“Once i reached the summit, my dream turned into reality. At first, I didn’t realize i was making history for my country but when i came back home to Oman and saw how everyone was happy and proud, i got so overwhelmed and i knew that it wasn’t only an individual dream but a national one.”

An avalanche woke me up at 2am. Not the first I’ve heard, surely not the last and not quite loud enough to be fully alarming. Business as usual for Everest, yet it felt like a sure sign to wake up and shoot.

I could hear my DSLR clicking away behind my tent and I was dying to see if the timelapse shot I set up was working out. I willed myself out of my warm sleeping bag, stepped outside the tent in the sub-zero temperatures and all of a sudden felt like I was 8-years old. I looked up and was awe-struck by the beauty that was unfolding before my eyes.

I climbed down the glacier in my socks, running shoes and down jacket to gather a few batteries from my editing tent. I snapped several shots next to the Puja before landing with this one. From there, climbed back up the glacier and crossed paths with some of my Sherpa team members who clearly think I’m crazy for walking around at 2am with a huge grin on my face and two arm-loads of camera equipment.

From there, a reset of the main camera, a multi-pano Milky Way shot and before I knew it, 4am had snuck up on me and it was definitely time for bed.

I woke up with what felt like a hang-over, but it was certainly worth it. I’m pretty sure I’ll never sleep through the night again on this expedition. The spark just lit the fire within.

The goal is the reach camp 2. Two nights at camp 1 and another two at camp 2. I’ll be chasing climbers in the dark with my cameras at headlamp in a few minutes, 8000m boots on, harness done up tight, helmet strapped on and cameras in hand. But to be honest, all I really care about is getting back here to basecamp safely on the 25th.

I’ve heard a few people say: the Icefall is easy. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Well here’s the thing: this entire mountain is manageable with the right support until sh*t goes wrong and I’ve seen plenty of it hit the fan.

So this morning, I’ll kneel down at the Puja, toss some rice into the sky and pray to Everest for all of us to return safely.
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No one reaches the summit alone. It takes a highly orchestrated and talented team of Sherpas and Western guides all working together for the benefit of the overall success of all individuals. Everyone contributes from the porters to the cooking staff, the Chef and the climbing Sherpas, the guides and the assistants and many other team members you don’t see on the front lines or in this photograph.

This is my 8th expedition to Everest and I have to say that I’ve never felt more confident in the logistics team’s ability to make us all feel as safe and as comfortable as possible in such an unpredictable environment. The leadership exudes the utmost confidence and you can already feel the synergy amongst the team, the calculated science of summiting Everest coming into play and all of the organization playing out seamlessly. The most beautiful part is that along with the professionalism, there is a constant flow of laughter, entertainment and fun - all in preparation for the climb to the top of the world.

Hats off to Garrett Madison and the entire team at Madison Mountaineering, looking forward to stepping foot on the mountain in a few days with all of you.

The backdrop of the memorialized monuments couldn’t be more beautiful and yet they’re contrasted by the sobering reality of how fragile life is while climbing high above the clouds.

Walking amongst the fallen, from the common person to the most legendary Western and Sherpa mountaineer, leaves you humbled and introspective, thinking of those you love and all you’ve left behind.
Most were driven by a dream, inspired by a mission and tragically their lives were cut short in pursuit of the crown of the tallest mountain on Earth.

We walk humbly and quietly, paying our respects as we look upwards to the journey ahead carrying those we love with us.

I was sick at home for most of March, hospitalized twice, under a fair bit of stress of not knowing how I was going to make this happen, under immense pressure of letting people down after a year of effort and then landed into a full blown expedition with less than 24 hours in Kathmandu.

Stack the 10 hour time-zone shift, altitude and trekking for 4-7 hours a day, 3 hours sleep a night and the rigamarole of pack, unpack, load up, shoot, run, fall behind, catch up, delegate to the amazing Sherpa film crew, deal with the rain and moisture and everything else the Himalayas was throwing at us and it’s fair to say it was rather overwhelming. My main goal was to just not get sick. It’s in these moments where you trust your experience and your abilities, the team you’ve put in place, the partners you’re working with and the people who believe in the big picture and suddenly the unknown quickly coverts to energy, positivity, creativity and pure flow.

I knew the first 7 days would be tough and I’ve come out on the other side. I feel great and I’m acclimatizing well despite all the running around on the trails with cameras. My Sherpa film crew are in sync, the guides and @garrettmadison1 are a dream to collaborate with and the women climbing from the Arab world are nothing short of inspiring.

Big thank you to PK Sherpa for having my back and being such an amazing support system. All is right in the world in this moment as we make the approach to Everest basecamp where the climb to the top of the world begins.

Nelly recently made a shift from a full-time psychology and life coaching profession, to pursue her passion in fitness and sports. She is now a recognized fitness ambassador, trainer and healthy living advocate, contributing significantly to the transformation of the sporting landscape across the Middle East.

In 2017, Nelly founded a females-only fitness and dance boutique studio named MOVE in Riyadh. MOVE is the first studio in Saudi Arabia with a focus on dance, outdoor training, and adventure trips.

For Nelly, her professional endeavours are not just a means to an end, but a lifestyle. When she is not working in sports, you will find her engaging in sports herself - training for a race, mountain expedition, or dance-related workshop. In recent years, she has completed twelve climbing expeditions, three global marathons, one ultra-trail marathon, and two half Ironman races (triathlons). 

ON FITNESS AND WOMEN IN SAUDI

“Sports was my gateway to create a positive impact for people in Saudi Arabia, and beyond. I’ve switched careers, taken my own athletic activities to another level, and regularly work on numerous initiatives to promote and enable more and more people to get active across the Middle East. Movement is essential for life, and regular physical activity does wonders for our physical and mental health. Let’s MOVE the world! 

Born and raised between the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula to a Lebanese mother and Saudi father, whose love for road trips and the outdoors, trickled down to their youngest of four (Mona), infused with an extra zest of “living on the edge for a cause.”

She co-founded ‘The Empowerment Hub,’ a grass root initiative that focuses on fitness and health for youth and women in the Kingdom back in 2014. Each event/campaign was for a cause related to well being be it physical or mental.

Driven by change, ‘The Hub’ was the unheard voice that echoed a basic right. Physical Education for females in the public system has come a long way. The Hub’s mission was to revolutionize what females and youth feed their minds, bodies and souls. To strengthen the awareness of fitness and health in the Kingdom by hosting active social and educational events and working hand in hand with the government and private sector for a fitter KSA. However, the backbone that kept it all together was paying it forward and giving back to the community.

WHY CLIMB EVEREST FOR CHANGE?

“If not for my generation, then for the generations to come. Together we will shift perceptions and shatter stereotypes. Here’s to becoming more accepting and tolerant. To quenching thirsty minds who have been been forced to flee for safety. Let’s move some mountains and make some waves.”

The world’s tallest mountain is an environ as opposite from hot, arid Oman as imaginable. But Nadhirah is enlivened by the gnawing cold and high-consequence terrain of the Himalayas. In 2018, the Omani woman was on Nepal’s Ama Dablam, a 6,812-meter precipice with a reputation as a training ground for Everest hopefuls.

Whether training on choosy mountain trails, desert dunes, or on the paved roads of Muscat’s oven-like 33°C heat, Alharthy is bound by Islamic Sharia law to wear the hijab. Proponents maintain that the headpiece allows wearers to retain their modesty or celebrate their religious or cultural identity.

When Alharthy broke the news of her aspiration, some of her co-workers were skeptical, but most were encouraging. Full disclosure with her family, however, was more emotional; after training in secret for two entire years, Alharthy had to address the concern of her parents. But they’re unnerved by the danger of the ascent, not their daughter’s gender-defying pursuit.

ON HER HIJAB

“Growing up in a conservative environment made me want to break the mold and box Arab women are put into. After a difficult divorce and almost losing myself to the cultural pressures, I found strength amongst the world’s tallest peaks. It seems crazy to others who wear the Hijab like myself, but I learned to believe in my capabilities and I to show others that their dreams are possible too.”