Charlie makes Everest base camp for P3!
Our former colleague Charlie Parker completed her challenge to trek to the Everest Base Camp over Christmas, raising more than £1800 for P3! Here, Charlie tells us about her journey...
“There were highs of 17,651 ft and lows of -27 degrees. By day 3, we were already trekking at the same level of altitude you would parachute out of a plane! Christmas Day was spent playing card games and quizzes around the fire (burning Yak poo for warmth!) with the group of 15 people in our team.
“As we got higher, every step became more difficult. I’d take 3 steps and need to stop to catch my breath making the nine-hour trekking days tough work. The trekking was actually the nicer part of the trip, as temperatures dropped below -27 at night with only a sleeping bag and a blanket. I would wake up to a frozen sleeping bag on the outside and all my belongings annoyingly at the bottom of my sleeping bag so they didn’t freeze!
“I’m pleased to say I made it to Everest Base Camp on 30 December. It took nine days to reach the camp and five days to get back down. I was in bed for 8pm on New Year’s Eve but still woke up feeling like I had the worst hangover ever thanks to the altitude! We were only the second group that our tour leader has taken which had a 100% success rate - with everyone reaching base camp. Which is a good job as the emergency helicopter was £500 if required!
“Heavy snowfall on our last day meant that our internal flight off the mountain and back to Kathmandu was cancelled, in turn meaning an extra night in the cold and another day with no shower! The team I did it with were absolutely fantastic, so caring and motivating to one another which made a huge difference mentally. We had tough times, but there were plenty of laughs and happy moments along the way to make the experience an unforgettable one. It was a Christmas and New Year to remember that’s for sure!
“It really was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, photos don’t do it justice… But I certainly won’t be in any rush to go back soon!”
