Chocolate

?Mac Sir, do you have any chocolate that we can offer during the Puja tomorrow?, asked Pasang, younger brother of Pema, our Sirdar. At the grand old age of 22 he has already summited Everest three times, twice from the south and once from the north!

?Yes we do?, I replied, ?Cadbury?s have sponsored us and we have two barrels of chocolate. What time do you need it for??

?Seven o?clock in the morning?

I set my alarm and hoped that we would have good weather the following day. The Puja is a very important ceremony and one that must be taken seriously in order for it to bring good fortune to all those that set foot on the mountain.

I awoke at 6:30 and got dressed quickly. The temperature hadn?t risen any since the team arrived and I?m, sure that it was -7 degrees in my tent last night as well. As strange as it seems, wearing as little as possible in your sleeping bag is the best option. If you wear clothes to bed when it?s cold, your body heat is trapped in just an inch or so of clothing, which is normally damp from sweat and possibly dirty. This then leaves the 6 inches of down sleeping bag not permeated with warm air from your body and cold air seeps in from outside instead. The best thing to do is to strip down to nothing, so allowing your body heat to enter the thick down and acting as a larger barrier between you and the cold outside. It?s a difficult thing to do when it?s well below freezing inside your tent!

With snow falling inside the tent every time my head hit the inner flysheet, I hurriedly dressed and stepped outside to be greeted by a clear and crisp morning. I looked over to the site of the Puja ? it was a going to be a good day.

I dragged the large barrel of chocolate over to the kitchen tent where Pasang met me.

?I didn?t know how much you wanted?, I said, ?so I brought the lot!?

We carried the barrel high up a rocky outcrop from where the Puja ceremony was to take place. A stone alter had been constructed and a large pole was mounted from which prayer flags fluttered in all directions. As smoke from the Juniper leaves rose peacefully into the morning air, sunlight shone though it, casting rays across everyone. I sat on a rock and watched the Sherpas run around in frenzied activity, erecting more flags, shouting instructions to each other and encouraging the fire to burn more fiercely, producing more smoke.

All the Sherpas and cooks were in their issued clothing and our team of 40-strong started to make their way up to the altar, resplendent in their bright red team clothing. Those that were climbing higher brought with them their ice axes, crampons and helmets to be blessed by the three Lamas.

Mike Grocott as Expedition Leader sat next to the Lamas, while Sundeep, as Climbing Leader took his place beside him, both sitting cross-legged and staring into the smoke that rose higher and higher above the congregation.

While the team concentrated and looked fairly serious during the service, the Sherpas were laughing and joking at the back, taking photos, sitting on each others laps and generally larking about and enjoying themselves. I?m not at all religious, but if I was to become so, then I think that Buddhism is the way to go. It appears to be more a way of leading your life than what you believe in.

Rice and flour were handed out to all. I knew that we had to throw it at the altar, but no-one really knew when, so our eyes were fixed firmly on the Lamas, watching their every move. After the fourth count, clouds of flour erupted into the morning air and rice was thrown at the altar, the large ?black? birds hovering nearby for an early breakfast!

The chocolate was handed around to everyone, along with cans of San Miguel beer, bread and Chang, a type of potent home-brew, basically everything that is held dear to the Sherpas. A can of San Miguel in one hand and a mug of Chang in the other, I could get used to this Buddhist way of life! The party then started in full swing, it was time for a Sherpa dance.

The Sherpas lined up and performed a very moving song and dance in front of us. Not to be out-done, Nigel Hart distributed a song book for everyone and appeared with his guitar. For the next 3 hours were alternated between Sherpa songs and western songs. Everyone was up on their feet dancing and thoroughly enjoying themselves. For some, it was very moving and it brought them to tears. I could feel the love amd friendship between everyone and it triggered me off as well, tears welling up in my eyes.

The sun shone, the singing grew louder, the dancing got more animated and the laughs more frequent. It was a lovely day and one that I will always remember. I am so glad to be here and be amongst such great and loving people. This is going to be one amazing experience and I don?t want to miss it for the world.

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Blog by Mac Mackenney