Everest

Adventures of a mother of 7 – Johanna Gustafsson

Because it's there!

When 8 years old I learned about Mount Everest, and ever since I have dreamed about climbing up there. When I became middle-aged and sensible I thought that it's impossible.

2012 when I turned 50 I suddenly got this crazy idea to fulfill my childhood dream. Now, almost 2 years later, after studying, training, researching & finding solutions, it seems possible!

If things go well I will summit in May 2014, if things don't go well I will hopefully do it another year. If you want to follow me vie e-mail updates you can subscribe to them.

April 23, Lukla

We are in Lukla, it was a really long hike today but it all went well. Tomorrow a flight to Kathmandu, a few days of organizing things there and then back home vie Delhi. 

I checked the news and for instance the BBC writes about the situation that "Some local guides are calling for a boycott but most foreign mountaineers remain on the mountain and are still hoping to resume climbing in the next week or so."

I got the same sense about the commercial climbers, they probably still sit there and hope for a climb. At least my whole group thought I was crazy to leave and they tried to convince me that the climbing will resume next week.  But my understanding is that it's not "some local guides" wanting to boycott, the sherpas really don't want to climb and the environment is now dangerous. I don't want to climb in the current circumstances anyway, for me it needs to be about the joy of doing it, not just an achievement.

Let's hope all is resolved in a good way and that climbing can resume next season with safer snow conditions and better ways of preparing the climbs.

Johanna Gustafsson – the Everest project