Happy Birthday to My darling Wife

5 messages :: read>

I?m sorry I?m not at home with you now, I miss you and love you very much.

Its snowing at EBC and its very very cold. The funny thing about climbing big mountains is that you forget all the misery and only remember the good bits. That?s the only reason that you keep coming back.

We made our way up from Pheriche a couple of days ago spending two nights on the way here. We had our first real altitude illness? with a few headaches and ?just a bit off?. Unusually on our way we met Peter Duncan of Blue Peter and Duncan Dares fame. He was leading a Scout group up one of the trekking peaks in the area.

The last couple of days involved many yaks coming close together on the trail which did involve me once or twice bounding out of their way as they muscled past each other. There are two pictures of yaks here with my barrel. You can make out Aoife?s hand prints on the barrel. The other shot is of them passing in front of Nuptse. Nuptse let off a huge avalanche as we approached BC as you can see in the pic. Don?t worry BC is very safe but it did dust the tents with snow!

BC as I said is cold. In the morning my pee bottle is frozen and there is ice on the outside of my sleeping bag where I have been breathing. My liquid soap is frozen (I had to defrost it in hot water to be able to shower), thankfully the sloe gin remains liquid. The whole camp is on the glacier which constantly moves. During the night you can hear the glacier creak, crack and groan as it makes its very slow progress down the Khumbu valley.

BC itself is actually very comfortable, with a gas powered shower as good as any you?d get at home (when its working), sit down toilets, and a very fine dining room with enough room to seat all 40ish of us.

In the evening after we are served dinner by the cook boys one of us gives a power point presentation and then we have a movie projected on to one wall of the mess. Very civilized altogether!

Thanks for your messages I have been getting them and they do cheer us up here.

Comments on this article

By: Nick	When: 10th Apr 2007 21:31
I do like the picture of the Yak, great promo shot although not exactly what I had in mind ! All the very best from Newark.

By: Sara	When: 10th Apr 2007 11:31
I see you have a spell checker in operation in this blog, the slow gin and shoos sadly are no more. Lurv S & Co

By: nuala mcmorrow	When: 10th Apr 2007 11:25
Hi Roger,Glad to know the gin is ok what about the tonic and lemon at least there is plenty of ice!!!!!!!!!1 I feel on count down now until we are ready to go and our friends think that we are going on a holiday!!!!!!!!!!! Take care Love Mum

By: Ruth	When: 9th Apr 2007 10:23
Sup bro, it was good to hear your voice the other day. good to hear the gin is still ok Ruth x

By: McVeigh	When: 8th Apr 2007 21:42
Hey Rog, its reassuring that we're hearing all about your pee - at least i know your brain is still functioning normally (for you!). Keep at it and be safe. Lv McVeigh. xoxo

Blog by Roger Mcmorrow