Vivienne Noyes-Thomas has made it to Mount Everest Base Camp, smashing her fundraising target in the process. As reported by Sharetime, former RCI executive Noyes-Thomas was tackling the Himalayan challenge for Christel House, the timeshare industry's charity of choice.
The trek to Everest Base Camp took 10 days. There, at 17,600 feet above sea level, the team spent a night in freezing temperatures.
"It was physically very hard work, sometimes mentally very hard work too," said Noyes-Thomas, "but I was fit enough thank goodness and had very few issues with the altitude - just some flashing lights in the eyes during darkness, a typical Khumbu cough as they call it there (named after the Khumbu Ice Fall that is one of Everest's most dangerous sections) which is very common because of the altitude, and some swelling around the eyes and in my toes.
I also became addicted to Mars bars during the last few days of our trek. It is quite common to lose your appetite at altitude, and they filled my need for sugar big time!"
The experience at Base Camp itself was hugely gratifying, explained Noyes-Thomas.
"We were very privileged to be able to spend the night at Base Camp, thanks to our connections with US climber Charlie Wittmack, who is making his second summit attempt on Everest, plus Nuptse and Lhotse, later this month.
"His team had prepared a little tented village for us on the ice of the Khumbu glacier, 2-person tents in the middle of that vast wilderness of ice and rocks!"
"It was surreal to be there with full moon hovering right over Everest in the moonlight on the top of the world - an unforgettable 24 hours in my life, even more so for the heroic cancer survivors who were part of our group."
After another four exhausting days' trekking, Noyes-Thomas and her companions returned to Luqla before finishing the trip in Kathmandu.
To date Vivienne Noyes-Thomas has raised more than £2,400 from the expedition.
You can still donate to Noyes-Thomas' fundraising venture for Christel House, the charity helping children in needy corners of the world through learning centres.
At the recent TATOC conference, delegates raised £4,300 for Christel House.
Source: RCI Ventures