On ne visite pas le Nepal, on le vit à chaque instant et je te remercie Costin pour cette expérience.
Merci aussi de nous avoir gardés sains et saufs, d’avoir partagé ta passion de la montagne avec nous, pour tes histoires qui nous ont inspiré ou fait rire aux éclats, pour ton professionalisme, ta gentillesse et d’avoir su nous encourager quand cela devenait trop difficile.
Faire le trek de l’Annapurna avec toi a été un privilège et je vais en garder un excellent souvenir.
À bientôt, dans le Caucase cette fois-ci!”

The way I met Costin was a bit strange. It was back in mid-2014, when we were preparing for a climb in Kilimanjaro. Diana, my wife, asked several friends and friend of friends if they know someone who was there before and is willing to share knowledge and experience with us. And that’s how we first met, for about an hour in “Harmalaia” store. Then, when I planned to climb Mont Blanc in 2015, easily and normally my first tough goes to him. I don’t know why. I don’t know how. But that’s how it was. And we talked and we agreed and we planned and we climbed and also with the mountain and the Universe willingness, both of us reached the summit of Mont Blanc on August 2^nd, 2015. There, on the top of Western Europe, I felt myself so small but equally so strong in that beautiful sunny day, with an ocean blue sky and unblocked visibility. That strong feeling creates lifetime memories and Costin was there and helped me imprint that memory. And I have to thank him for that. We left Bucharest almost strangers and us comeback home friends. Now, even the life will drift us apart, I know that my friend Costin came in my life for a LIFETIME. He will always be with me in my Mont Blanc memory and hopefully in others to come.”

Tipurile acestea de călătorii pot fi periculoase, dacă nu ești (cu) un om extrem de bine organizat și foarte bine pregătit fizic, sau pot fi de-a dreptul fun, în momentul în care ai un ghid prietenos și glumeț, dar și strict. Costin este “tăticul” ghizilor montani pentru mine. Nu doar că m-a susținut psihic atunci când îmi venea să o iau la goană spre poalele muntelui, dar este și cel care m-a consiliat ce și cum să mănânc ținând cont de complexitatea efortului pe care urma să îl am de făcut, cum să îmi dozez resursele interne și când să forțez, cum să merg și  cum să respir la altitudini mult prea înalte, iar la nevoie când este mai bine să renunț ca să mă pot întoarce în siguranță. N-a fost cazul unei renunțări, pentru că, datorită lui, am urcat până în vârf de Mont Blanc.”

We started hiking up towards “Refuge du Gouter” and soon we reached a well-known section called the “Grand Couloir” a channel like slope where many people left their life. The two of us probably wouldn’t even have considered this section to be dangerous but apart from the fact that Costin told us what to do we would have found out pretty soon, when rock as big as a huge car rushed down the slope and took everything that was in its way with it. It could have been the two of us if Costin would have warned us. In the afternoon we reached the shelter and I got strong headaches. Costin explained to me that it would be the best to take a walk out to get my circulation in motion. That’s what we did and I was fine for the rest of the journey. In the next morning he decided not to summit since there was, I guess 2 feet of fresh snow and avalanches coming down every few minutes. I have done many crazy things but that day I had I felt agony something like real fear of not getting down anymore. It was that moment when the adventures excitement was gone and you find yourself in a helpless situation. During moments like these it is crucial to have some one next to you who knows what to do. Costin, thank you for that experience and for bringing us down safely.”

o persoană alături de care merită să înceri o experiență de genul Kilimanjaro, Africa. Am avut șansa de a merge alături de el pe Kilimanjaro și pot să spun că, deși îl știam de puțină vreme, a fost o plăcere să împart momentele frumoase cu el. Este genul de om care te trage după el și nu te lasă să renunți prea ușor”.

neînsoțită de o intenție a mea clară de a merge pe Muntele Alb, mi-am zis că îl urc. Și l-am urcat. Îi apreciez răbdarea pe care a manifestat-o și încrederea pe care a inspirat-o în momente dificile, precum și timpul și efortul depuse pentru turele de pregătire.”

pe care o transmite când vorbește despre munte. În al doilea rând, pentru că este responsabil, are un suflet mare și o mare grijă de cei pe care îi ghidează (de la încurajări până la lucruri mult mai practice sau/și mai simple, de exemplu, cum să îți pui colțarii corect). Așa după cum i-am spus odată, cu el aș merge pe munte oricând pentru că am încredere că va lua deciziile cele mai adecvate în orice condiții.”

o amintire care-mi va rămâne mereu vie. Mulțumesc pentru profesionalism și organizare. Nu voi uita cum ai tăiat potecă pe zăpada proaspătă, printre crevase, la 4000 m și câtă grijă ai avut, în momentele grele, pentru siguranța noastră. Ne vom întoarce cât de curând împreună ACOLO!”

I’ve always loved mountains and went up wherever I had the chance in Romania, so never at an altitude more than 2500 m. I was determined to go up and I was glad when Costin showed confidence that this was very much possible if I had set it in my mind. He mentioned though that him, as my guide, can help and support me, but he cannot do it for me or “guarantee” the weather. I agreed to this, even though I did not really listen, as in my mind I was already on the topJ. I managed to attend some preparatory week-end trips with Costin, where I got to know him better and I started to trust more his skills as a mountain guide – he proved to be very knowledgeable about mountains, respected them and he knew how to motivate me to go a step further…

Due to weather conditions (too much fresh snow and poor visibility), we did not reach the summit as we decided to go back from Gouter (3800 m), in what was one of the scariest descents I ever made – snow packed track, very hard to see signs, avalanches around every 30 minutes and rocks falling on Grand Couloir…I will never forget this experience but nevertheless, I am determined to give it another try, certainly with Costin.

Thank you, dear, for being a great support and such a good friend!”