Looking back, I couldn’t recall what came into my mind when I decided to trek to Annapurna Base Camp on my own in December of 2014. Come on! Who, in their normal state of mind, would go on a week of high altitude trekking in a foreign land alone and unguided? I believe that is not something a mediocre person would do.

But I did and I guess I am not normal.

But they say mediocrity is fatal. And if a mediocre person wouldn’t go on a risky and life-threatening adventure on his own such as ABC trek, then what is fatal?

Whenever someone asks me of the most daring thing I have done, my first trek to ABC always comes on top of my head. And every time I recall the ordeal, I couldn’t help but smile and be amazed of my feat. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect that I would be venturing in that kind of thing. Never did I aimed for it, planned for it, dreamed of it. Yes it was insane!

It was the height of winter in the mountains and an avalanche just happened in Annapurna a week before I arrived fending off kindred tourists to get to the base camp. Thankfully, the gods of the mountains granted my wish for clear skies and good weather. Alone and unguided, I trekked for six days and five nights to 4,130-meter elevation base camp with no room for misadventure, mistake or injury. I braved the solitude and endured the cold winter to fulfill a dream… the Himalayan dream!

With its challenging terrain and very cold weather, the trek proved to be not for the faint and weak. I may have survived the altitude sickness but my knees suffered the brunt of the trails. There were also sleepless nights due to extreme cold but despite all the odds, I was able to reach the snow covered base camp exactly on December 25, for my first ever white Christmas.

That day was immortalized in this snapshot.