On Top of the World: My Everest AdventureThere was a statue of the Buddha at the summit, placed there by the Sherpas. I knelt down and bowed in front of it. I felt complete. When I looked around I felt I ruled the world, with the Himalayas stretching out below me and nothing to obstruct my view. A month after he had set out, sixteen-year-old Arjun Vajpai stood on top of the world, having conquered Mount Everest. At that time he was the youngest non-Sherpa person in the world to do so. He remains the youngest Indian to have climbed the peak. It had indeed been a long journey. Arjun s fascination with mountains began at the age of ten, nurtured and encouraged by his parents, teachers, and close friends. As a trekker and an athlete, he had trained and worked hard to achieve this amazing feat of endurance. This is Arjun s story in his own words. Accompany him on an adventure of a lifetime; read about his incredible ascent; and learn what it takes to be a mountaineer. On Top of the World is an unforgettable story of inspiration, fortitude and courage; of having a seemingly impossible dream and daring to chase it. |
Contents
Beginnings | 1 |
The Long Trek Ahead | 16 |
A Month between Camps | 42 |
On Top of the World | 70 |
Notes on Mount Everest | 106 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acclimatize ahead altitude sickness APRIL Arjun ascent Asian Trekking avalanches began body breath called Camp II climb Everest climb Mount Everest climbers cold crampons crevasses Daju Daju’s Dawa Steven Sherpa death zone difficult Dingboche dream Eco Everest Expedition Everest climbers Everest summit excited exhausted expedition team feeling feet felt finally fixed ropes Gangotri garbage George Mallory glacier global warming headache height high altitude Hillary Step Himalayas Island Peak Kala Patthar Kathmandu Khumbu Icefall learnt Lhotse Face Lhotse wall looked Lukla Mengma metre Mika monastery morning Mount Everest mountain moving Namche Bazaar Nepal night Nuptse one’s oxygen bottles oxygen levels parents prayer Pumori reached Camp reached the summit rest ridge rock climbing rotation sleep snow soon South Col route South Summit started summit push Tengboche tent Tenzing Norgay things Tibet tired took trek walking weather Western Cwm