At the foot of Mount Everest

The base camp at an altitude of 5360 meters above sea level seemed to me like a market, like a fair. This place was buzzing. After sitting inside a comfortable warm tent and sipping hot tea, the place felt even more charming.

After walking for 11 days, we reached the base camp on the morning of the 12th day. The Nepal Science Journalist Forum arranged for 8 journalists, including myself, 4 from Nepal, 2 from India and 1/1 from Bangladesh and Bhutan to reach there to explain the effects of science and climate change. There were 13 of us in total. Together with 2 guides and 4 porters and helpers we reached there.

You can easily reach the base camp in three days from Lukla. At a height of about 53 hundred and 64 meters, it is difficult to go even here. So we traveled from Lukla to Manjo on the first day and Namche Bazaar on the second day at an altitude of 3440 meters. From there on the third day we went to Sangboche and stayed at Khumjung.

The convenience and beauty of Namche market can hardly be described in words. The place was no less than a market in a well-equipped city. And Khumjung Chai is a beautiful village located in the middle of Bhimkaya Hills. Khumjung Namche is a must-visit place for anyone visiting the original lifestyle, organic farming and traditional monasteries.

We walked following the guide's statement that the body will be conditioned if we ascend and descend at least 300 meters from the place where we stayed the previous day. Reached Tengboche on the fourth day.

Due to the polluted environment, the mountains that should be seen from Namche were not seen. After reaching Tengboche, it was said that Everest and the surrounding mountains are visible, but it was not. However, on that day, I was fascinated by the beautiful flowers that bloomed on the slopes of Fungi Taga.

On the fifth day, we reached Dingboche at an altitude of 4400 meters from Tengboche. Even that village, which seemed to be at the foot of Ama Dablam mountain, was not at all beautiful. The next day, we reached Nakarsong peak at an altitude of 5100 meters and acclimatized ourselves.

Only 4 of us including myself managed to reach Nakarasong Peak. The rest of the friends returned in the middle. We came from Nakarsang to the same hotel as if we were climbing the mountains. After that, the body felt a little faster. The

had to walk even more. How far is Everest? What will the base camp be like? This curiosity drove him. Dingbache was covered with snow when he woke up.

Our journey began as we stepped on a snow sled on a mountain shrouded in mist. That day we went to stay at the Pyramid International Laboratory and Observation Center near Lobuche, located at an altitude of 5,050 meters.

Even on the morning of the eighth day, the weather was not favorable. From the pyramids we proceeded straight towards Everest base camp. After reaching a little higher, the weather cleared to some extent. Later the mountains started to appear. We got excited. After going higher, to the east, when the base camp of Everest was also seen, the heart became more cheerful. When we reached the base camp after crossing the Gorakhshep, we were able to touch Mount Everest, that was a victory. That was a victory and achievement for me.

The excitement and excitement of approaching the highest peak, Everest, brought more energy, not fatigue, even after eight days of travel. After spending a few hours at the base camp, we returned to Pyramids that day and returned to Pangboche on the ninth day, Manjo on the 10th and returned to Lukla on the 11th. And on the morning of the 12th day, we boarded a ship and reached Kathmandu.

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For me this trip was important in every way. First of all, I reached Everest base camp for the first time. Second, reaching a height of more than 5000 meters was a great achievement for me, who has reached a maximum height of 3500 meters so far. And thirdly, it was the first time that I had walked continuously for such a long time.

Sometimes I saw other tourists walking in a planned way with guides, porters and helpers. I also enjoyed walking as a tourist in this way. However, he did not want to call himself a tourist on this trip. Because I am a journalist, as it happens, I have to get information about the geography of my country, see the country.

So the way we reached the base camp was a great achievement for someone like me. I had to make this trip at least once, even if it was rough and dry. So it was a great opportunity for me.

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As Amitabh Bachchan said in the movie 'Uchai', 'Kisi bhi tara par jana hai', the dream of most of the world is to reach the highest peak, Mount Everest. If you can't reach the summit, even if it is from the base camp, you will see the summit and return.

That's why we got to see, meet and talk to many people from different countries during this 12-day trip. Seeing mothers and fathers carrying two-year-old children, 5-7-year-old children accompanied by their parents, and senior citizens ranging from 80 years old to Everest, the fatigue of the journey seemed to disappear.

and moving forward with sign communication in a different language, I thought that there is a script for the alphabet, but there is no script for the language. Throughout the

journey, as much as we were in our team, each other's enthusiasm and energy became our strength. And in the early days, Chhatra Karki said 'Dal Bhat Power, Twenty Four Hours', but the power of Dal Bhat really helped him to reach the top. We also added 'One Week No Savar' to it.

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That's enough to write here. A thousand words are not enough to tell about this journey of 12 days. Another thing is to experience the journey rather than writing, telling and showing it. Which is something that remains in the memory rather than in description, visuals and letters. I captured as many scenes as possible on the

camera. I captured the scenes without the camera in my mind. I think I have done everything I have done on this journey.

But we have to work hard to protect our mountains, not just Everest. The government and stakeholders should wake up and tighten their belts to protect the mountains. There is no achievement by pretending to do something and leaving the rest to God.

Let's maintain the laughter of our mountains that define Nepal, let's go for the mountains, let's wake up.