Page 44 - Explore Magazine Spring 2017

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HIGH ADVENTURE

The physical demands of Himalayan trekking are extreme. Karen Pocklington, Owner-Manager of
helloworld Henderson, describes her expedition to Everest Base Camp as a life-changing experience.

In May 2016, I won a place on an expedition trek to Everest Base Next we flew to Lukla in eastern Nepal and landed at Tenzing-Hillary
Camp. This was not on my bucket list at all but as I was given this Airport which is known as the most dangerous airport in the world. It
opportunity and people who had completed the trip told me what was really exciting actually and the pilots’ landing on the short uphill
an amazing, life-changing experience it was, I gladly went. runway at the altitude of 2,743 metres was amazing. Here we met our
Sherpa guides and started our trek to our first overnight stop in the
The adventure began on 24 October and after a couple of village of Monjo. The six-hour trek to Monjo was the hardest thing I
long-haul flights with Air New Zealand and SilkAir I arrived in have ever done. I was not prepared for just how long and strenuous
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Here I met the rest of my the day would be and getting used to walking at altitude and tackling
20-strong trekking group hosted by Air New Zealand pilot Mike the hills and terrain was overwhelming. I was so exhausted that I
Allsop, one of a small group of New Zealand adventurers who can’t remember much of that first night.
has successfully reached the summit of Mt Everest. We spent
the next couple of days exploring Kathmandu, which is a crazy I was up for breakfast the next morning though and felt good. No
but special city. sore muscles or stiff joints were a big bonus! On this day we started

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