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Not completely sure where we are, just on the Tibetan side of the Nepalese border. One of the joys of travelling in an organised group is sometimes you just don't have a clue where you are!! Crossing into Nepal tomorrow a few pounds lighter I suspect. Body been hijacked by bugs which means tonights supper consists of raw carrots, an apple, orange, fizzy sweets and Nescafe! A very strange combination I know but Im trying anything to get the system sorted- it doesn't know where it's at and my stomach has turned into an alien being which gurgles at the very mention of food, cramps up the moment I try to eat anything and wakes me up at 3 am every morning to spend half -a-bloody- disorientated hour trying not to fall down the long drops ( which have got progressively worse I hasten to add!)- not an easy feat when half asleep and suffering from vertigo/altitude!! Anyhow, looking on the positive, I have had some very special middle-of-the night viewings of some great mountains...as I said some of the toilets have the best views.......!! Joking aside, things are improving and fingers crossed will be sorted in the next couple of
Summitclimb Group at Tibetan base camp
Hector on the right summited but it took its toll. Neil, centre standing, made it to 8,300 metres and Mon, centre sitting made it to the ridge at around 8,400 metres.Caught up with Neil and Mon again in Kathmandu!The summit is still around 30kms away which gives you some idea of the size. Photo taken at 5,200 metres days....
The main purpose of this blog is just to communicate with the outside world as my hotmail has been down for days and I can't send texts although they're coming through - suspect it may be something to do with being in Tibet. So it's just to say all ok ( apart from my impending starvation) and the news on the ground is that all's ok now in Nepal from groups coming through so we're gonna go for it. Flying out to Vararnasi on May16th to hit India and find a few mates for my bugs......
I cried again yesterday. As I walked into Everest base camp. And I cried again this morning as we remembered the 10 year anniversary of the massive disaster on the mountain. Everest is amazingly beautiful and I wasn't the only group member to be moved by arriving there. We spent the night before at Rongbuk guesthouse ( next to the the famous Rongbuk monastery). I didn't sleep a wink, partly through altitude ( we were at 4,900 metres) and partly through stomach cramps! We all awoke to view sunrise over Everest then walked the 7km track to base camp. It was
one of the hardest walks of my life- it felt nearly as tough as the Marathon! We were ascending to 5,200 metres, I hadn't slept, hadn't eaten properly for 2 days, was dehydrated and felt really weak. I've never been so frozen in my life and tried to open a chocolate bar for energy then realised my fingers were so cold they wouldn't function ( thank goodness for teeth!). As we walked onwards and upwards all oxygen seemed to disappear and I could only manage a few steps before sitting down and panting. It's at times like this that you truly start to perhaps comprehend a teeny weeny bit what life must be like 3,000 metres or so further up the mountain. To cut a long story short, I made it and was really overcome with emotion to be there. I'll post some photos when Ive burned them to CD; Not only were there camping tents for climbers but also a permanent tent village with tea shops, and even hawkers trying to sell us jewellery. Very strange!
The rest of the group headed for the tea tent but I went looking for British climbers to give some moral support.
Ahem- apparently I made it into some forbidden zone where you had to pay a 200 dollar fee to enter but somehow I ended up there and was called over by a group!! ( They say you meet people through children and pets but never mention joking about not photographing them attending the call of nature - if that makes any coherent sense). They were a really great group and I was priveleged to be able to walk back to the monastery with them and spend a couple of hours getting inside the minds and mental/physical preparation of potential Everest summiteers. 18 months training at home, several months on the mountain, a 1/7 chance of summitting and a 1/14 chance of dying, not to mention the cost of the expedition running into thousands and thousands of pounds. And that's why I cried again today on the 10 year anniversary; For when you've met and talked to these people , look at the statistics, see there are 10 in the group, and realise one may not come back it really hits home. So this morning, I said a little prayer for their safety with an Everest backdrop. They're hoping to summit
The road up to base camp
some of us walked it though! in about 3 weeks time and I have their website details so I have everything crossed for them. My time up there made a very big impact......
Will hopefully post more at Kathmandhu. All I can say is progressively looking rougher and rougher and all personal hygiene measures and inhibitions gone out of the window. What used to be a bad hair day in the UK is now a very good hair day indeed. Still waving at passing trucks at toilet stops and now taken to decorating the OUTSIDE of our dorm rooms with drying underwear. No shame left!
Catch you later
Twiggy ( I wish!) xxx
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Quinnthefinn
Teresia Quinn
Yes,..beautiful but dangerous.
That was a great blog Sally, I'm so glad you're enjoying and feeling moved by the mountains. Paul and I have unfortunately more than 1 friend who has met their end close to where you are. You may know I pushed for Paul to become a professional musician rather than the mountaineer which was his other choice; I found out you see, that the average life expectancy of such a one is something like 40 years.... but what a life, eh? Lots of love and hope you feel better soon, Tess xx