Conquering fears: Sayma Rahman’s remarkable trekking experience

There is a purpose to facing our fears: it encourages personal growth. Be it deep in the ocean or high in the mountains, you can never get anywhere if you cannot conquer your fears. And that is exactly what Sayma Rahman did — she conquered her fear of mountains to master the chance of seeing some of the most spectacular scenes on Earth – by climbing almost 5000 meters to the Mount Everest base camp.

As soon as Sayma had started to support herself financially, she began celebrating her birthdays with excursions including skydiving, bungee jumping, and more. Almost a decade ago, she was on her way to Annapurna base camp to celebrate a birthday. However, she was a lone traveller back then, with only one Sherpa who assisted her along the way. Due to the decline in air pressure, she had trouble breathing and moving about. Cold and alone, the looming white mountains seemed daunting and the last day of her trek was a real struggle to bear. She had a particular fear of mountains after that.

Fast forward 10 years, Sayma went ahead and decided to go on a 14-day hike to Mount Everest base camp, this time at almost 5000 meters, in a journey worth reminiscing. However, there was a slight difference. Now, she was accompanied by her husband, who enjoyed hiking with her. Therefore, through this journey, she had several insights to share with future Mount Everest climbing aspirants.

Bangladeshis, often find it difficult to hike mountains. That is why Sayma and her husband hit the gym and went for jogs first thing in the morning every day before they departed from Bangladesh to be ready for the ascent. They also had to take several medications to get their bodies ready. Sayma expanded further on it and said, "As one climbs higher into the mountains, the oxygen level gradually decreases, requiring major bodily adaptations. This was our biggest challenge to conquer."

The difficulties do not end there. For trekkers, the accommodations are very simple tea houses. It would seem like stepping into an ancient world, complete with no running hot water or heating. Every day, Sayma and her husband had to endure temperatures below zero while walking for eight hours on foot in an environment where the oxygen level was supposedly half that of the sea level. So, they had to allow their bodies a few rest days to adapt.

Yet, there were meaningful moments, which might make such a trek worthwhile for climbers. One of them is taking in nature's splendour in all its majesty while battling its viciousness. "The mountains in Nepal were magnificent. When I look back at the hike now, I only have good memories to reminisce," gushed Sayma.

At the beginning of the hiking trail, the landscape remains verdant. As one climbs higher, it continually changes from verdant to brown as the leaves fall, and then to pristine white when the snow blankets the surroundings. These occasional changes in the scenery are best when savoured over time.

Sayma had some suggestions for those who want to experience similar adventures, "Make sure you get your gear and extreme winter clothes from Nepal. To reduce waste and save money, you could rent those things. Also, take it easy on the first few walks and let your body get used to it. If you are too tired, you will not be able to enjoy the views.

"In terms of getting down from the mountain, the hiking path is the same as getting up. So, to view a different scenery, get a helicopter ride to descend the mountain and you can marvel at the glorious Himalayas from a bird's-eye view. And finally, do not forget to truly enjoy the experience!"

Photo: Courtesy