Everest trip posed many hurdles for Timaru climber
As Lisa Mullings reached the dizzying heights of Mt Everest’s South Base Camp she had no idea what was happening back home 11,715 kilometres away.
On the trip of a lifetime, with 73-year-old uncle Gary Mullings, of Arrowtown, it was only when the Timaru woman began her descent on March 21, and could get wifi on her phone, she realised the impact Covid-19 was having on the world.
The pair were yesterday preparing for the long journey home, catching a flight from Kathmandu on a Nepalesechartered plane to Brisbane, then onto an Air New Zealand plane to Auckland, where they will be required to self-isolate.
It will cap off a trip nine months in the planning which Mullings described as ‘‘full of adventure’’.
She said when she, and her uncle, left Christchurch bound for Kathmandu on March 11, the coronavirus was ‘‘in the back of our minds’’.
‘‘We knew [when they left New Zealand] it was happening but the world seemed to just be carrying on,’’ Mullings said.
‘‘We had no indication of just how bad it had taken hold as we had no good internet while trekking so had our phones off most of the time.’’
She did know something was up when she was descending as there were a lot of overseas tourists turning around, not even bothering to make it to Base Camp, saying they had to get back to Kathmandu.
‘‘Some were even hiring private helicopters at US$5000 to evacuate.’’
The news came after an already adventurous trip for the pair – who had parted ways only two days into the trek.
‘‘Unfortunately my uncle didn’t make it with me all the way, and I continued alone with my Nepalese guide.
‘‘His English was just okay, but he looked after me great. The trek was, by far, the most physically challenging event in my life.’’
While she was lucky not to be affected by the symptoms of altitude sickness, her guide did at the highest point of the trek, meaning the pair had to leave Gorakshep, a small settlement, in a snowstorm in the dark to get him down to lower altitude.
‘‘It was the scariest moment of my life.’’
After getting off the mountain the Mullings were put into lockdown, controlled by armed police and army who routinely checked they were complying.
Through the help of the New Zealand Embassy, the Mullings have secured flights on an Australian Embassy plane scheduled to depart last night for Brisbane and on to Auckland.
‘‘It’s a 23-hour and 10-minute haul to get us back. At the moment I think we do have a 14-day quarantine in Auckland, but we are prepared for that.’’
Mullings said she loved adventure and the unknown and can’t wait to be reunited with family and friends.