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Most of us would choose something simple - a birthday cake and meal with our closest family and friends. Or it could be a larger party.
Former local Geoffrey Whitty, however, chose something rather out of the ordinary.
He spent his 69th birthday on October 22 in Nepal, part way through the climb to the Everest Base Camp.
He spent the milestone in a village called Namche Bazar, located in the Khumbu Region of the Himalayan mountains in Nepal.
Geoffrey completed his 25 day trek last week, and reached out to share his story with the Southern Riverina News and his former home town.
“Namche Bazar is at the crossroads of the two main trekking trails in the Sagarmatha National Park,” he said.
“Follow the trail to the left and you will eventually end up at a place called Gokyo, following the path to the right and you will end up at Everest Base Camp.
“Both trails are connected by the Cho La pass - a glazier inspired pass rising to 5,420m, surrounded by some of Nepal’s most revered mountain tops.
“This guided expedition - including myself and a guide - commenced eight days earlier at a place called Salleri. It was a 10 hour wild jeep ride from Katmandu.
“This road trip is not for the faint hearted and I would recommend to anyone thinking of making the journey to EBC from this trailhead to catch the flight to the nearest village at Phaplu, some 2,400m above sea level.”
Geoffrey’s planned route took him from Salleri north to Gokyo, across the Cho La pass and rejoin the trail to Everest Base Camp at 5,364m above sea level.
And he tells us the trek was not without incident.
“On day 13, while crossing the Cha La pass - a gruelling nine hour, full day activity - I took a heavy fall,” he said.
“I slipped on loose rock (scree) and subsequently slammed the left side of my face and left elbow into hard rock, which rendered me semi-conscious for several seconds.
“I have had some previous mountaineering experience, however nothing quite prepares you for the intensity that awaits when challenged by the never ending and relentless rise and fall of the great Himalayan terrain.
“It is not uncommon to have altitude gain of up to 900m in a single day only to drop that same 900m by day’s end.
“Along the way, the locals are fantastic, the food is delicious, the guest houses are clean and comfortable and the countryside is vast and diverse.”
While describing the trek as “challenging“, Geoffrey said the rewards are ”immeasurable on a daily basis“.
“The daily backdrop of snow capped mountains that seem to follow you like a guiding spirit are inspiring in both size and splendour.
“In the words of Sir Edmund Hillary, ‘it’s not the mountain you conquer, but ourselves’.”
And as for Geoffrey’s reason for taking on such a challenge in his older years, he says you are “never too old to stop dreaming”.
Geoffrey Whitty said he was amazed by Nepal's "most revered mountain tops".
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