My Trek to the Everest Base Camp-Part 1

My Himalayan Trek- Part 1

My first opportunity for a Himalayan Trek presented itself 12 years ago. I was communicating with a man online –potential spouse material handpicked by the folks. During the course of our frequent emails over a 10 month period, I had already discovered that the man was an outdoor freak.  He had run a marathon, completed a 6 day kayaking trip to Alaska (he lived in the US), and had recently been on a 10 day mountain biking trip. He also ran for fun. 5 miles, every day. More than I had run in my entire lifetime of 25 years.

He was now visiting India-where I was based- for a few months. And he had his sights set on doing the Annapurna Circuit- a 15 day tea house trek based in Nepal.  He was coming in with a couple – friends of his from business school -and they were planning to do the trek together. He asked me to join in. What better way to get to know each other than spend 15 days among picturesque mountains, all day, every day?  Huffing and Puffing. With a 30 pound backpack on your back.

I quickly checked the circuit online. I had never heard of it before. And very quickly concluded that it had ‘BAD IDEA’ written all over it. Sure I loved the outdoors. It looked wonderful from my window. And I was happy to admire it from my couch all day if necessary. I had been on one –all day trek in my entire adult life. I had injured my foot and my friends had had to lug me on the way down. They had done it sportingly of course- cursing me heavily and cracking mean jokes about me. Just like good friends are wont to do.

To impress the man, I had mentioned my one day adventure, casually leaving out the embarrassing details. I had also told him that ‘trekking’ was a hobby for me. I had left out a little detail that it was more futuristic. Aspirational.

Now, all that came back to bite me. ‘Trekking is my hobby’, indeed!  I visualized scenarios where I would be sitting in the middle of the mountains, howling loudly. Neither willing to climb up, nor able to come down. And the man trying to find a donkey or helicopter to carry me back to base. And at the end of the trip, bidding me good-bye. Forever.

So I played my ‘Coy Indian Girl’ card. It was 67% accurate. I was an Indian Girl, after all. I said my parents would never allow me to do this. My fragile reputation would be ruined if People Found Out. He persisted. So I blamed it on my poor parents.' They had refused Permission', I said. My poor, perpetually bullied parents had no clue, of course.

He went ahead for the trek without me. And after his trek, we met in safer terrains – where no proof of my fitness needed to be provided. And at the end of a brief courting, we decided we were willing to risk getting married. Forest Gump and Couch Potato. Match made in Heaven.

I should have realized what I was getting into.