Everest BC

Our 2010 Project Himalaya Everest Expedition 8848m dispatches

We spend a few days at Everest BC

17 April - Mexican dinner

Fernando cooked up a storm, a typical north Mexican meal which we finished completely. It was so good, we had a Mexican lunch a few days later.

18 April - dinner at Chessell Adventures camp

My good friend Duncan arrived at BC before us, having cycled from the sea near Calcutta/Kolkata to Everest BC, a tough cycle journey that I almost wish I could have joined him for. Luckily I had to prepare the Everest expeditions... (See the Chessell Adventures expedition dispatches).

Duncan invited us over to dinner at his camp and we met the South African Adventure Dynamics team lead by Sean Disney. Fernando is only just getting used to our various mild accents; some of the thicker South African accents were another language to him!

Thanks for a great dinner.

19 April - Everest BC 5150m

We now have email and internet access set up, thanks to some friends and China Telecom. We are using the 3G mobile services and with a little dongle in the laptop and the service is truly amazing. Skype works, even if facebook doesn't (blocked by the Chinese government). So aside from updating these dispatches (finally!), we can now check the full range of free weather services. In short the weather is going to be good for at least a week, so we can acclimatize easily on the mountain and the sherpas will establish the higher camps. We will not be summitting any time soon though; first we have to get strong, and everything in place.

Incidentally blackberrys and other 3G phones work up here, perhaps I should have treated myself to a Google phone after all!

19 April - south side contact

I got an email from Scott Woolums on the south side, and after changing our radio to their frequency called him up. We had clear reception even though there is an 8848m mountain directly in the way!

It is good to know that everything is good over there and we look forward to staying in touch.

20 April - Melissa leaves

After a few days at Everest BC, it was time for Melissa to leave, to go back to work. Lets see how she gets on with her flights through Europe (due to the Iceland volcano eruption). We will all miss her, Eric, especially.

I was asked to shoot a Canon 5D mark II for some people visiting BC and, damn, I wish I had bought one!