He changed the advocacy for safaris in Africa, the pandemic put him out of work and he marched to conquer the summit of Everest

At almost 9 thousand meters above sea level and without possible death, Javier Remón (47) planted the Argentinian flag on the roof of the world. With the little strength he had left, aided by an oxygen mask and despite the cold that had invaded his whole body, he was able to portray this epic moment from the top of the highest peak in the world: Mount Everest.

This difficult journey happened just a few days ago. Javier touched down 8,848.64 meters of Mount Everest on May 12. Thus, it has reached a peak that few have the ability to tread on.

In his self-portrait, you can see the exhausted gaze, the face scorched from the low temperatures, and the reflection of the sun in the snow. Inside, however, an immense but subdued joy exploded: the other part, the descent, was still missing.

“The famous sentence” happiness is not in the destination, but on the road “, could sum up all that I have lived”, says Javier Infobae from the base camp located in Nepal. His expedition is not yet complete.

Javier has a travel agency dedicated to safaris in Central and East Africa. Although he was born in Bariloche, At the age of 18, he decided to study law in Buenos Aires. In the capital, he graduated from UBA. He managed to find a job, until during a break he went to Europe and fell in love with life abroad.

“As a good athlete, I have tried everything. And among other things, I did Kaya-Polo, a collective discipline that takes place in an Olympic swimming pool on a three-meter boat.. We were called up to take part in the World Cup and it went well for us. In Argentina it’s a little known sport, that’s why I stayed there “, refers to the beginning of everything.

From that day forward, he knew the law was not his way. He therefore decided to leave his profession and his life in his country of origin. “For the love of sport, I have always liked direct contact with nature, but also with animals. So years later, I found myself in Africa ”.

Nine of the 12 months of the year, Javier organizes safaris, motorcycle and 4×4 tours through the African savannah and the tribes of Uganda, Namibia and Angola. In them, he takes tourists from Spain, Argentina, Japan and Australia to discover the secrets of the African continent. “Whatever they ask me, we do. I am present in 19 countries, ”he says. Nomad, traveler and very curious, one of their residences is a bungalow in Kenya and the other an apartment in London.

In 2020, the pandemic took him by surprise, like the whole planet, removes the possibility of continuing to work. The tourism sector has been hit hard by the restrictions. “I had traveled to Bariloche a few days before the border was declared closed, so I have no choice but to spend the long quarantine at home.”

Far from wasting it, he was able to resume his recreational activities in one of the best destinations for mountaineering, mountain biking and rafting. “Over the months, I realized that I was training for something big”.

The uncertainty of the context led him to achieve one of his objectives; climb Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Previously, he had visited the colossal Aconcagua and other local stages.

The most difficult mountain

Since its first conquest in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, It is estimated that approximately 4,000 people have completed the promotion to date. And, from the first unsuccessful attempt to reach the summit in 1921 to this final season in 2021, around 300 climbers lost their lives attempting to reach their summit. The most recent case is that of American climbers and a Nepalese Sherpa who fell into a crevasse.

“On Aconcagua, I saw people die and I knew it was within the limits of the possibilities. He is always. Many of those who decide to embark on the adventure leave a will to their families“, recognize.

It is not a dream accessible to all either. On average – and depending on the companies hired – the Everest summit attempt costs around $ 70,000, not to mention all the necessary personal equipment. The service consists in guaranteeing, with the help of qualified guides, the ascent to the top of non-professional climbers. All this is forgotten in contact with the infinite beauty of the mountain.

At the beginning of April, Javier organized a series of flights: Bariloche, Buenos Aires, London and finally Kathmandu, the capital of the kingdom of Nepal, where he arrived 33 days ago. There it was 48 hours, and the action began.

Everest climbs slowly. Those who know the mountain repeat that anxiety is a bad advisor, added to the brutal climate. On average, the experience lasts a month and a half. In your effort, the Argentinian was accompanied by Sherpas who helped him load his equipment.

The starting point is Lukla, where the Khumbu valley begins, which must be walked for about 10 days and always uphill, until reaching the mountain base camp, at an altitude of 5,300 meters.

There, a kind of mini town was formed prepared for mountaineers. “There are tea rooms equipped with everything you need to be well. However, you have trouble sleeping and eat but you have to do it for whatever comes. I had butter, dulce de leche … all tasty things, because sometimes you are not even hungry “.

At this point, the approach to the top occurs. “You go up to the neighboring camps and come down, like that for several days. The techniques are practiced, we feel the silence, the cold…. colors. This is to acclimate the body to low temperatures and avoid altitude sickness. These are the two risks the climber faces “he admits.

From this base camp begins the second stage, which is the pure and exclusive ascent of the hill. For Javier, the climb lasted 9 days.

Ready to attack the summit

Temperatures near the summit are -30 degrees. Lack of oxygen is another stumbling block and can be fatal. “In the last section, where you walk for several hours inclined, you use almost three oxygen tubes … Everything is extreme.”

– At some point during the trip, did you regret having chosen this mountain?

-It’s not easy, and look I come with years of training. I have thought about it many times, because it is not about reaching the top at any cost.

With the sky clear, no wind, few people and the path marked out, Javier was ready to take the last step and climb to the top. From 8000 meters begins the so-called Death Zone. This name is not just a sensational qualification. “The last section, of only five meters of vertical drop, is life or death, it is a great achievement for the climbers although due to the snowfall it has become easier to circumvent”, Says Javier.

At the top. the Argentinian stopped, changed what little air he had left, took out the Argentine flag and took a picture. It was, that, just a moment among thousands of indelible memories. “I have arrived,” he said to himself.

– Are there strengths to contemplate the immensity?

-Uh … I was exhausted. But the view is second to none, you see the mountains that you had seen from below. And doing it from above is something I can’t explain. These are moments that will forever be etched on me. On the other hand, you know you still have to go down. The celebration is not on arrival. The mountain gives you this lesson in life. The fun is on the way.

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