CONQUERING SELF: My journey to Everest Base Camp as a 14 year old

“A bucket list is an invitation to dream bigger” Annette White  Pic: Taboche - the holy mountain from Memorial peak (Apr 2023)  Getting ready for the Everest Base Camp trek involves three important things: physical fitness, taking care of your health, and having the right gear and equipment. Let's break it down: Physical fitness:   In the words of our guide, EBC Trek is 80% Mental and 20% Physical. Having said that, you still need a high level of endurance and strength to be able to successfully complete the Trek. This involves being able to hike for 7-8 hours a day over multiple days, tackling steep inclines for extended periods while carrying a backpack weighing up to 8 kilograms. Additionally, you must be prepared to cope with the challenges of high-altitude environments, where oxygen levels are significantly lower, particularly above the tree line.  We started focussed training about 3 months before the Trek. There were three key areas where focussed during our t...

  “It is not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves” -Sir Edmund Hillary Pic: Himalaya and Mount Everest Panoramic view from Kala Pathar Hey there, get ready to join me on an exhilarating journey as I share my incredible experience trekking to Everest Base Camp. In this write-up, I'll take you through the challenges, triumphs, and awe-inspiring moments of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Back in December 2020, when I was just 12 years old, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Nepal with my extended family. We explored Kathmandu and Pokhara, and let me tell you, it was epic! One of the highlights was getting up close and personal with the magnificent Annapurna mountains. Those towering peaks left me completely mesmerized. Even after returning home to Bangalore, the memory of those mountains stayed alive within me. I couldn't get enough! I delved into reading all about the tallest mountains, the Himalayas, and Mount Everest. Ever since then, the dream of conquering mighty Ev...