Road Trip to Everest romps home KATHMANDU: The Yamaha FZ team has returned here after its successful campaign ‘Road Trip to Everest’ to the northern base camp of Everest at an altitude of 5208 metres. “The team also hoisted the Yamaha flag at the base camp to mark the victory,” said Suraj Singh Thakuri, one of the three celebrity riders who rode to the lap of Mt Everest. It took them a week to finish the trip. A 10-member team including singer Nima Rumba, athlete Dipak Bista and media person Suraj Singh Thakuri along with lucky winners: Jyoti Deshar, Kumar Bal (Resham) and Amit Pradhan had left Katmandu on July 18 for Everest Base Camp via Tibet. The trip was organized to prove the excellent performance of the Yamaha FZ 16 bike even in the most difficult topographical conditions. “Yamaha FZ-16 vindicated our trust in the brand,” said Bista after arriving here. He added that he though they travelled about 1,100-km over bumpy and irregular roads on the high Himalayas they did not feel tired. “Our lives depended on the bikes,” he said. Rumba felt his life had become full after finishing the trip. “There is a base for every challenge,” he said adding that the challenge was based on the FZ16, which turned out very successful. He thanked Yamaha as it gave a speed of 110 kmph even on unfavourable high Himalayan trails. Thakuri rated this trip as unforgettable. “The trail was risky, climate extremely cold and sometimes there was lack of adequate oxygen though the comfort provided by Yamaha FZ overshadowed all complications,” he said. The lucky winners Desar, Bal and Pradhan ranked Everest base camp as the most challenging and excellent destination of the world and said they really enjoyed the trip on the Yamaha FZ 16. The team spent a day in Nyalam for acclimatization. The trip was managed by Sacred Summit, a tour management company known for high Himalayan trekking and tour operations. Because of the high altitude, bumpy roads and tough trail, travelling to Everest Base Camp is considered very challenging. This is the first time in the history of Nepal that a bike of the 150 CC category has been ridden at such high altitudes and on a route that is used for a very limited period during the year.