Dreams_of_Mountain

Dreams of mountain “Hundreds of dead bodies were still there for many years. And the amount increased year by year. In order to carry only one body out of there, we might need twenty strong experienced men spending a few months to do that. But it couldn’t stop large quantity of climbers to go there…” Discovery channel’s narrator commented. When I was watching TV at home a few days ago, they were talking about Everest- the top of the world, in the television program. While I was sighing, a name suddenly came into my mind. He is Chunfeng Yang, an old friend of mine. Scene went back to three years ago immediately. The rainstorm continued for a few days, so people could not get out and were trapped in the lobby of Beijing hotel in Nepal. There was a little trouble with my camera at that time. It was a new camera that I just bought about one week ago. “You should try that button…” a voice came from a man near the window. I saw a kindly smile on the face with glasses when I looked at him. With disheveled hair and ordinary clothes, he looked so normal and inconspicuous that I could even not recognize him when he was standing there around bunch of people. “Thank you, buddy!” I said. “You are welcome. I have a same one as you do. That’s why I know it,” he said with smile.” It seems that you are a traveler. So how is your journey'” “It’s my first time to travel to Nepal, and I will go to pokhara for hiking. How is your trip'” “I just came down from Mt. Kanchenjunga, and I am having a rest here,” he said quite calmly. “What' Are you serious'” I could not believe my ears at that time. Mt.Kangchenjunga was the third highest peak in the world with altitude of 8586m. As I understand, it was the most difficult one to climb among all mountains peaking over 8000m. I could hardly believe that the words came from the thin man in front of me. That was incredible! “This is my teammate, Jianfeng Rao.” He introduced a stronger man to me next to him. There was a logo with CHINA on Rao’s arm. Then I knew that it was probably true. And I was completely shocked. It was a Chinese style building named Beijing Hotel that we lived in at Nepal.. Although the lobby was not so spacious, a huge Chinese flag was hanging in the middle of the wall. Many Chinese outdoor travelers would choose that place as their priority, and so did I. People discussed outdoor traveling all the time, and got along to form a team sometimes, since they were all outdoor enthusiasts. It was a traveler’s paradise. Because of the rainstorm, I could not go out and had to stay there with other people. I actually learned more about Chunfeng Yang during our next conversation. He was a doctor before he gave it up for climbing. And he was even divorced for the reason of climbing because he did not have enough time to take care of his family. He kept exercising for many years. Finally, he became the only Chinese who had reached the summit of ten mountains over 8000 meters in the world when he was 41 years old, including Everest twice, and once when he was a volunteer helping to relay the torch through Everest in the 2008 Olympic Games. We had a pleasant conversation and became good friends because of our same interests. We had been talking with high spirits until I asked about his teammates. Scenes became freezing, and I could clearly see the sadness on his face. “Climbing is a very dangerous game, and accidents happen once in a while. Death has been inevitable. I’ve lost eight teammates in the past ten years.” he said with sadness. That was such a terrible thing to happen to a man. I was thinking about finishing our conversation.”I am so sorry to hear that!”I said. “That is ok! I’m used to it. Things happened.” I could see the adamancy in his eyes when he said so. I was shocked and did not know how to continue the conversation. “So how about you when you were in those accidents'”I squeezed out a few words. ”If not been saved, I was already dead for more than five times. But when I was dying, I always felt comfortable to tell myself that it was much better for me to die on the mountain than in bed. Now, I’m so lucky to be here alive. So I must continue climbing to appease those who are dead. They’ve been always in my heart.” ”Is it why you insist keeping going' Do you regret having done that'” “The pride of our country makes me keep doing it, and it’s the same for them. Summiting has always been a foreigners’ game, and some of them also think that Chinese cannot do this. We must say no, and we can prove it. We can do everything they do. Although some of us lost their lives, but I will put them in my heart and bring them to more and more mountains.” When I heard that, I thought maybe I could do something like him. I had many handicaps to conquer; I must let me be more adamancy. I stood up and embraced him, “Good luck, my friend!” Several days later, I met him again when I was traveling in Xinjiang. I still sit at the lobby of a hotel and saw a thin, but strong man with a big bag smile on his face. I knew he was on his way again. This time, he was going to conquer MT. Gasherbrum in Pakistan.