Interim Camp 5700m

We have an adventure up at Interim Camp.

26 April - trekking!

It is always with a little trepidation and excitement that we begin the hike up to Interim Camp. It is a reasonably big jump in altitude and is a tough walk, and will show up anyone who isn't fit. Marlon and Shehan were still feeling the BC altitude a bit so stayed back one more day. The rest of the team set off at 9am, a good start, with everyone except Jamie all packed the day before. I (Jamie) stayed back to watch what happened with our eight yak loads, and Dawa and Namgyal did a great job of sorting them out. I finally set off at 11:30 and the yaks and yak drivers plus Namgyal at around 12 noon.

The team split in two on the trail, the first taking 5 hours and Phil with a few people offering moral support taking closer to six hours. An old shin splint injury of Phil's started playing up and by the time he reached camp he couldn't move his left foot up or down, although he could still walk awkwardly. A couple of the team provided great support for him, and got him a good place in the kitchen tent, with cold compresses.

It started snowing in the afternoon and it is when conditions get tough that the sherpas really come into their own. We ate in our tents, sherpa stew with a Chinese flavour, and filled water bottles and served tea. While everyone was feeling the altitude they were irrepressibly exuberant (happy), and not all of them were even working for our team, but are good friends of our crew and myself. There is incredible satisfaction working as a support team to make everything right, and the expedition team really appreciated it.

There is no score kept on these things, at least by the 'good' people, these favours come around and simply make things easier. This is the generous Sherpa way.

One of our yak drivers - Jamie

27 April - Interim Camp

The happy drug addicts; it seems we live on drugs, doses of Diamox morning and evening, Paracetamol (Tylenol to Americans) and if a headache is bad, also Ibuprofen. The drugs really do help though, and by the time morning comes everyone had had a good sleep.

Breakfast in the sun; a little snow fell in the night.

Clockwise: Gavin, Anna, Phil, Kevin and Philippe- Jamie

Phil is "gutted"

Phil's shin splints are serious where the trail is rough, which is the whole way up here so it was with real sadness and regret that we said goodbye to him the morning. He was totally gutted; he is heading down to BC, rather than up to North Col. We all appreciated his direct talking, and while he was the butt of some jokes, he gave well as well, and was a valued member of our team.

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