‘I will always remember the views and the camaraderie of the group’
Fiona Hatton, 78, was invited by her daughter to trek together to Everest Base Camp – a life-enhancing experience.
I was determined to keep going
After eight days of trekking, when I finally reached Everest Base Camp, I was struck by how vast and quiet it was among these towering mountains. I felt an immense sense of gratitude that I had completed the 60km trek to get there.
I had made the decision to do the trek just six weeks earlier. My daughter Kate, 45, had asked me to join her. As an anaesthetist, the last few years have been tough for her during the pandemic, so she had taken a year out to tick off some bucket-list items. Trekking to Everest Base Camp was one of them.
When she asked me to join her, my first answer was, ‘Absolutely not!’ But, the more I considered it, I thought, ‘Why not?’ My husband, Francis, was supportive. ‘You don’t get many opportunities like this in life,’ he said.
I’m part of a running club, so I’m reasonably fit, and I was delighted to be spending time with Kate in a different and challenging environment. My only condition was, if I had to stop, Kate would continue.
To prepare myself physically, I bought some resistance bands, followed simple workouts online to improve upper body strength and took a trekking pole lesson.
On the flight to Kathmandu in Nepal, I was anxious about keeping up with the group and how I would be affected by the altitude, but I was also incredibly excited.
At the hotel, we met with the rest of our group – young people in their 20s and 30s – and our guide for the trip, Phurba Sherpa. Kate and I were the oldest, and I was concerned I’d hold them up or we wouldn’t get on, but we bonded together through games and group discussions.
From Kathmandu we took a helicopter to Lukla, the starting point of our trek. It takes eight days to trek up to Base Camp (walking at a steady pace to acclimatise to the altitude) and four days to come down. When we set off, I was relieved that I could keep up with the group, crossing wire bridges and steep-sided paths.
On average, we trekked for six to eight hours a day. The first few days take you through farming villages, where you see children going to school. From there on, it becomes serious mountainous country, where the population is mainly around the teahouses in which we stayed each night. In the evenings, we ate vegetable stews and curries, then played games such as charades. It was so cold I’d often get into my sleeping bag in all my clothes.
On day seven, I started to notice the effect of altitude – breathing was difficult when on the move, but I was determined to keep going. The following day, we reached Everest Base Camp. I was relieved. We were 5,364m above sea level. The views were breathtakingly clear – the blue sky a backdrop to the snow-covered mountains. The air was clear and thin. We each quietly savoured our own individual achievements.
Coming back down is steep but easier because you feel better as you descend. When we got back to Lukla, we celebrated together.
When I considered my highlights, initially it was the big accomplishments of each day – the thrill of crossing a rickety suspension bridge, spotting yaks or just the awe of being among colossal mountains. But reflecting now, it is also the comradeship of our group I cherish – achieving a common goal, supporting one another and sharing those personal stories. I loved seeing Kate in a new light. As the designated medic, I was proud to see her attending to people when they tripped and fell or were unwell.
I am planning a trip to Uzbekistan this year. I want to take every opportunity that comes my way. It is important and enriching to meet people from other cultures and remind yourself that they are part of the hugely diverse world in which we live.