O. Tuğrul Altay
Base Camp
Reaching the Base Camp. The base camp at last! In fact, maybe the beginning of the adventure; the toughest part of the mountain is lying ahead of us. However, you feel as if you have just arrived home or your town. It is likely to see familiar faces but if not, no problem.
People coming from all over the world are willing to be friends, because they all have something in common: the mountain, the mountain they respect and the summit they try to reach.
Weather is everyone’s favourite topic. Discussions are held about the correct timing to begin the climb because unless the weather allows us, it is no use making plans. You think about the loved ones, the ones who are anxious to hear from you but communication is virtually impossible. Your heart is filled with sorrow but there isn’t the slighest remorse in the eyes. Despite all the pain and difficulties…
I want to share some of the notes of my dear friend Tafa (Mustafa Kalaycı) during his climb to the summit of Mount Everest:
“In March-April 2007, after a 55-day climb. we were able to reach the summit of Mount Everest and also the world (Mount Everest is known as the roof of the world).
During this climb, which was hard to adapt to the conditions both physically and psychologically, for two months there were only rocks, ice, wind,low and high temperatures, hunger and loneliness.
Oddly enough, the base camp at 5200 meters had become our home.”
24 carat gold, turquoise, opal, coral,
diamond and a small piece brought from the
summit of Cho Oyu.
2012
