Journey to the top of the world! 

Jayanthi and Johanne on their attempt to scale Mount Everest 

Intrepid adventurers Johanne Peries and Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala are set to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Hairdresser and proprietor of the Cutting Station chain of salons Johanne Peries and Jayanthi, a leading women’s rights and gender expert are finally attempting to realise their childhood dreams. 

For Johanne from the first time he set eyes on Mount Everest he had harboured a desire to climb it while for Jayanthi, an ardent rock climbing and mountaineering fanatic climbing Everest is something that has been a lifelong passion. 

The mission is not without its perils. So many people have attempted to climb this mother of all mountains and many have died in their attempts. It is said that many dead bodies litter the path of the climbers and serve as a grim reality as to how difficult this attempt is. 

Commenting on the preparation for this historic climb, Jayanthi says “There has been lots of training, training and more training. This has included some high altitude expeditions to absolutely amazing places, including Island Peak (6,189m) in the Himalayas and Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Africa. Apart from that, this whole expedition is costing us almost Rs.19 million and seeking sponsorship for this has also been an uphill journey for us.” 

If they are successful in their mission then this duo will earn the distinction of being the first Sri Lankans to reach the summit of Mount Everest. However this journey is not without risk. “Every step beyond base camp is a risk, if you don’t understand what your challenge is” said Johanne. “There are many risks, some of which are life threatening, however our preparation and training has prepared us to mitigate and control these risks. Mountaineering is an extreme adventure sport and risks are prevalent however the feeling when you successfully overcome the challenges the mountains throw at you, makes this a healthy addiction! We certainly plan to come back down safely!” said Jayanthi. 

Johanne and Jayanthi will embark on their journey on the 27th of March which will last for approximately two and a half months. Describing the process and schedule of the climb Jayanthi explained “We take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla where all the treks in the Nepali Himalayas begin. From there we walk for about 2.5 weeks to reach Everest Base Camp (EBC). EBC will be our home for the next month or so, as we begin our acclimatization rotations - which basically means we will climb from EBC up to Camp 1 and then go back down to EBC. The next day we climb from EBC up to Camp 2, and then back to EBC. We will do these rotations for a period of about 3 weeks, until the end of May, which is the usual time that teams attempt the Summit of Everest and go all the way to the top" 

When asked the question why Mount Everest they both say they want to demonstrate  to fellow Sri Lankans that one can do anything they wish once you put your mind to it even it if means climbing to the top of the world. 

People who are aware of this expedition have thrown their weight behind Johanne and Jayanthi and extended their support wholeheartedly. “So far we've had an amazing response from the Sri Lankan public, other mountaineering enthusiasts, family and friends - not only those living here in Sri Lanka but also from all over the world” commented Johanne. 

The entire expedition which comes with a price tag of Rs.19 million is financed largely by corporate sponsors and donations from friends, colleagues and family. However they are still in need of funds and appeal for more sponsors to come on board and help them become the first Sri Lankans to scale Mount Everest and make it a proud moment for all Sri Lankans to see the Sri Lankan flag on top of the world! 

By Tina Edward Gunawardhana