Mt- Everest- Lim Sim Beow's climbing expedition to the top of the world, May 26th 2012.

Nepal, land of the mystical abdominal snow yeti has always been a fascinating country. Nepal has a special blend of custom, people, and tribes sandwiched between the majestic high plains of Tibet, China and the culturally dynamic India. My first visit to Nepal 10 years ago was a personal challenge to myself. At that time, I was about to turn 40 years old, and I wanted to do something special and to try to push my limits. After some research, I managed to convince my wife; Jasmine, to come with me to trek the Khumbu ranges in Nepal. It was to be an 18days, 160km trek over high mountain passes. I have been camping and trekking all my youth days as a boy scout in the Malaysian scouting movement. But Nepal was my first high altitude mountain trekking experience (over 5400meters).

It was during this trip that I first saw the captivating view of Mount Everest with my own eyes after trekking 10 days. It was a humbling experience to see an enormous mountain towering over eight kilometers up into the sky. The dominating physical scale and enormity of Mt. Everest can easily make oneself seem insignificant and irrelevant. Yet, there is a captivating beauty, majesty and grace that Mt. Everest commands. Mt. Everest has captivated and charmed mountaineers for decades. For myself, since that first trip 10 years ago, I have since visited Nepal on seven other occasions. On each occasion, I have trekked further and climbed higher up into Mt. Everest.

I was born in Kuala Lumpur, and as a child lived and played in the natural forest reserve of Bukit Nanas, and attend one of the best schools at that time, St. John’s Primary and St. John’s Institution secondary school in Kuala Lumpur. In those days, as a Malaysian, it seems not the norm to aspire to climb high mountains then.

Now, I am a psychologist by training and practicing in Melbourne Australia. One of my professional tasks is to constantly challenge my patients and clients to extend and nurture their biological, social, psychological and spiritual growth systematically. As an advocate of this principle, I myself, apply this discipline accordingly. So, last year as I turned 50 years, I asked myself what would be a challenge to me; something that will get me out of my normal comfort zone and force me into some new experiences and learning mode. I do not know why, but climbing Mt. Everest after living half a century on earth sounded to me than, like the perfect and ‘logical-reasonable’ next challenge of my life. So, after some further intensive soul-searching with my family, I applied to an international Everest expedition team to climb Mt. Everest and after verifying previous climbing qualification and experiences was accepted and given an expedition date in April 2012.

That was ten months ago.  Since then, I have trained diligently and systematically for this Everest expedition. Over this period, I have run four marathon length [42.2km] races, and have  officially participated in a Half-Ironman event. A half-ironman event involves a 2km swim, 80km cycle race and 21km ran, consecutively all in a day! This physical preparation to bring my half a century old body back to some endurance physique was one dimension of my quest to climb Mt.Everest. As the expedition date drew closer, my training grew more focused and purposeful.

The facts of my Mt. Everest expedition are;

• I applied as a climbing member through the reputable international expedition team called SummitClimb. Over the past 20 years, they have organized and assisted over a hundred people to summit to Mt. Everest, both from the South side [Nepal] as well as the North side [Tibet, China side]. Besides, in recent years, I have got to know Dan Mazur well, a competent and renowned expedition leader working with SummitClimb.
• The expedition dates were fixed on 6 April to 8 June 2012 (over 60days).
• I have chosen to climb Mt.Everest from the Tibet, North side route. Traditionally, this is a harder and longer route with much more wind, and because of that it also attracts less climbers. Less climbers equates to less possible congestion on summit days, and so more safety. 

A total of 16 expedition members gathered in Kathmandu on 6April 2012. Of these 16 members, 5 booked to climb up to Advance base camp, 6 to climb up to North Col and only 5 to attempt to summit Everest. We then travelled by coaches to Tibet up to Everest Base camp. From Everest base camp, we started out trek up to Advance base camp. From Advance base camp onwards, we have to start climbing with harnesses and snow boots crampons. From Tibet North side, the route to the summit of Everest travels thru Everest base camp (5100m), Interim Base camp (5600m), Advance Base camp (6500), North Col (7100), Camp 2 (7600m), Camp 3 (8300m) and then summit (8848m). It took us a total of about 55 days to summit and return safely to base camp. For the five of us who attempted to summit Everest, three of us were successful.

Some months ago, on learning that I was going to climb Everest, a friend asked me like in a quiz show, “What will you be bringing in your personal bag to the summit of Mt. Everest?” I did not have an answer for her at that time. Since then, I have considered and formulated a succinct reply. In my bag that I carried to the summit, I took three personal items only i.e., a 3x2feet Malaysian flag, a 3x2 feet Australian flag, and a prayer book. I rationalized that for the past 50 years of my life, because I have lived in Malaysia for 25 years and another 25 years in Melbourne Australia, I should unfurl both flags at the summit. The prayer book was a reminder to me to say prayers for my friends and family and for the peace and unity for the entire humanity, whilst at the top of the world, on the summit of Mt.Everest.

For you the reader of this article and myself the author of this news, there reminds a valid question to address, “Why climb Mt. Everest?” Having now summitted Mt. Everest on the 26May 2012, at 1.00pm, I still do not have a valid, logical reply to why did I climb Mt. Everest. Why would people risk their live and suffer to the extreme of physical limitations to reach a ‘summit’ that has no food, no water, no comfort, no luxury, no gold or valuables? This question seems perfectly logical and rational. However, the answer seems to extend beyond logic and reasoning. To me as a psychologist, it seems to transcend into a more fundamental spiritual quest for personal discovery, passion and reaching into the unknown human potentialities of oneself.

George Mallory was the first most famous climber to attempt to summit Everest from Tibet side in the 1920s. In 1923, when he was asked, “Why climb Mt. Everest?” his infamous reply was, “Because it (Mt.Everest) is there”. This reply has stood the test of time, and I too will have to concur to this reply.

What have I learned from climbing Mt. Everest? The past ten months of preparation has demanded a period of determined, focused and intense physical and psychological disciplined training. Then during the 55 days of expedition, tested and extended these physical and psychological arduous demands. There were moments in the expedition that transcend live above the earthly planes, into an experience of heavenly beauty and magnificence. These exhilarating experience are beyond my capacity to describe in written words and will forever be etched into my psyche and person. The view on the top of the world on the summit of Mt. Everest is unforgettable. For 30 minutes, I stood at the top of the world and the high mountains of the world and Himalayan ranges looked beautiful, graceful and perfect. I remember telling myself, what a beautiful world we live in, if only humanity appreciates it. And I hope this image will forever remind me to exercise grateful humility when facing before another human being.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” This I am beginning to understand.

Author of this article can be contacted at beowlim@tpg.com.au.

Picture description

• Picture 1- Everest base camp, with me + msian flag, evrest in background

• Picture 2- Climbing up to North Col (7100m)
• Picture 3- Camping in Snow at North Col
• Picture 4- Climbing from North Col to Camp 2; (yellow jacket- Lim Sim Beow, green jacket- Sherpa Tengzi)
• Picture 5- Camp 3 to Summit attempt.
• Picture 6- Everest Base camp, prayer flags and tents in the foreground, with view of Mt.Everest in the background