Losing track of time

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Today is Friday, I think. Since the trekkers have stopped visiting base camp I have completely lost track of time. Today, I completed my final set of testing (apart from the dreaded diary, of course). Doing a ramp test on an exercise bike at Everest Base Camp after two months at 5300m was not pleasant, and reminded me of how debilitated I feel. The rest of the EBC lab staff completed their testing on Tuesday, and have now gone off to climb Island peak. I have been tested alongside the climbing team. We will complete all the testing on Sunday. It will be a huge relief and on reflection an enormous achievement!

Mac and Lee are co-ordinating the packing. As we finish with laboratory equipment it is being packed up and catalogued ready for shipping home. 60 Yaks arrived yesterday to transport 2.5 tonnes of gear down the mountain, ready to be helicoptered out to Kathmandu. The packing is a mammoth task, and although we have sent 2.5 tonnes off, we still have around ten tonnes left. We are keen to get it packed up as quickly as possible, not only because we want to get down to an oxygen rich atmosphere, but also because we want to be able to celebrate with our Sherpa team in Kathmandu before the majority of the climbing team and lab staff fly home to the UK.

The weather is very warm during the day, when the sun is out, but people are complaining of the cold during the night. I am not convinced that this is because it is colder, but because people have lost so much weight now they cannot keep warm. People have started talking about the food they want to eat when they get home, the places they wish to visit, and the people they wish to see. Finally, the end of this phase of the project is in sight, and people are getting very homesick.

Comments on this article

By: John Richards

When: 2nd Jun 2007 17:14

Kay, have enjoyed reading your blogs and updates from the start. Congratulations to all the team for all your hard work on such a successful project.

I have a tiny message for Christina Dougall??(the love of my life). Congrates on everything you?ve done ? im so proud of you. I think you need to be in at least one photo at EBC!! (hint). Im obviously missing you enormously, and cant wait to see you??. Not long to go.
Ladakh and Beyond! awaits.
20 Tonnes of love your way (in Big blue barrels)
xxjohnxx

By: Tina Mackenney	When: 2nd Jun 2007 09:06
I was very moved by your blog Kay - reading about all your thin & homesick colleagues who can't keep warm and are discussing the food they want when they get home. Tell Mac that Amy will have banana cake coming out of his ears! My thoughts are with you all & especially Mac & the 'Packing Up' Team. Not long now!! Tina Mac

By: claire bevan

When: 2nd Jun 2007 08:28

Hi Kay
It must be very strange now that its all over.
All of us at home are missing our'explorers'and really looking forward to seeing you all again'my only concern is do I have a big enough fridge to prepare for Colin and Rhys' return!!
Say Hi to Rhys and Colin too if he makes it to EBC,I think he was finding the air a bit thin at Namche so he may not.
I will have to find another website to read with my early morning coffee.
Love Caire/Mum

By: Mary Rawson	When: 1st Jun 2007 19:46
Hi Kay Hope you're not feeling too homesick. We're feeling EBC sick here, and wish we were back with you, testing or no. I can't imagine how we're going to cope without the daily blogs and bulletins, but seeing you in the flesh will be some compensation, I suppose! Congratulations on such a successful venture, but can't wait for you to get back home. Lots of love, Mary

By: Mum & Dad Mitchell

When: 1st Jun 2007 16:30

Kayos!,
Mum's got Yorkshire Pudding, Cheese Scones, Fruit Cake, Apple Pie, Roast and lots of hugs ready at home but there's no Twiglets at Katmandu (Mary's not had the address).
I hope the summit team brought all those Kendal Mint Cake wrappers back from the summit (the ones Hillary left), otherwise I'll have to fetch them myself, but only the brown ones. There may still be some bits I could lick since they've been in deep freeze but, from what I read, none of you have an appetite at the altitude. All the more for me!
Finally, congratulations for staying on the level for such a long time!
Love
Mum & Dad

By: diana harvey	When: 1st Jun 2007 15:39
Jules, Good luck with your potential holiday climb. Take care! Looking forward to seeing you. love from Mother

By: Lamont Ross	When: 1st Jun 2007 12:03
Miss Kay, Wow, the expedition is quickly drawing to a close. I will miss checking for your comments every early morning in the US. It would appear your team has accomplished so much in an inhospitable environment. I hope the research can prove useful. All the best to you and your team. Lamont

By: Ron Powell

When: 1st Jun 2007 10:14

You have all achieved so much Kay, that you deserve every luxury you can get on return. I can assure you that The Summit Hotel will seem like paradise after so long at EBC (it did for us after only 3 days at EBC). Good luck with the rest of the packing and the return trek. Best wishes to all.

Ron Powell (Trek G)

Blog by Kay Mitchell