EFDS Board member completes epic Everest adventure
An EFDS Board member and keen cyclist, Rob Belbin has ridden from Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal, via Everest Base Camp, to raise funds for the English Federation of Disability Sport.
Here he blogs about his extraordinary journey.
Rob’s blog:
Cycling from Lhasa to Everest has been most definitely the toughest thing I've ever done. With each day dawning extremely cold, and the terrain being constantly between 4,000m and 5,500m, it was a real test, especially with some of the passes and steep hills at the highest altitudes.
The Tibetan plateau is harsh environment. It was amazing to spend time with some of the people who live there, because I soon learned that their way of life is very tough and it was amazing to see how people adapt and cope.
It was harvest as we crossed the relatively flat part of our journey and it was amazing to watch whole communities pulling together. In some ways it made me think of what we may have lost as our own machinery and technology has advanced.
After the flat came many days of high passes as I progressed across Tibet towards Everest. Each day followed the same routine: porridge, a briefing from the guide, trying to function and get moving in the cold, struggling to fit enough fit food and water into my bag and then setting off on what I knew would be tough but amazing route.
As we progressed on our adventure the pain did start to creep in. There were blisters in places every cyclist dreads and my hands, feet, lips and nose all began to suffer from the heat and cold.
"I am proud to have completed my epic journey"
But the first views of Everest made it all worthwhile. Initially it was the tiniest triangle of a peak in the distance but you could already tell the mountain was vast. We climbed higher over the next few days, visiting several monasteries en route until we finally reached Rongbuck Monastery, somewhere I've been reading about all my life.
Once there, the views of Everest's north face were amazing. Getting into base camp only improved things and I was able to clearly see the route taken in the first expeditions, which date back from the 1920's.
We camped several nights at Rongbuck before setting off over one more pass on the way to Tingeree, another famous Tibetan landmark. The journey was incredible and, although tough, I enjoyed every minute.
I am also so pleased to have raised awareness and funds for EFDS. Watching communities pull together as extended families really showed what can be achieved by working together towards a shared aim.
I know first-hand that everyone at EFDS has the same mentality, which makes me proud to have completed my epic journey and be a part of such a fantastic organisation.
