Interview with Ms Vani Mendon – GM, Business Development at Servhub, Dubai, UAE
Ms Vani Mendon, GM – Business Development at Servhub, is an exemplar of true courage. She covered a total distance of 4,400 meters by pushing her limits and persevering in the Himalayas. Her journey included trekking to Mt Elbrus (the tenth-most famous peak in the world). Here are some insights from our interview with her as she recounts her indelible experience.
Q. Do you feel that overcoming your fear of heights played a pivotal role in improving your fitness levels?
A: Definitely. The fear of heights had been with me ever since I was five years old. The fear of looking down from a mountain was so intense that whenever my husband would wish to go on a hike, I would decline. But this expedition has made me mentally more robust than before. Scaling Elbrus was not an easy task but it has eased my fear an insurmountable amount.
Q. Why did you feel that you had to overcome this fear?
A: I didn’t want my acrophobia to hold me back from having great experiences. Watching my family enjoy these treks and being fearless, I wished to allow myself the joy of this family activity.
Q. What was your experience like while scaling Mt Elbrus?
A: After a three-day trek up the mountain, I didn’t want to leave – I wanted to explore every corner of the mountain and get a house. The first mountain, named Cheget, was where we began our acclimatisation hikes. We started with the first base camp, then went up smaller heights. I tried to keep myself warm and healthy enough to go on with the rest of the trek. My husband supported me a lot as he comforted me and pushed me to fight my fears. After scaling 3,000 meters, we had to get down via a 60-year-old cable car, which was a single-seater, so I had to go down on my own. I was anxious in the beginning as I did not have any control over its movement. But at the same time, I felt that the height did not disturb me as much. The first hike was five hours long, the second one nearly ten hours long, and it was the most challenging one. But I learnt so much about that beautiful mountain. I absolutely loved our place of stay, the camp, and the canteen.
In a nutshell, the Mt Elbrus trek is the best thing I’ve done, and the memories will live on forever.
Q. What kind of preparation had you done for this trek?
A: I began walking and hiking, which I did every weekend to prepare for the Elbrus trek, along with running a 5 km track every morning. Then my gym routines every single day and having a set diet too. As proficiency in fitness plays a crucial role in trekking, I had to complete hiking to the highest peaks in the UAE, which was 1800 meters. To undertake such expeditions, one needs to be physically fit, and in good shape, so I gave myself positive affirmations every day that I just have to do it, no matter what, to prepare my mind. The most important part was to strengthen me mentally.
Q. Being a person of Dubai, how did you manage to cope with the low temperatures there?
A: To be honest, I don’t know how I did that as I was brought up in Mangalore, a sweltering place in the south of India. Nonetheless, we had the appropriate clothing – the down jackets and thermals, which kept us warm, even at a temperature of -25 °C. So, the weather was never a problem for us at all.
Q. Could you share some life lessons or advice that mountaineering and hiking have given you throughout these years?
A: Off the top of my head, the most important lesson that I learned has to be doing one thing at a time and taking small steps to reach where we want to.
Q. Who all have been your most significant support systems while you took upon this life-changing activity?
A: My husband, Saboor has been there for me through every mile of the trek. My friend Ali has pushed me to greater challenges and advised me that the trek is not as difficult as it seems. I must not fail to mention the support of my guides, Denya Aleksss Mr Kheraskov, who facilitated my experience with compassion, care and sensibility! she said.
Q. Did scaling Mt Elbrus have any emotional impact – something deeply rooted? If yes, what were they?
A: It taught me how to overcome my fears slowly; I have begun to strongly feel that I am very much capable more. Another impact that it has had on me is the discovery of pure determination; I need to complete the summit, and I will.
Q. Any thoughts about your next adventure?
The Elbrus trek is one of the most difficult to do due to the snow and sharp winds. My husband very strongly accomplished both the summits, east and west. Since I have not done it, I have to try at least one of them! So that’s the next on my list.
Ms Vani’s recollection of her magnificent but strenuous experience is the epitome of her being a determined spirit. Her reiteration of gratitude and her persona of tenacity is amazingly inspiring. We hope that her story motivates learners to ride the storm and never give up.
Interviewed by: Pia Basu
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