[28/04/2002 16:30 – Kathmandu, Nepal]
Hi everyone!
My feet have swollen, my back is aching and I am so very tired, but after 12 days, I came back from the Everest Base Camp.
I apologize for being absent, but I have been trekking here in Nepal in the Sagarmatha National Park, where Mount Everest lies.
Words cannot express the beauty of the scenery I have seen so I will not even try.
Instead I will just lay some facts on you:
1. This has been, by far, the most difficult thing I have ever done, except my army basic training.
2. I trekked with Eli Ha Mem-Pey (also known as Eliezer and the Glacier) and with Avi Ha Katach.
You may assume this was as close to reserve duty as it gets.
3. We ascended in 9 days (as a precaution due to AMS or Heights Disease). We descended in 2 days (about 30 km per day).
4. We used Diamox pills to help us get used to the heights.
5. This is the route we took, you can follow it using the following map:
| Day | Date | Route |
| Saturday | 13/4/2002 | Flight from KATHMANDU (1,300m) to LUKLA (2,840m) |
| Sunday | 14/4/2002 | Trekking from LUKLA to JORSALE (2,805m) |
| Monday | 15/4/2002 | Trekking from JORSALE to NAMCHE BAZAR (3,440m) |
| Tuesday | 16/4/2002 | Trekking from NAMCHE BAZAR to KHUMJUNG (3,780m) |
| Wednesday | 17/4/2002 | Trekking from KHUMJUNG to PANGBOCHE (3,930m) |
| Thursday | 18/4/2002 | Trekking from PANGBOCHE to PHERICHE (4,240m) |
| Friday | 19/4/2002 | Acclimatization at PHERICHE |
| Saturday | 20/4/2002 | Trekking from PHERICHE to DUGHLA (4,620m) |
| Sunday | 21/4/2002 | Trekking from DUGHLA to GORAK SHEP (5,140m) |
| Monday | 22/4/2002 | Trekking from GORAK SHEP to EVEREST BASE CAMP (5,364m) and back to GORAK SHEP |
| Tuesday | 23/4/2002 | Hiking from GORAK SHEP to KALA PATTHAR (5,545m) and returning back until TENGBOCHE (3,860m) |
| Wednesday | 24/4/2002 | Finishing the route from TENGBOCHE to LUKLA |
| Thursday | 25/4/2002 | Staying at LUKLA |
| Friday | 26/4/2002 | Flight from LUKLA to KATHMANDU |
6. The first picture attached is of me, Eli and Avi at Everest Base Camp.
This is the highest place trekkers can reach and the starting point for professional mountaineering expeditions.
7. The second picture attached is of the gang at the peak of Kala Patthar, which is the mountain opposing Everest, where you get a good view of the highest mountain in the world.
8. The third picture attached is of me and Mount Everest.
As mentioned before, words cannot describe the actual experience, and even pictures show only a vague resemblance to the actual reality.
As always, more pictures are available at:
[redacted]
Lots of love from the beautiful country of Nepal,
Shahar.
Shahar’s trek to the Everest Base Camp was sponsored by Yahoo! Travel.
If you want to see more pictures of the gang trekking, go to:
[redacted]