Veraluc photography

Mt Aconcagua

I feel this incomprehensible paralysis in my legs. An incredible gravity. A terrible heaviness, as if I was trapped by magnets.
As if my legs were made of marble and bore the weight of an elephant. They do not respond to my commands, and, if they do, it
is in slow motion and with quite a few seconds of delay, with a huge effort.

About one hour later, when I turn around… I shiver with emotion. I freeze before something so gigantic. It looks so unreal that
scares me. Or better said, it distresses me awfully. I feel small and impotent. When I recover, I close my eyes for a moment,
and I open them again to enjoy the view and to imprint it in my memory for ever. In front of me, and almost at the tip of my
fingers, I have the terrifying South wall with its glaciers that fall impressively into the void. I stand still with my mouth
open, gasping for oxygen. I try to find the way to enjoy this extraordinary moment. My fatigue disappears and I now feel fulfilled.
I look up to the summit which can be seen clearly now. And now I also clearly know that I will make it.

Indeed exactly at 15:00 the three of us reach the summit. Instinctively, we gather in an embrace and we cry our hearts out.
The three of us.