Latest News

Brief report: We completed climb 1 (to Camp 1 & return to Base Camp) and heading off today (Tues. 22) on climb 2. This is back to Camp 1 where we'll spend a couple of nights before pushing on to Camp 2. So it'll be a few days before I make the next posting.

We are established in camp 1 at 6,100m. We aim to spend the night here tonight, before a very early morning descent tomorrow back down to base camp. Hope to give a fuller report later.

Wed 9th:

Today some of us got up early (6am) to trek to Kala Patar (5,646m) to get the typical "postcard" view of Everest and to see Sadhbh (who had joined us for the trek in over the last 3 weeks) off, as she heads back to Dublin.

Others in the team (who shall remain nameless) opted for the lie in (and listening to music and reading books on the "terrace" instead)!

We have arrived at base camp after an interesting trek with a number of climbs along the way. This will be our "home" for the next 6 weeks or so!!! For now we'll have a few days of R & R here but also busy sorting out equipment etc. We're digging out solar panels to power the communications tent - and recharging the DVD player! Life on the glacier has it's comforts (relatively speaking).

Our bags that had been in freight finally arrived this morning as they were fast tracked, or should that be fast yak'd up the valley.

It ment that I had my boots just in time for the first snow which is great. Onward up the valley for a few more rest days.

We have pushed on from Namche Bazaar and trekked to Deboche (Sun 30th.) and reached Dingboche today. These villages have lodges where we can stay - see photos link for "On way to Base Camp" album. We have also being putting in some work on the hills here (have been up to 5,000m. - getting used to the thin air!).
WE HAVE JUST HEARD THE GREAT NEWS THAT OUR OFFICIAL PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED - so it's onwards and upwards!

During our rest day in Namche we managed to upload the video of our landing into Lukla from Kathmandu ("the most dangerous and exciting flight in the world").

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPkLeTGIlZw

Enjoy.

We also met a shop keeper who we met when we were here in 2006 so he gave us a good price on the essentials (toothpaste, toilet paper etc.).

We overnighted in Kathmandu Mon. and flew the following day to Lukla.

On arrival in Lukla,  we set off trekking right away and yesterday and today we covered the distance to Namche Bazaar. We'll spend the next couple of days here (Thurs. & Fri.) resting and allowing our bodies become acclimatised to the altitude of 3,450m (11,300ft) before moving on.

Namche Bazaar is quite a busy trading town so lots to see.

Looks like our bags have been released from freight so they should 'catch up' with us by Fri.

We've arrived !!! Great to be back in the Himalaya.

There's a bit of a hitch with the gear that we shipped out a while ago - will have to wait a few days for it. Also waiting for clarification of the permit situation.

But for the moment the main thing is that we're here.