Back at ABC

Hi everyone - it is great to be back at Base Camp and back to internet of sorts.

Yes, I am still coughing up rather vile stuff although at a lesser rate; if only it only looked like my snot, I would be happier – don’t you love the comparison. I can't talk now, stupidly forgetting my face mask today (I know what you are thinking...).. Yes, I am horribly sick and I knew it was bad but then again I did summit Everest on one of the best days of the season and did lug up my Canon 5D and a few lenses, so hopefully have some good panoramas. I started from ABC sick, knowing that it wouldn’t get better on the way up, so a calculated gamble, and one that I really did want to take. I really did want to get summit #5 and get those photos.

Probably if I was that sick in a western country, coughing blood etc with oxygen saturation levels in the 60’s (%) I would be in hospital quick-smart. But here there is no hospital and only your own or friend’s judgements. I did spend the evening on oxygen at ABC, the last in our tanks, and that did assist a bit. I arrived at ABC more exhausted than I have ever been in my life but there was nobody else to carry the oxygen bottles and tent etc I used, and still feel guilty for having to leave a few things up there. The rubbish up there is almost unimaginable, but once you know the effort of getting up there and that most groups have at least two sherpa loads carried up, some more, the possibility of carrying everything back down in one go just doesn’t add up. And heading up that high again after summitting – a few of the toughest climbing sherpas can perhaps, but most are glad to be alive and would rather not step foot above North Col if they can help it. It doesn’t help that most of the climbing members can't or won't carry more that the oxygen bottle they are using and their own personal kit – which is quite tough enough for them anyway.

I am hoping that the lower altitudes of Zhangmu and Kathmandu will clear it quickly, otherwise I will be dosing on drugs soon (thanks, Helen). Strangely it doesn't seem to be contagious, at least none of our crew have picked it up after me.

Tom climbed to the summit also coughing, but not with the red-tinged gunk, so also pulled one out on reserves, well done!

The sherpa supporting Tom was Dawa Gelje (different from the main sirdar on the south side!) who proved to be an excellent ABC cook (yet again) and caring climbing sherpa with several summits now, he will get an extra bonus. Bali accompanied myself and made his first actual Everest summit, although he has carried rather a lot of loads to the 8300m camp.

And the summit? Reaching the summit was glorious but it is a long, tough and dangerous climb to get there, even from 8210m (actual) so only around 640m, but over difficult terrain. Perhaps that is better a LONG, TOUGH and DANGEROUS CLIMB. More on that sometime.

So we are happy here in BC, happy that a Landcruiser should be turning up early tomorrow to take us to Zhangmu.

Jamie from BC , only 5150m