by Jia Ying Chia
It was certainly an unforgettable moment for Yati Roszaimey, her husband Azrin Mohaimin, and four other Bruneians as they reached the Everest Base Camp earlier this year. “Personally for me, it felt surreal (to arrived at Base Camp). I thought I might not make it,” she explained due to being hit by mild altitude sickness three days into the hike which severely affected her gut and appetite. “You really have to be prepared mentally and physically”, she advised. The group officially arrived to proudly wave the Brunei flag on 12th March, exactly eleven days after they had set out from Nepali Flat near the Lukla Airport. The group was led by Michelle Basir, a sports massage therapist and avid trekker. It is her second time reaching Base Camp but the shine of the journey hasn’t escaped her. “The scenery is out of this world! The Himalayan range is beyond beautiful. Having submitted a number of mountains and been able to fly Brunei’s flag there, it is always a proud moment. Nepal has a special place in my heart so I would love to do this on more mountains in Nepal in the future.”
Everest Base Camp is one of two resting points where hikers attempting the full Everest summit will camp to acclimatise and rest before going on. Mount Everest, as the tallest mountain peak in the world stands at a staggering 8,849 meters above sea level where the Everest Base Camp is stated as being roughly 5,400 meters high. Training for such a huge trek meant the group has to start months before their departure date, sometimes climbing Bukit Shahbandar’s nine-hill route twice in one day and carrying backpacks pilled with weights to mimics the journey in Nepal.
On what inspired her and the others to take on this ambitious challenge, Yati explains that they had an initial group who also went to climb Poon Hill in Nepal a few years back and the idea for the Everest trek sprang from there. “It was something we’ve been wanting to do after that so when Michelle (our coordinator) initiated it, we jumped at the opportunity.”
Interested to find out more about mountaineering? Head to Michelle’s instagram for inspiring treks and upcoming journeys.
