December 2008
1 post
The highs and lows of Gautam's Mt. Everest Trek
Gautam and team safely returned from the Mt. Everest Base Camp and successfully raised over $11,000 for Comp2Kids. We greatly appreciate everyone’s contribution to Trek4Kids and supporting the Comp2Kids program. As a result, we were able to connect over 1600 families with a home computer and basic computer literacy training.
We would like to give special recognition to the trekkers,Gautam...
September 2008
16 posts
4 tags
Returning to Kathmandu
4 a.m. came about way to early and we were all awake, packed and ready to go to Lukla for our 8:30 a.m. flight. We started our last portion of our trek with our headlamps on our forehead walking along the Dudh River - it looked whiter than ever in the dark, and the stars were still clearly visible as well. We crossed the river 5 or 6 times that morning over suspended bridges, and got to Lukla in...
5 tags
Beginning the End of the Journey
We packed our bags, got our gear and walked outside to the Edmund Hillary School. School starts at about 10 a.m. and the kids had gathered in the school yard for assembly and exercise. The school consists of many buildings and the money for most have been donated by foreigners. As a result kids from 1st grade through high school get an education right where they live and seem to be very proud...
5 tags
An Uphill Day
You could call this day a tough one. We set out from Pheriche to reach Khumjung where Sir Edmund Hillary had established a school. Now, on a map, it looked liked a doable hike (if we kept up the pace) and we all had great intentions of making further ‘descents’ and enjoy the increased oxygen that this would bring. We started off nicely enough with the usual ups and downs but some 6...
5 tags
A Snowy September Night
‘Christmas in September,’ was the first thing that came to mind after we woke up in Gorak Shep to two to three inches of snow that fell during the night. Our plans to go to Kala Pattar (18,700’) were up in the air. We gathered for morning tea to sort out our options. For safety reasons, we decided to go back down the mountain as we did not have the necessary mountaineering...
5 tags
On the Yak Trail
We woke up at 5 a.m for a 5:30 a.m. breakfast and a 6 a.m. departure from Loboche. Our destinantion was Gorak Shep, last stop before Mt. Everest base camp. We hiked for 2 1/2 hours (mostly uphill from Lobuche. Along the way, we made way on the narrow passes for yaks carrying equipment for the South Korean expedition team that is going to try and summit Mt. Everest this Fall.
We got to...
Everest's Peak Season is Off to a Busy Start →
Gautam and group are ahead of the rush as the Mt. Everest trekking season has begun.
3 tags
Local Flavor in Tengboche Monastery and Pheriche
Woke up to sunny morning with great views of the mountains. After breakfast, we headed over to the Tengboche monastery but it was shut, blinds drawn, nobody home. All that was missing was a “gone fishing” sign on the door. Since the monks were away, we headed over to the boss’ house. Lama Geshi greeted us with a big smile and asked us to come in. Il Lama is the head Buddhist...
7 tags
Everest at the Crossroads of History
Sept 8th - We set out from Namche Bazaar at 8:30am. For some reason the first half hour or so of every day hike seems to be the worst. We got over it and hiked on side of the mountain along the Dudh River. This river had been along with us since Lukla. All of a sudden we came across a memorial in the middle of the trail. It a was a memorial celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first summit...
Namche Bazaar to Dudh Kosi
Saturday, September 6, was when I relearned to become a mountain goat. Let’s just say that some of the marathoners and other athletes on the trek hurt just as much in climbing five to six miles from Phakding (9,500’) to Namche Bazaar (11,500’) yesterday as they have in the entire Great Wall Marathon which was the hardest of the 12 marathons some have completed (harder...
Arriving in Lukla, Nepal
In the last 12 days only 3 flights have flown to Lukla and today is our day to catch a flight. The pilots only fly by sight (not instruments) and if there is fog they will not fly. There has been a lot of fog as we are at the tail end of the monsoon season. We get up early, put some of our luggage in storage at the hotel and go to the domestic airport. The airport is a bit wild and orderly all...
News From New Delhi
Steve Forte and I landed on Tuesday night in Delhi and went to the hotel where we met Linda and two of my cousins who live in Gurgaon, a city near Delhi. It is now Wednesday, and we are at the Delhi airport waiting to board the flight to Katmandu. We have now run into 3 more folks who will be on the trek. Vassil from Sophia, Bulgaria. Rod and Joel from Winnipeg. A few others are already in...
The Trek begins
Gautam and Stephen Forte, trek leader have landed safely in New Delhi, India where they are taking in the sites and getting some much needed rest before traveling on to Kathmandu tomorrow to meet up with the rest of his group which will include local sherpas acting as guides and fellow travellers from Canada, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria.
August 2008
4 posts
Itinerary
These are the sites that Gautam will be visiting. Click the links to find out more about each leg of the journey.
Day 1 Sept 1 Depart New York Elevation: 33 feet
Day 2 Sept 2 Arrive New Delhi, India Elevation: 784 feet
Day 3 Sept 3 Fly to Katmandu. Overnight in Katmandu. Elevation: 4,445 feet
Day 4 Sept 4 Sightsee in Katmandu. Dinner at the Rum Doodle. Overnight...
About Gautam
My name is Gautam Singh Gujral. I work for Credit Suisse in New York and live with my wife and kids in New Jersey. I was born in India, not too far from Nepal. First time I ever saw Mount Everest was as a little kid from a place in India called Tiger Point (I didn’t see any tigers though). I learned to use a computer when I was sixteen years old and back then if you wanted your...
April 2008
1 post
Preparing For the Trek
Top-quality mountaineering clothing and equipment are investments that will see you through years of adventures. It is wise to choose carefully, and not to skimp on quality. Trekking in the Khumbu presents opportunities and challenges that call for unique choices in clothing and equipment. You will be inside Sherpas’ homes and in monasteries, yet you will also be outdoors in a demanding and...
March 2008
1 post
3 tags
