Rising To The Annapurna Challenge

By Samantha Tan KATHMANDU, July 6 (Bernama) -- In February last year, Abdul Razak Yaacob attempted the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal but severe dehydration put paid to his hopes of reaching his destination located about 5,300 metres above sea level. Undeterred, the spunky 65-year-old, from Malaysia's Selangor state, kept on training, hiking 10 to 15 kilometres daily on the hilly terrain in the area where he lived. He is now proud to report that in April this year he successfully completed an expedition to the Annapurna Base Camp, located 4,130 metres above sea level in Nepal's Himalayan mountain range. He was among 33 members of Happy Hikers, a Kuala Lumpur-based hiking group (picture), that went on the ABC expedition. Besides Abdul Razak – who used to work in the oil and gas sector before he retired – there were three others in the group who were above 50, the oldest being Ng Chor Ming, 69, from Malaysia's northern state Penang. Although the seniors trekked at a slower pace, they were a source of inspiration to the rest of us – this writer included – with their can-do attitude and perseverance. Ng told me it was a trip to Pokhara, Nepal, 10 years ago with her family that sparked a desire in her to go trekking. She found Pokhara's natural beauty and surrounding majestic mountains compelling and swore that she would not let her age or physical fitness stop her from realising her dream. During our trek, Ng was always the last to arrive at the various checkpoints along the trail leading to ABC – about an hour behind us – but that did not dampen her spirits at all. She told me when her close friends learnt that she had signed up for the physically challenging ABC trek, they reacted differently. Some of them told her to cancel her plans as they feared it would be difficult for her to complete the journey. Others encouraged and cheered her on. "Perhaps, my friends who discouraged me from going were looking at my age. But age has never been a problem to me as I do not feel 69! "For me, age is just a figure. To many people, being 69 means sitting at home all day in front of the television and then going to sleep. That does not describe me," said Ng, nicknamed Grandma by the younger members of our hiking group, comprising 24 women and nine men. THE JOURNEY BEGINS We embarked on our ABC expedition on April 23, ably led by our group "captain" and Happy Hikers founder Ganesan Pillay, whom we respectfully addressed as Guruji (teacher). The expedition itself covered eight days – five days to the base camp proper and another three days to descend. Abdul Razak (or Uncle Razak, to the younger members) was appointed to lead us all the way during the trek. This meant that all of us would have to follow him and for a good reason too. His slower pace prevented the younger members from racing ahead, which would put them at greater risk of getting struck by acute mountain sickness (AMS), the bane of any mountaineer. Our exciting journey began at Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city and about a seven-hour drive from the capital city of Kathmandu. From Pokhara, it was a three-hour trip by bus to Nayapul, which was the starting point of our ABC trek. On the first day, we trekked from Nayapul to Ulleri, where we spent the night at our assigned lodgings or teahouse as they are known as in this part of the country. Day two saw us trekking from Ulleri to Ghorepani, where we stayed the night. On the third day, we left our lodgings as early as 4.30am as we wanted to hike up to Poon Hill (3,193 metres) to catch the sunrise. The hike was worthwhile as the view of the sunrise over the lofty Himalaya mountains was simply stunning. We hiked back to Ghorepani before trekking to Tadapani and Chhomrong where we stayed overnight DREAM COME TRUE The fourth day saw us trekking from Chhomrong to Deurali after passing through Bamboo and Dovan. Then came the fifth day. From Deurali, at the height of 3,100 metres, ABC was only two checkpoints away. The temperature started dropping as we climbed uphill to the Machhapuchhre Base Camp, also known as the Fishtail Base Camp, at 3,700 metres. From here, it took us about two hours to reach our final destination. It was a relatively short trail to the base camp but we had to walk slowly as the ground was slippery and we also had to contend with strong winds. It started snowing when we got to the ABC. I will never forget the snowfall, clean fresh mountain air and serenity. The surrounding snow-capped mountains that towered above the base camp were a sight to behold. By then, we were all physically and mentally exhausted and our bodies ached. Nevertheless, no words can describe how we felt when we first set foot in ABC. For all of us in our group, it was a dream come true. After soaking in the beauty of ABC, we prepared to descend from the base camp the next morning. Completing the ABC trek was no mean feat as it was definitely more challenging than hiking up any of Malaysia's G7, the term given to the seven mountains in the country that are above 2,133 metres in height. I have scaled Mount Kinabalu (4,095 metres) in east Malaysian state Sabah and Mount Yong Belar (2,181 metres) in Cameron Highlands of the Pahang state. While Malaysia's mountain trails are usually muddy and slippery, the ABC trail consists of thousands of stone steps, as well as narrow and uneven rocky paths. The climate, especially the inclement weather, was among our biggest challenges. On some days, we trekked under the heat of the blazing sun. On other days, it rained and temperatures plunged. And, one thing we never trained ourselves for was walking on slippery icy grounds, which we encountered on the last stage of our trek to ABC. FROM STRANGERS TO FRIENDS Our ABC journey tells a story of a group of adventure lovers sharing the same dreams and believing that we can achieve them. We were determined to see the world literally from the "rooftop" and embrace each moment, good or bad, as it came along. "A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality." Perhaps, this quote by The Beatles musician John Lennon summed up exactly how we all felt about our ABC expedition. To reach the base camp, we had to trek for six days with an average of seven to eight hours of trekking and climbing thrown in daily. During this period, our lifestyles changed totally. The word comfort no longer existed. We struggled with the freezing temperatures and rain and squeezed ourselves into sleeping bags night after night, often in a cramped tiny room. For sustenance, we only had "dal bhat" (steamed rice served with lentil soup, vegetables and pickles) to eat and ginger lemon tea to drink. Such simplicity, however, taught us about gratitude and happiness. Our calm and peaceful surroundings made me lose track of time and date. Each time we reached our teahouse at the designated checkpoint after a hard day of trekking, all of us would make a beeline for the fireplace; after that, all we needed was a bowl of steaming hot soup. It was a good thing there was no television or Internet connection at the teahouses to keep us amused in the evenings. Instead, we used our free time to get acquainted with trekkers from other parts of the world, and also our local porters and guides who gave us some insight into their cultures and way of life. As a matter of fact, I would never forget the positive vibes exuded by the porters and guides despite the hardships and risks they faced in the course of their work. Their smiling faces, caring nature and humility kept us going. Would I want to return to the Annapurna Base Camp? Yes, of course. Where else can you catch the sun casting its golden rays on towering snow-capped peaks early in the morning? Or hear roaring waterfalls and soothing sounds of water flowing through rocks and the relaxing sound of the wind rustling the leaves of trees as you go past picturesque mountain villages and terraced vegetable farms? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIDEBAR CRUCIAL TO GET RELIABLE TREKKING COMPANY Being a beautiful landlocked Himalayan nation, Nepal's major revenue earner is its tourism industry. Tourists from all over the world are attracted to its amazing trekking trails below the famous Himalayan mountains. However, companies offering trekking services have been mushrooming in recent years and not all of them are reliable. If you are thinking of going on a trekking expedition in Nepal, make sure you get the services of a professional company that has the necessary expertise to make your trekking expedition a memorable one. To avoid being scammed or shortchanged, deal only with legitimate and certified trekking and tour operators. Our group, Happy Hikers, had appointed Alpine Club of Himalaya as our ground agent in Nepal. Its director of operations Sujan Lamichhane received us at the airport in Kathmandu and we were happy to note that he would be accompanying us on our Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) expedition. There was nothing quite like having a top official from the company trekking with us as we knew we would be assured of good service. Alpine Club had arranged for 12 porters and guides for our group of 33. They met us in Kathmandu and we were delighted that they could all speak English well and were friendly, cheerful, honest and hardworking. On the whole, thanks to Sujan and team, our ABC expedition turned out to be an unforgettable experience. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA