Even at the age of 66,Dr Chitra Khare treks some of the highest mountains in the world and her latest conquest is the Everest Base Camp When you see her slender frame,her affable smile and her careful manners,you would never guess the extent of her 'exploits'. But as she gets down to an animated chatter of her spectacular travels,you begin a heady,eye-popping trip up some of the mightiest mountain peaks in the world. Pune resident Dr Chitra Khare,a 66-year-old eye-surgeon,beats 'old-age' in its game and treks some of the most difficult terrains of the world with aplomb. Having first tasted the thrill of trekking in 2003,Dr Khare jumped into it with all vigour as a way to kill time on Sundays. And what a jump! Her list of conquests would send any youngster into a tizzy. Dr Khare climbed Mt Kilimanjaro (at 19,334 ft,the highest mountain in Africa),in February 2010. It was spectacular. Kilimanjaro is known to embrace a range of weather conditions,which can sap the energy of even the best of climbers. From imposing evergreen trees to the white barren expanse of the snow,it is an experience of extremes. Some 700 m below the summit,I started experiencing severe pain in my fingers. This was a sign of the start of frostbite. I was forced to turn back from this point. It was unfortunate,but I had no choice. But I do not lament,the entire experience was too awe-inspiring, she smiles. In May this year,she added another snow feather to her trekking cap when she climbed up to the Mt Everest Base Camp (5,380 m/17,700 ft). We were camping at Gorakshep (5,164 m,approximately 17,000 vertical feet),which is the last point of ascent for climbers not aiming to summit. From there we trekked to the Base Camp. Then we started climbing towards the 'Kala Patthar' peak (7,161 m/ 23,494 ft), she says. She reminisces about the beauty,Here is where you have the most accessible view of the Everest,without actually getting to the summit. I cannot describe the beauty of sunrise at this point. It's like a giant chandelier lighting up,one peak at a time,so that the cones are lit and bright while everything around is dark. It was simply awesome! Dr Khare is full of stories of the amazing sights that she has witnessed over the years. I started actively trekking only after turning 60. In all,I have made over 100 treks. The Sahyadris were my initial stepping points. Every Sunday,I would head out to explore a newer face of the ghats. A very memorable trek was the Kailash-Mansarovar-Yatra. I am not very religious,but this visit holds a special place in my heart, she says. The obvious question is how does she keep fit? She almost chuckles at this. I don't do anything spectacular for this. I take brisk walks back and forth around my house. I cover 10 kms everyday in this way. You are just about recovering your breath when she points at a row of earthen pots in the room and says she made them. She indulges in pottery most of the time nowadays and has a growing collection of baked little gems in her backyard. I love sketching and painting too. I have always been artistic. Post-retirement,I have more time to pursue my interests, she says. Flipping through a scrap book of trekking memories,she says,I am fit now,so I want to continue and trek till my body permits. I have a close group of friends who are all avid trekkers. And guess what? I am the youngest amongst them!
