Early in February, Vasanthi Cheruveettil, a 59-year-old tailor from Thalipparamba, Kannur, set out on an adventure that few would dare at her age—a solo trek to Everest Base Camp. With no formal training, she relied entirely on YouTube videos to learn the basics of trekking, fitness routines, and even some Hindi to communicate along the way.

Vasanthi began her trek from Surke, Nepal, on February 15 and reached the south base camp on February 23. Standing at an altitude of 5,364 metres, she wrapped herself in a traditional kasavu saree over her trekking suit, waved the Indian flag, and captured the moment in photos and videos. "I still can't say if it was happiness or sorrow," she recalls. "The cold breeze, the overwhelming emotions—it brought tears to my eyes."

This wasn’t her first solo trip. In May 2024, she travelled to Thailand alone. But Everest was different. "I will be 60 soon. I may travel in the future, but adventure treks like this may not be possible as age catches up," she says.

Determined to prepare, Vasanthi spent four months training. She walked for three hours every morning, practised wearing trekking boots, and joined friends for 5-6 km evening walks, supplementing her routine with exercises. "Even my friends refused to believe me when I said I was training for Everest," she laughs.

Flying from Bengaluru to Kathmandu, she faced her first challenge when her flight to Lukla was cancelled. A chance encounter with a German couple led her to Surkhet, where they arranged a porter to assist her. Without a guide, the porter doubled as her trekking companion.

Despite the treacherous trails—steep ascents, narrow passages, and deep gorges—she kept at it. Walking six to seven hours daily, she took frequent breathing breaks. "I knew I needed more time, so I walked slowly, using a stick. Every few steps, I paused to take at least five breaths to avoid shivering and exhaustion," she explains. Her porter advised her when to rest or continue based on the weather and altitude.

Most of the trekkers she met were foreigners. A few Indians crossed her path, including a father-son duo from Thiruvananthapuram. However, she distinctly remembers a Hyderabad native who abandoned the trek mid-way out of fear.

On her return from Gorak Shep to Lukla, she fulfilled another dream—flying in a helicopter. "I shared the ride with a Chinese traveller. I knew there was a risk my health could deteriorate if I walked back, so I took the chance," she says.

Vasanthi funds her travels through her earnings from tailoring, with her children chipping in when needed. Before leaving, she handed some gold ornaments to her sons, instructing them to pawn them if she ever required emergency funds. "That’s how I managed to hire the helicopter back to Lukla," she says. Her trip to the Base Camp cost her around ₹1.75 lakh, while she spent ₹47,000 for the Thailand tour.

A meticulous planner, she thoroughly researches her destinations before setting out. For her Thailand trip, she even learned basic Thai phrases and used phone translations when necessary.

Now, her eyes are set on the Great Wall of China. "It requires extensive preparation—there's a lot of walking involved. I need to train hard," she says, determined. "We used to take family trips for a week or two, and each one was special. Our daily routine can get monotonous, so a change is necessary. Travelling refreshes the mind and gives us the energy to work more passionately," she says.

Vasanthi lost her husband, Lakshmanan, an electrician, a year and a half ago to Alzheimer’s. Her sons Vineeth and Vivek are her pillars of support."We haven’t travelled as much as our mother," says Vivek, a cinematographer. "She also sings and actively participates in local cultural programmes," he says.