BENGALURU: Revenge tourism reached its peak, when a team of software professionals from different firms, in the post-pandemic scenario, trekked to the Everest base camp. After a hiatus of two years, 12 techies from Bengaluru trekked to Everest Base Camp after undergoing rigorous training when they were working from home.
The group started trekking on April 16 from Kathmandu and reached the Everest Base Camp on April 25. The techies, including two US residents, came to know each other during the pandemic. Naveen Mallesh, Founder and Director of TrekNomads, which organised the expedition told TNIE: “Due to Covid-19, people were stuck at home and were unable to go anywhere.
Many wanted to do something different. Since I was volunteering with the BBMP and health department, I met some of the trekkers who were volunteering.” He said that a training manual was given to them for physical and mental training at home. No one had backed out.
Mallesh said that to ensure the team’s was fit, at every 1000 m, the trekkers would take a break. “We would go to the nearest high altitude place to get acclimatized and then return to the bunker to sleep. Any health condition like headache was treated without medication,” he said.
The team announced the completion of the trek when they had come back to the base camp in Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal. “We learnt about our strengths and limitations through physical and mental hardships. We spent a lot of time walking alone and thinking about our lives and choices,” said Mahendra Rathod, one of the trekkers.