Granddad scales new heights
full force’’ five minutes after their arrival.
Weathering the storm was ‘‘spooky’’, Bardsley says. As was the ‘‘difficult descent over 2000m in fresh snow, the final white-out and the loss of our path down to safety.’’
Led by their two local guides, the group made it safely to Muktinath Mandir, an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Hindus, within eight-and-a-half hours.
Bardsley’s assessment of the pass: ‘‘exhausting but rewarding’’.
Bruce says Bardsley more than managed to keep up with the rest of the group, whose average age was about 30.
‘‘Kevin was extremely supportive of others, very humorous, and had surprisingly excellent taste in music. He was part of the glue of our trip with fun anecdotes and stories, and was often hiking at the front of the group.’’
Bardsley’s not one to blow his own trumpet but reckons he didn’t do too badly. Trekking for five to 10 hours a day, he says his travel doctor’s advice to take ‘‘granny steps’’ proved solid.
‘‘I found descending the hardest as I have arthritis in my feet, probably from years of longdistance jogging. Continual descending gives me acute forefoot pain. But I recover quickly.’’
The exceptionally high altitude – trails in Nepal climb higher than the summits of the tallest mountains in Europe – was a concern for the whole group, but Bardsley says they acclimatised well.
While he suffered shortness of breath at elevations of more than 2500m, he ‘‘found no part of the trek too arduous physically, or in any way mentally challenging’’.
He only got ill, he says, when he returned to work. On his first day back, he realised he should probably see a doctor and was diagnosed with ‘‘near pneumonia’’.
‘‘At altitude, I – and others – were coughing every night just to clear our lungs of gunk before sleeping, but I slept well 95 per cent of the time. Perhaps I should have sought treatment at the time but there were few medical facilities and the language barrier . . . ’’
Thorong La pass aside, he says there was only one time he felt fearful on the trek – and that was for others’ safety rather than his own.
‘‘I did worry for a subset of our group who elected to traverse from the 5000m high Tilicho Lake visit, returning at night in the pitch black. I kept a vigil for them by lying on the couch in front of the pot belly and occasionally casting my eye out for their torch light.’’
The highlights of the hike for Bardsley were the grandeur of the mountains, experiencing the simplicity of life in the villages, and spending time with the other group members and local guides, porters, taxi and tuk tuk drivers.
‘‘I think [Nepalis] are among the loveliest, most peaceful people on Earth, but all seem to be living on very limited incomes and I observed less than fair opportunities.’’
Now fully recovered from his illness, Bardsley says ‘‘I feel like a new person as I have 10kg less to carry around’’.
He wonders now why he put up with the extra weight for so long, saying he feels fitter, healthier and better about himself than he has in a long time. He reckons it’s taken a few years off his appearance, too.
Getting back into hiking has made him realise how many New Zealanders have given up or forgotten the pleasures of venturing into the wilderness since having children.
‘‘While training for the hike, so many of my friends and workmates revealed they also used to tramp. So I have motivated them and they have motivated me.’’
Believing that keeping active and hanging out with young people are key to staying young yourself, Bardsley encourages those feeling old, overweight, unfit or simply unhappy to get outside.
‘‘Our nation is suffering from an obesity epidemic. I work in the development of tertiary healthcare facilities and our capacity is always stretched. We must deal with the epidemic ourselves. Don’t hesitate; make the decision to get out.’’