430 am at 5000 mtrs plus. Our other trekkers goal of reaching base camp was achieved and that was enough for them, and probably should have been for us but .... what the hell, it was there so why not.............after that Richard and I were dead to the world, though later the same day we had a further 6 hour trek, down the mountain.
Monday Oct 20th, arrived back at Lukla, all well, rested and proud of our achievements. My weight now 76 kilo, 12 stone, Tania 62 kilo, 9.75 stone, a great diet regime this walking and Veg Curry....
And was it worth it, a resounding yes, a great experience, bloody hard work, fantastic scenery and with your help thousands raised for the Smile Foundation, next summer holiday, dreaming of the Maldives or the Caribbean and food "as we know it".
Again many many thanks,
Martyn, Tania, and the Smile foundation.
Everest Fact File:
- Mount Everest is located in Asia on the Nepal and Tibet border and, at 8,850 metres, is the
highest mountain in the world.
- Mount Everest is 60 million years old but was ‘discovered’ for the first time in 1865 by Sir
George Everest.
- Mount Everest rises by a few millimeters every year due to geological forces.
- The first successful ascent was in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary, the fastest was by Hans
Kammerlander in 1996, it took just 16hrs 45 minutes to go from base camp to the summit!
- In May 2000 Appa Sherpa became the first person to climb Everest 11 times
- In October 2008 Martyn and Tania Aldridge will become the first CLC employees to reach
Everest base camp.
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