“Aahh” I cried in pain “I can’t move my shoulder sir”
My instructor/belayer inquired “Would you be able to climb up?”
“I can’t move my left arm” I replied from the bottom of the chimney.
“I want to work in the field of travel and adventure sports, and this is my first step towards it” I told my manager. We were sitting in the meeting room on my last working day in the company, chatting about my plans ahead.
A couple of days later I was in Darjeeling, inside one of the most prestigious mountaineering institutes in India, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Late Tenzing Norgay being the first director, who was also the first ascender to climb Mt. Everest with Edmund Hillary. There’s something about the institute, the moment you step in, you are filled with awe, knowing that you are walking into a place where the first ascender of Everest walked. I believe the institute gives you the energy and motivation to go beyond your limits and follow that elusive dream of becoming a mountaineer.
I took admission in the Basic Mountaineering Course(BMC-315) offered by HMI, Darjeeling about a year ago. I worked on my stamina and physical strength for the past 6 months, with alternate days of jogging and weight training. Although, that still didn’t really prepare me for the morning jog uphill. Next day we did yoga, right under the open sky, in the amphitheatre. I was making progress, I was happy!
To be continued…
wandershoi 