Hi everyone!
A formal blog update to come soon, but just wanted to let
you all know I am down safe and in Kathmandu! We were able to score a
helicopter ride to Lukla from base camp this morning and then caught one of the
last flights out to Kathmandu J
So now the plot begins to figure out how to get home! Only problem is our gear
is stuck up on the mtn., so more soon!
In a nut shell the past 9 days have by far been the most
eventful of the trip! I reached the summit of Everest about 10:15 am on the 21st
of May. I was privileged enough to spend an hour on the top of the world. The sheer
beauty of what I witnessed brought me to tears at many points of our summit
push. Our summit push alone was a 20 hour day- 13 hours up and 7 down...needless
to say, I was beyond exhausted. This has been by fare the hardest physical and
mental challenge of my life. Below are a few pics and more to come with a
formal account of the final push, but don’t let that huge grin fool you, about
5 hours into the summit push I nearly turned around and was crying like a
little girl, as my hypoxia had started to set in again and I was moving too
slow. This trip has been amazing in so many ways, but one main one has been
spiritually. Right before I was to reassess my condition, I prayed and asked
God for a sign as to whether I should turn around, and no more than 10 minutes
later my friend’s guide managed to recognize me through my oxygen mask and down
suit and asked why I was crying and then told me, “you already turned around
once 2 years ago, you are not turning around again.” He then talked to my
Sherpa, they adjusted my oxygen and he asked me to follow them for an hour and
see if I felt better and that I was only 5-6 hours away from the summit.
Fortunately, I started feeling better, and at 5 am the sun rose over the whole
world and I was filled with warmth and knew that my sign had been clear as day
and there was no turning around.
I feel incredibly blessed in so many ways and happy to be
safe as there was a lot of death on the mountain the night of our summit push. I am grateful for the women that inspired me
up mountains back in 2008 and the amazing work of International Medical Corps
and V-DAY, which like many of the people I saw on the mountain remind that the
impossible is possible by the work that they do.
More soon, but just getting my bearings right now and
processing, and digesting it all. Everest for Congo 2013, will live with me
forever. Thank you again to my two incredible friends that helped make this
possible.
The warmth of the wind feels so incredible here, I have
already eaten a huge burger, fries, beer, and some ice cream, and taken the
best shower I have had in a LONG time J
Thank you for all of your love, support, and encouragement….it
helped keep me going when I thought I might give up. I am missing home and
looking forward to being back soon.
Also, now you know what I look like as a big red marshmallow
woman!!! Haha…the down suite is very flattering for my figure…lol ;)
My life motto lives on after this trip...The extraordinary is always possible. . Never limit yourself or life's potential. GM
Big hugs!!!!
G
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Top of the world for women
in Congo! www.climbtakeaction.com
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| Jang Bu and I on the top! Couldn't have done it without
him! |
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My happy moment :)
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Photo for the ministry to get my certificate...Makalu and
Lhotse in the background
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A little taste of the terrain we had to tackle on the way!
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3 comments:
The beer can attached to your oxygen looks empty! No wonder why you struggled on the last push! I'm sure once they topped it off you were well on your way. :)
Dear Georgina, it was my pleasure and privilege to have come across you at the balcony. At that moment I had absolutely no doubts in my mind that you were fully capable of reaching the top and coming down on your own. All you needed was a bit of faith in your own self. Like anything else in life, you can achieve your dreams one step at a time, no matter how big or impossible. My best wishes to you.
Congrats Georgina! I'm so happy you made it!! You must be stoked. It's such a life changing achievement I am sure. Hoping to get to the summit next time I visit :) would be great of you could email me when you get your women's line of clothing up and running jen.hayes@clear.net.nz - I'd love to be of support and buy some of your developments. Jen xx
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