Thank goodness it's Friday!

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I cannot believe that we have finally got there! Mike, Denny, Dan and I have not had a day off since January 1st.

The sea level testing started on January 4th, and I think that it has gone well so far. This is not only thanks to the great team that we have working for us, but also to the trekkers that are all embracing the challenge with such enthusiasm!

I am not going to do anything related to work tomorrow or Sunday. Unfortunately, Dan is not so lucky. He is working all this weekend as well. I think he may be Superman in disguise!

We had a very exhausting morning as a 45 foot articulated lorry arrived with 200 60 litre barrels on board. It was all hands on deck to get them off the street and into storage. They must be packed in the next couple of weeks ready for shipping to Kathmandu!

Last weekend, nearly the whole team went to Capel Currig in North Wales for a team bonding event. We stayed at the excellent Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel. This hotel hosted the 1953 Everest team and is full of memorabilia. The staff were fantastic, and we had a very constructive time. It was a chance to set the scene for the next five months and for newer team members to learn what Caudwell Xtreme Everest is all about.

It is 10.30 on Friday evening, so I think I am going to go home. Hope you all have a pleasant weekend.

Comments on this article

By: Paul Newman

When: 20th Jan 2007 23:50

Having just completed my sea level testing yesterday, I couldn?t agree more with Harriet?s comments on 11th Jan. It?s a great day, very interesting and I soon felt part of the team. Everyone is so enthusiastic and everything is explained in detail.

For those trekkers reading this who have yet to be tested, don?t worry, you?ll enjoy it.?apart from the last 10 seconds of the bike ride (but I?ll let you find out for yourselves)! Psychoanalysing is fun. I can begin to see that we are going to be hard pushed to repeat some of these exercises at altitude.

A big thank you to all the testing team especially as most of them have been working flat out since Christmas! I have great admiration for them and the huge amount of organisation it all takes. We?ve got the easy bit; we just have to wander up to 17,000 feet!

One final thing for the guys. Where else would you be TOLD to stare at a female?s chest for a whole minute? You?ll find out when you do your diaries!!

See you in Kathmandu.

Paul Newman

Blog by Kay Mitchell