FOUR Bahrainis have made the kingdom proud by raising its flag high at the Everest Base Camp, at an altitude of 5,364m above sea level.
The three men and a woman, all aged between 39 and 43, joined a group of GCC nationals and embarked on the trek last month ... mindful of the challenges they would be facing along the way.
The gritty and determined foursome, who completed the 15-day expedition on May 19, are now urging everyone to chase their dreams while reconnecting with nature.
Motivational speaker and best-selling author, 43-year-old Mohamed Isa, said the trek was an incredibly humbling experience.
“I’m an adventurous person and I always challenge myself to take risks to stretch my limits mentally and physically,” Mr Isa told the GDN.
“I have a chronic incurable facet joint fracture in my back and hence the trip was a challenge, but I was determined.
“You need to prepare for a lot of things including scarcity of resources, lack of running water, electricity, and heaters in the cold temperatures. Decreasing oxygen levels, altitude sickness and the extreme terrain are other factors.
“We surmounted all challenges, I believe, it’s basically about staying positive,” he said.
Ahmed Khalaf, 40, who injured his knee during the start of the trip and suffered from altitude sickness powered through with basic medication.
“I’m an adventurous person,” Mr Khalaf said. “I have already done scuba diving, horse riding and sky diving and the only thing pending was a trip to Mount Everest.”
Mr Khalaf is planning to scale multiple peaks such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Toubakalin in Morocco as well as diving with tiger sharks in the Maldives.
The third Bahraini, 39-year-old Mai Alraisi, had travelled to Nepal in 2016 for her first hike while also doing community service and volunteer work which changed her perspective on travelling.
“The Everest Base Camp journey was on my bucket list since 2018,” she said.
“I spent four months preparing mentally and physically by jogging around 8km wearing my hiking boots every day and I also joined a gym while gathering all the information needed to be ready.
“The trip was a challenge because even with the extensive preparation I undertook, I was shocked by the terrain, altitude sickness and low temperatures, but I’m grateful because it took me out of my comfort zone.”
She urged people to follow their dreams, undertake the challenge and trek the Everest Base Camp to expand their horizons and strengthen their personalities.
The fourth member, 40-year-old Hasan Yaqoob, echoed similar sentiments while stating that the expedition had changed his life.
“Physical preparation is critical because the terrain is steep and tough, I struggled a lot walking for eight hours a day,” he said.
“These trips are important to disengage from the modern, fast life and reconnect with nature as well as rediscover ourselves.
“I am more confident now and have decided to participate in Iron Man in Oman in September.”
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