Trekking The Everest Base Camp For A Cause

By Sarimah Othman KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Bernama) -- Less than a month before the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, 17 Malaysians were there to trek the Everest Base Camp to raise funds for underprivileged children in Malaysia. After a year of planning, the group called My Team left Kuala Lumpur for Kathmandu on March 12 to embark on the challenging expedition ‘Trek for a Cause’. TREK FOR A CAUSE As soon as they arrived in Kathmandu, many made their way to Thamel Road, home to a myriad of shops selling mountaineering gear. Most of the goods on sale are available in Kuala Lumpur. However, seasoned mountaineers prefer to buy their gear there as it costs only a fraction of what it would cost back home. Soon after, the team boarded a tiny aircraft to Lukhla, a town with an airport that is dubbed the most dangerous in the world. The airport itself comprises a single landing strip that is narrow, short and sloped. As soon as the plane descends, it has no other choice but to land. A pilot that misses the runway by a few metres would hit a mountain. Adding to the challenge is the drastic change in weather. Clear, sunshiny weather can turn into damp fog and rain within minutes. The runway is 450 meters long, making it less than a tenth of the length of the standard 5,500 metres at international airports. Wan Rusli Wan Muda, a member of MY Team and director of Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia, admitted that the experience was rather terrifying. "You'll just have to trust the pilots with your life,” he said. He told Bernama that the trip was almost cancelled when about a week prior to their departure, a Turkish Airline aircraft crashed at the Tribhuvan International Airport and forced it to be closed to all air traffic. Fortunately the situation was resolved several days before the planned journey. YAKS, HORSES AND DONKEYS The trek from Lukhla to Everest Base Camp usually takes about a week, depending on the weather and whether the trekkers take detours along the way. The return journey takes only half the time. The ascent is longer because trekkers have to undergo acclimatisation at certain points of the journey. The Everest Base Camp is located 5,364 metres above the sea level. One of the detours was the peak of Kala Pattar, located at 5,545 metres above sea level. The trek is about 60km and passes through little villages and settlements namely Phakding, Dingboche (picture), Namche, Periche, and Gorakchep. It was not an easy route to trek. The trekkers have to traverse through glaciers, landscapes, and snowy paths to reach the base camp. "We had to go up and down and up again, crossing rivers on swaying bridges, walking on snow, ice and mud, making way for yaks, horses and donkeys," Wan Rusli recounted. On top of that, the trekkers had to make do with primitive lodgings. However, the most serious challenge of all is the dreaded Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Of the 17 who started the journey, only 11 made it to the Everest Base Camp. Six of them had to descend due to the onset of AMS and other illnesses. One of those who made it was Melvin Tong, a paraplegic who lost his right leg to cancer when he was 17. "I am proud to have Melvin in MY Team. He has shown determination and willpower that are lacking even in able-bodied men," said MY Team group leader Dr G. Balamurugan. Melvin was also the first amputee to climb Mount Kinabalu five years ago. NOT FOR PERSONAL SATISFACTION One would have thought that the MY in MY Team stood for Malaysia, but to the team, it also stood for something else: Monyet (the Malay word for ‘monkey’) and Yak. When asked how the name came about, Dr Balamurugan, known as the Monyet King, said it was suggested by the readers of his blog, Planet of the Monyet, in 2010. He had sought their opinion of a group name when planning the first Everest Base Camp trekking expedition in 2011. "The M is for Monyet and Y is for Yak because where they would be going, there would be many of those mountain dwelling animals. "At the same time, MY is also a common short form for Malaysia. Thus, MY Team means friends of the Monyet King, going to the place where Yaks rule, on behalf of Malaysia," he explained. Then in 2013, the team decided to trek for a larger reason than personal satisfaction. Thus ‘Trek for A Cause’ was launched to raise funds for underprivileged children in Malaysia. OUT OF POVERTY Sathya Bama, one of the seven women who joined the expedition, said that this year’s journey was one of the toughest that she had experience. This was due to the erratic weather conditions and extreme cold, said Sathya, who has had some 10 years of trekking experience and trekked to the Everest Base Camp twice. However, she was in no way deterred by the experience. "We keep returning to the Everest Base Camp because of the awesome scenery and surroundings, and also to contribute to the local economy. However, the camp is not the only Nepal destination that we repeatedly visit. This is in fact our fifth trekking trip to Nepal," she said. FOR THE CHILDREN Meanwhile, Wan Rusli when recounting the trip said that the difficulties he experienced at the mountains only served to strengthen his resolve to help underprivileged children. "The challenges and difficulties we faced during the 17 days in the Himalayas were only temporary hardship, but for the children, it's a daily affair. We complained about no shower, bland food, primitive toilets and thin mattresses although we know it's just temporary. Imagine the children who don't get to go to school, or eat, and have no clothes or shoes, day in and day out," he said. Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia is currently operating a learning centre for refugee children in Ampang and a club for local children to hang out in Petaling Jaya. The foundation also plans to establish more of such centres all over the country, which can only be achieved with proper investments. AID FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIM On April 25, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale ravaged parts of the Nepal and triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest. Said to be the worst in eight decades for Nepal, it also swept through the base camp, making it look like a bomb had flattened it, said a report. Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia has launched the Nepal Earthquake Emergency Appeal to raise fund to help the earthquake victims. "The fund was jointly launched with MY Team group leader Dr Balamurugan and we are working with another NGO in Nepal to provide immediate help to the victims," said Wan Rusli. Wan Rusli said the focus of the fund was the victims’ immediate needs, which are food and medical supplies. Those who wish to contribute to TFAC or the Nepal earthquake victims may visit www.muslimaid.org.my or call (006) 03-2288 1996 or (+6) 012-332 0104 . (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA