Boddington duo step up to top of the world

Boddington hikers reached new heights of fulfilment after trekking to the Mt Everest base camp this month.

Heather, 58, and Phil Sal-meri, 60, came back from Nepal last week still in awe of their trip to the base camp of the highest mountain in the world.

“The trip was extremely tough and challenging but it was also an incredible experience,” Mrs Salmeri said.

“We knew it would be tough but we didn’t realise just how much the altitude would affect our bodies.

“A lot of us had headaches, nausea, fatigue and breathlessness from the lack of oxygen.

“It also made me realise how incredibly quickly things can go horribly wrong — you’re putting yourself at a huge risk.”

Mrs Salmeri said the obvious highlight for her was reaching the camp, more than 5.3km above sea level.

“As we were getting closer to the base camp, it felt like you were walking on the moon — 4000m above ground with this grey rock scape — it was quite surreal,” she said.

“It almost seemed like the mountains weren’t real because their contrast was so stark against the vivid blue of the sky and all the different landscapes and colours around us.

“It was stunning.”

The couple also got the chance to meet Tashi Tenzing Sherpa, the grandson of Tenzing Norgay, who made the first ascent of Mt Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.