Since birth, Ekachai Wannakaew has had no hands and his legs are deformed, and yet he's just come back from climbing one of the world's highest mountains.
The physically challenged climber -- and now motivational speaker -- has not allowed his physical disabilities to stop him from living life to the fullest. When a dream opportunity came to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, he took a week to decide on the feasibility of the idea and then agreed.
The 34-year-old is a graduate in fine arts from Poh Chang College of Arts and Crafts. Premature after just six months in the womb, he was born without any hands and doesn't have fully developed legs. Ekachai, who's sometimes known by his nickname "The Penguin Man", draws and paints with the help of his shoulders and feet.
"People thought it was a ridiculous idea for me to climb a mountain despite the fact that I have trekked in the past," said Ekachai. "I love to travel and have climbed a couple of mountains to experience scenic views, and to sketch the portrait of HM the King."
For the Kilimanjaro expedition, Ekachai became convinced that he could pull it off partly because the trip had Vitidnan Rojanapanich, the first Thai climber to reach the summit of Mt Everest, leading the group.
"It was my secret desire to climb a mountain such as Kilimanjaro, so when Vitidnan invited me to come along with him, I had to say yes because it is the trip of a lifetime," he said. "Thousands of trekkers flock to Kilimanjaro every year with the sole aspiration to stand on the Roof of Africa. A number of factors have led to Kilimanjaro's popularity, not least that it is the highest mountain on the African continent and one of the Seven Summits that requires no technical climbing skills. The highlight of the excursion was that we would reach the summit on the King's birthday, Dec 5, 2015, and I would get to sketch his portrait.''
The more Ekachai researched the subject, the more he discovered that the natural wonder is not designed for the faint-hearted. At its peak the mountain is 5,895m above sea level. Extreme cold weather and steep gorges are part-and-parcel of a trek that requires climbers to be as fit as a fiddle.
"Besides it being a personal goal, as a motivational speaker I felt this experience would add to my credibility," he said. "If a man born with deformities can complete such a feat, the public should not allow fear stopping them from doing even better.
It took five days for Ekachai and the rest of the Thai climbers to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
"I began training seriously from early last year. Vitidnan taught me breathing exercises and it took a lot of willpower to do strenuous workouts to make my muscles strong.
"I trained a solid three months for the trek. What helped was that I am already a sporty person. I had to give up starch and walked up and down skyscrapers in Bangkok to get my muscles accustomed to trekking. Some days I was so tired that I did not have the energy to use the toilet.
"I also Googled Tanzania to know about the country, people and culture. From my experience of having visited New Delhi for speaking assignments, I knew just how to survive in a developing country such as Tanzania. Having congenital malformation, my biggest worry was that I would be a burden on others."
After a 13-hour flight on Nov 15, the Thai contingent reached Dodoma, Tanzania's capital. They took two days to adjust to the weather and time. On the third day, the 12 climbers and five porters began their seven-day ascent of the volcanic mountain.
Ekachai Wannakaew.
Ekachai had difficulties from day one when his custom-made trekking shoes did not work as well as expected. They turned out to not be conducive for rough and sharp rocks covered with volcanic ash. He decided to go shoeless, wearing only his thermal socks, in the initial stages of the trek when the biting cold weather was still bearable.
While most able-bodied climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination, he had to go the extra mile to clear each hurdle that came his way.
He had to be careful about breathing in the thin mountain air. With his short legs, Ekachai was extra cautious about which rocks he could step on. At some points, it was just impossible for him to walk because the path was too steep; he needed to be carried like a piece of luggage. Then the subzero coldness stiffened his joints, making the walk all the more gruelling.
On the third day, he walked too fast and suffered altitude sickness as his body couldn't adjust. He vomited and had a severe headache, and hours passed before he could resume the trek. Later he learned to read the signs of his body and walked at a comfortable rhythm.
"It was a torturous experience and I felt I could die," he said. "I was very glad to be with seasoned trekkers who gave me medication and tips on making the trek as enjoyable as possible.
"While the suggestions helped, I had to face having to use the open air toilet in below zero degree temperatures. That really brought tears to my eyes because I had to take my trousers completely off to relieve myself!"
After a week, his party reached the summit. It wasn't the best of times: the sky was overcast while rain and snow began pelting down. But as if by magic, soon the Sun came out -- briefly -- and Ekachai had 10 minutes to paint a picture of HM the King, which he had done on every trek before.
Touching on the highlights of his trip, Ekachai said: "Besides it being an arduous trek filled with uncertainty, there were numerous times where I felt discouraged and wanted to quit. I guess what got me through each obstacle was my determination to show the world that where there is a will there is a way.
"If it wasn't for the porters, I could have lost my life. When we were navigating one of the three gorges, each as high as a 10-storey building, they had to bundle me up and carry me in the snow. The path was very narrow and steep. As I was tied with ropes to one of the porters, if he slipped, both of us would have fallen."
Ekachai became the first disabled Thai person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, and one of the very few disabled people in the world to achieve the feat.
While Ekachai hopes the experience will speak to others about stepping out of one's comfort zone to achieve personal goals in life, one thing's for sure, he will probably not be thinking about repeating this feat again anytime soon.
Porters played a vital role in keeping him safe during the arduous trek.
Ekachai sketches HM the King's portrait on the day they reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.
