Dayton Littles Everest Story | October 2018

From October 1st to 18th 2018, Dayton Little, Private Client Senior Practitioner in our Chippenham office headed off on a trip of a lifetime. Here he tells his story...

I have always been a keen walker, although mainly in the UK. I have completed the National Three Peaks Challenge and have a Bucket List of trips I would like to do. So, when the opportunity came up to realise one of these dreams and join a group to Trek up to Everest Base Camp I seized the opportunity with both feet!

After a day of travelling to get to Nepal, and a day’s sightseeing in Kathmandu, we eagerly (with some trepidation) awaited an internal flight to Lukla (known as the most dangerous airport landing in the world). 

Having survived the landing, ahead of us lay 12 continuous days of trekking through the most amazing and diverse scenery imaginable. The plan was to take 8 days to get to Everest Base Camp (incorporating 2 acclimatisation days as we ascended) and then 4 days for the trek back to Lukla and that “interesting” flight back to Kathmandu.

The following days saw us trekking up and down the paths (“flat” doesn’t exist in Nepal!) alongside glacial rivers and through valleys weaving in and out of Yak and mule trains carrying supplies for the villages further up, gradually gaining altitude towards our goal, staying in “tea houses” – local lodges - each night for a welcome meal and hot drink. We started off by walking in trousers and T-shirts through beautiful wooded valleys, which were soon left behind in exchange for more barren terrain surrounded by majestic  snow-capped mountains. As we gained height, the air got thinner making the walking harder and the layers went on as the temperature dropped! 

Our final night in the tea house at Lobuje before the attempt at Base Camp saw temperatures down to -12 degrees, and it was still -6 degrees when we set off the next morning. After 3 hours we stopped at a very basic and barren settlement called Gorak-Shep for breakfast, and then the final 2 hour push to the Everest Base Camp which stands at 5,365 metres (almost £17,500 feet) above sea level. The euphoria and team spirit of reaching our goal was absolutely amazing.

The whole trip was incredible and hard to put into words. The camaraderie of 14 strangers was fantastic and created such a bond that even six months later we are still in touch. The Nepalese people were lovely and so welcoming and our Sherpa Sirdar, guides and porters couldn’t do enough for us – we certainly wouldn’t have made it without them.

IS THE COST OF OBTAINING A DEATH CERTIFICATE EXPENSIVE?

• On the 16th of February 2019 the General Register Office (a Government agency which is part of HM Passport office and controlled by the Home Office) increased the cost of obtaining a Death Certificate by 175% from £4 to £11.

• This increase could be considered to be a stealth tax with its timing being unfortunate in a time of austerity. For the purpose of providing balance to this observation it is only right to say that it is the first increase since 2010 and the cost is set at cost recovery levels only.  Registrars have the power to reduce or waive the cost on the grounds of hardship or compassion.

• What needs to be understood however is that people can require as many as 20 Death Certificates for the purposes of notifying others about closing accounts, arranging a funeral, notifying utilities and other organizations.  This can increase the cost to £220.

• Useful information about obtaining a Death Certificate is as follows:-

a) A person has 5 days to register a death in England & Wales.  If a Coroner is investigating a death you cannot obtain a certificate until the Coroner provides permission.
b) A death should be registered at the Registry office closest to where the deceased died. If this is not possible registration can take place at any other Registry.
c) To obtain a Death Certificate a medical certificate is required from the hospital where the person died or the GP who tended the person.
d) Information that you should take with you to obtain a certificate includes the persons full name, date of birth, NHS medical card or number, marriage or Civil Partnership certificate, Birth Certificate and proof of their address
e) When asked whether you want to register with “Tell us Once” you should say yes because this automatically notifies HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the local council and HM Passport office.

• When the death has been registered you will get a Green Certificate for burial or cremation purposes, plus the certificate and as many copies of the certificate you are prepared to pay for.  Six copies represent a good minimum.  You will also receive confirmation of registration with the “Tell us Once” service if you have chosen to register with them.

• Having obtained a certificate the next things you do include choosing a funeral Director, arrange the funeral and notify others for the purposes of winding up the dead person’s estate.

• The above is an overview only.  For a free appointment and to find out answers to the questions that need answering  and to get the care you or a loved one need email Andrew Douglas or his  team on ajd@awdrys.co.uk or call on 0800 072 8636. We have offices In Marlborough, Royal Wootton Basset, Devizes & Chippenham. Alternatively visit our website www.abdcare.co.uk

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