Karen Sharma
The Girl Who Trekked to Everest Base Camp!
Free-Spirited & Adventurous, this corporate girl has a streak of wildness in her that refuses to be tamed! Here’s me in a tete-a-tete with Karen Sharma who took her passion for travelling to unbelievable heights, literally!
Seventeen Thousand Six Hundred Feet above sea level lies the base camp of the highest peak in the world, Mt.Everest. And a few feet up, at Eighteen Thousand Five Hundred Twenty Ft, lies the formidable Kala Patthar. To most of us, reaching those kinds of heights is an unimaginable feat. The journey there is laden with challenges – withstanding temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius, having to pay for everyday amenities like hot showers, Wi-fi or warm drinking water, struggling to breathe as Oxygen levels lower – this is a trek that pushes one’s endurance to its limits. Yet, on the 10th of March 2018, Karen and 6 others set out to realize a dream they had dared to set their sights on!
A Born Traveler!
“Being born to the home of an Army officer, if there is one thing that’s been an unchanging constant in my life, it’s travel”, Karen recounts. Having pursued an MA in Sociology and an MBA in Finance, Karen is today with Cisco, Bangalore, working on smart technology solutions for urbanisation. So how did a corporate girl get bitten by the travel bug, I ask. “Being a corporate girl is just another role I play as part of my life, and I don’t let it define my whole being. What we do apart from making our living is what makes our living worthwhile!”
Why The Everest?
“Everest Base Camp was just a fleeting thought that crossed my mind”, Karen confides. But less than a year later she found herself compelled to sign up for it. “I have always been fascinated by mountains..Their scary heights that make you dizzy, can also take you closer to the limitless skies. Perhaps that’s why I chose the highest of them all!”
A true ‘Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai’ Moment!
Pushing herself for nearly 8-9 hours each day for 10 days at a stretch, Karen admits was a challenge. However, her impeccable strength and tireless grit comes across when she says “Leaving it incomplete was never an option we considered. All we contemplated on was strategies to make it to Base Camp through the many struggles. We didn’t want to give up, unless it was a question of our lives.”
Trek Tips from the Expert!
Upping fitness levels is a must, Karen recommends. Regular exercise, cardio, building stamina to sustain the long hours of hiking and strengthening muscles is an undoubted necessity. But what really counts, up there, is mental preparedness. “You must tune your mind to say ‘yes’ to every unexpected challenge that you will encounter. Be sure that no matter how much you research you will never fully know what lies ahead of you. In fact, that’s what makes for an adventure!” Karen and her group undertook the travel with Thrillophilia, who have been a trusted companion on her other travel exploits as well. However, there are hosts of other operators one could contact, she suggests. In fact, Karen has shared some invaluable tips on her journey that could help other aspirants in her beautifully detailed blog on the subject “Everest Base Camp”.
Oh, What Positivity!
I must pry into the mind of this woman who bedazzles me with her resilience. So, I ask her what her biggest takeaway is from a 10,502 feet long journey! “I realized that our bodies can be pushed to extents we never thought possible. God has made each one physically and mentally equipped to take on a good amount of beating. Our potential is unlimited and we mustn’t think of anything as beyond our reach. Whatever you wish for is just an attempt away!”
Of Daring Dreams & Fulfilling Passions!
That travel is a passion running deep is apparent. “Travel can open your eyes to a much larger world than your imagination can paint! Travel makes you happy and content, empowers you to deal with unexpected times, teaches you to make friends, educates you, makes you mentally resilient, energizes your creativity and rejuvenates your senses.” As we come to an end our chat, Karen is already talking of her next dream – mounting the insurmountable Siachen Glacier! “I also have thoughts of summitting the Everest someday. I know it sounds over-ambitious, but you never know what the future holds! After all, everything begins with a dream!“
Karen Sharma has been featured in the ‘I Inspire’ series of this blog.
She shares her thoughts on travel and life on her blog http://www.whisperashout.wordpress.com.
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The ‘I Inspire’ series on Sharanya’s blog www.la-dolce-vita.co.in intends to bring to the fore stories of common women around us who inspire with their life, work and thoughts. The series seeks to encourage women to stand by each other and quell the wide spread misconception that women are women’s enemies.
Disclaimer: Views or opinions represented in the linked blogs/websites of people featured under the ‘I Inspire’ series are personal and belong solely to the owner of the blog/website. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Sharanya’s www.la-dolce-vita.co.in.
All image copyrights are held by either Karen Sharma or Sharanya’s www.la-dolce.vita.co.in
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