Small world!

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Even up here in the shadow of the world?s tallest mountain, the world can be a small place!....let me explain. If you have been following the blogs you will know that we have the IMAX film people with us. They are filming an updated Everest film following the huge success of their 1996 film. The 1996 film starred amongst others Ed Visteurs from USA and Jamling Norgay (son of the famous Tenzing Norgay ? first summiteer along with Ed Hillary in 1953). In addition one of the stars was a female Catalonian climber called Araceli Segarra.

When the film came out it was a great surprise for a number of my friends and myself to learn that Araceli (or Ludo as I knew her ? her nickname from home) was starring in the film. I had met ?Ludo? on a number of occasions working in a YMCA outdoor centre called Greenhill, in Newcastle, Northern Ireland. I had worked as a volunteer in this centre during the mid to late 1980s and was still volunteering for weekends around the time that Araceli was working there. (As it happens I met my wife on the first day I stepped into Greenhill in June 1985 but that is another story) She came to Greenhill with a climbing friend from home called Albert. Albert had worked in Israel the previous summer with my sister-in-law, Joan and on finding out that Albert was a climber it was she who had recommended that he come to work in Greenhill.

So why does the world seem like a small place up here?.? Well yesterday Araceli or Ludo arrived here at Everest Base Camp along with Jamling to film their parts of the updated Everest IMAX film. Of course as soon as we met we started playing the game that my Scottish friend says we play a lot in my part of the world: ?Knowathon???.? ?do you know?.?, ?do you remember?.? etc. It has been such a wonderful opportunity to meet with Ludo again and I can tell you that she is every bit as charming as she was all those years ago.

Ludo says ?Hi!? to everyone in Northern Ireland who remembers her.

Even in the shadow of the world?s tallest, the world is reassuringly a very small place!

Comments on this article

By: Trevor and Jenna Henderson

When: 25th May 2007 03:53

Hey from Nashville - so what - the mournes weren't high enough for you!!

Hope you are well

By: Glen Beckwith	When: 21st May 2007 19:21
Nigel, Good luck and enjoy your experience. What an impressive feat and a grand story to tell your grandchildren. Perhaps we will see you somewhere during the next I-Max movie? Look forward to it. I?ll have to make a special trip to the I-Max in B'ham just to see. Glen

By: Paddy and Roisin Mallon	When: 13th May 2007 23:28
Nigel, glad to hear your doing so well. All that high altitude training will do wonders for the last few hill and dale races when you get home. Drinahilly should be a doddle. Best of luck with the rest of the expedition, we're thinking of you, Paddy and Roisin

By: Geraldine	When: 11th May 2007 19:47
Bloody typical...you knowing someone half way on your road to Everest. What a lovely surprise for you. Did she manage to get you a slot on the programme they're making???The next thing will be the Paparazzie trailing round Belfast after you! You're looking great and your spirits seem high. Keep up the good work!! Take care Geraldine

By: Gary Bradley	When: 9th May 2007 22:15
Hey Nige! Who'd have thought when we were all kids we'd be communicating like this. Very Jules Verne! We're hugely proud of you and happy to see you're doing well (so it seems?). BTW - will U summit the guitar too - I'd love to know how it performs in low O2! Very Much love from the sedentary five. Blessings, Gary

By: Stephen Bradley	When: 8th May 2007 22:57
Way to go Nigel. Great to hear you are having a good time and keeping well. Following the blog and keep up the emails. It all sounds amazing. When you see Big Ian and Martin shaking hands and taking up power in NI it makes the odds of climbing Everest seem like a doddle!! As some TV reporter stated it gives great encouragement to the optimist!! Keep up that optimism!! Good luck nigel

By: Christina pandian	When: 8th May 2007 19:07
Dear Nigel, I am so proud of you.Have a great time.This is a fantastic experience of a life time. Enjoy. God bleass, Christina

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