Write a story beginning with- "Somesh and Romil were planning to go on a mountain trekking...........".
Answers
Universal Peace Federation (UPF) wanted to send someone to the top of Everest with a peace message hoping to inspire people. One of our (KB and Amber's) acquaintances told us this and wanted to discuss how this could succeed. This person asked me (Amber) several questions regarding expeditions and ideas regarding how it could be for a good cause. One day we met and I suggested we set up a banner that all the members of parliament could sign wishing to write a new constitution and for lasting peace in the country. I also suggested arranging a mutual Buddhist and Hindu "puja" at Pashupatinath and Bodhnath. He agreed to the idea and we wrote a proposal to convince the tourism ministry officials.
Once the proposal was approved my acquaintance was busy obtaining a budget from UPF. He became the climbing leader; KB, along with four others, were hired as climbers to take the banner to the top. KB and other climbers never knew how much money was involved but it was said to them by the leader that there was not enough money to pay the climbers so all they would get was an equipment bonus. Climbers would have to do the job without daily pay! At this point I disagreed and subsequently I was out of the picture. But KB wanted to go, as this was rare opportunity for him.
KB had received little more than $1000 as an equipment bonus. We (KB and I) went to buy equipment: the down jacket cost $300, the shoes $600, a sleeping bag more than $500 and of course other clothing, bag and ice axe the total was certain to reach $2000. At the same time KB became sick, had a fever, and later was diagnosed as having Typhoid Fever. To cover the cost of equipment KB came up with the idea of using locally produced or second hand gear. He managed to get a locally made jacket and other equipment at cheaper prices except he had to buy international brand shoes. Due to the chaotic situation of not getting permits or flights on time, as well as KB being sick, I thought the expedition would not be successful so I didn't share this news with many friends before the trip.
However the UPF expedition managed to fly to Lukla on 25th of April which was at least four weeks later than the other expeditions to climb Everest in Spring of 2009. Once they reached base camp it was virtually full. There were 29 teams with an average of five climbers and ten Sherpas in each team. There was no space for their tents. KB's team also had no radio, satellite phone or computer to use for communication or e-mailing.
Later I asked KB why he wasn't worried. He replied that he was confident that he would be able to get to the top since, among the hundreds of Sherpas on Everest, he had several close friends. In an emergency he would seek help from them. I had managed to get one 10m pixel point and shoot camera through DB (another brother who lives in the U.S.). The camera was the best gift for KB; even though he was not good at taking pictures, he did manage to bring some good pictures from base camp and the summit.
Now what Karna says from base camp to summit: They had to hurry to set up the upper camps as they were already late! They went to camp I and camp II to transport the supplies. KB was still on Typhoid medication till reaching base camp. But he continued to work, carrying the supplies from camp to camp. One day he was returning from camp II (where he had reached in 2008) with a friend who was in Lhotse Expedition and he saw an avalanche and he took two pictures. Later he discovered that it came over the trail and killed one of the climbing Sherpas and hurt two Austrian climbers. At camp II he experienced AMS and he got aspirin tablets from a friend, after which he was fine. They did several up/downs between camps 3-2-1 and base camp. Then he discovered that the big western led expeditions' trip leaders had access to high tech weather forecasts. These trip leaders wouldn't tell what their plan to go up was as they were concerned other groups would follow them. However KB managed to get this information from a Sherpa friend in their team! So KB's team also set summit plans at a similar time.