Nitin and Mina Changela recently climbed to Everest Base Camp in order to raise money for Our Sansar as well as visiting our Children’s Home in Birgunj.
This is their story:
“Everest Base Camp Summit has been on my wish list for years. So in early 2013, I began researching the serious training and stamina building that would be needed for those intensive long day treks. After reviewing a few companies in the UK and Nepal I finally settled on one in Kathmandu. With my wife Mina joining me for her 50th birthday we decided to book an extra week visiting the Chitwan National Park, Pokhara and Our Sansar’s children’s home in Birgunj – this seemed fitting having decided to raise money for the home through our trek.
Reaching the capital, Kathmandu on 9th April we stayed for 2 days to acclimatise to the 1600m. Our trek began at Lukla, to which we had to fly on a precarious 12-seater bi-plane – both our guide (Bale Tamang) and porter (Raju Tamang) joined us on this flight. Having chosen the longer 14 day trek to Base Camp via the Gokyo Lakes we began our 5 hour trek to Phakding.
Passing through beautiful picuresque villages, mountain paths and rivers we would ascend a maximum of 5,500 metres with Everest Base Camp at 5,400 metres. Our porter – having the hardest journey of all – would carry 25kg of luggage on his head!
We met some amazing people from all parts of the world. Each day, we would trek 7-10 hours reaching the next village before 5pm. Having dinner at 7pm we were all exhausted and in bed by 8pm, before getting up to start the next leg at 6am. The day before our ascent of Base Camp, an avalanche killed 16 sherpa guides at Base Camp 1, making it the worst accident to occur on Everest. Over the next few days we say several rescue helicopters, and the government halted summits of Everest for the rest of the season.
We began the ascent of Kala Pathar the next day at 3.30am – this was by far the coldest day when even 5 layers of clothes and two gloves were not enough to ward off the -15 deg C.
When we finally finished it was such a relief! 14 days with no mod cons and carrying 8kg backpacks was tough – and we still had the rest of Nepal to look forward to. Chitwan was a welcomed break as we played and bathed with elephants. Though after two days, we left for Birgunj picking up some treats of chocolate, crisps, biscuits and soft drinks for the children. On arrival we were warmly greeted by the children, Santosh, Mukesh and the rest of the staff at the children’s home. We also gave them 11kg of knitted clothes, hats and gloves – donated by the Charities Advisory Trust in the UK where our daughter works. Offering us lunch, Mukesh and Santosh then showed us around and gave us an insight into the children and their progress. Having learnt all about their stories and work, we’re so glad we decided to raise funds for them and WISH WE COULD DO MORE!”
If you’d like to add to Nitin and Mina’s donation page and help us do more for the Children’s Home
