Due to all the shenanigans up at EBC, ,my partner and I have dropped down to Namche Bazaar for a couple of days.

I have posted some of our halfway pics on summitpost and collated on Flickr here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radson/sets/72157604890062094

Some great shots there B, thanks for posting. Good luck with Part 2 and stay safe.

D

Namaste.

Thanks for the pictures. How long was the walk from base camp down to Namche Bazaar? How long do you expect the return hike to take?

Good luck.

Great pics, thanks! Keep enjoying yourself and do say hi to Dávid and Konyi, the 2 Hungarians attempting Everest for me. ty

sampage wrote:Namaste.

Thanks for the pictures. How long was the walk from base camp down to Namche Bazaar? How long do you expect the return hike to take?

Good luck.

Thanks everyone.

We planned to walk from EBC to Namche in 1 day but a snowstorm in Lobuche mant that it took us 2 days. Basically 4 hours from EBC to Lobuche (in snow) and 8 hours from Lobuche to Namche (including 1 hour lunch)

How are conditions in Lobuche these days? I stayed in a grubby "teahouse" in Lobuche in 1995 and was symptomatic for giardia two days later. That teahouse (maybe there is more than one now) is/was notorious for sickening people.

sampage wrote:How are conditions in Lobuche these days? I stayed in a grubby "teahouse" in Lobuche in 1995 and was symptomatic for giardia two days later. That teahouse (maybe there is more than one now) is/was notorious for sickening people.

Lobuche has expanded greatly. We stay in a $USD20/night lodge with very comfortable beds, electric lighting and an almost real toilet. The internet hasnt quite made lobuche, but there is an internet cafe in Dingboche now.

Mate

As a fellow ex-Sydneysider and climber I'm really keen to hear how you got on???

I've been following Brad and Sandy here:
http://www.everestnews.com/everest2008/ ... 052008.htm

Sounds a good attempt but some poorly timed illnesses and altitude issues caused them to make the tough decision not to push for the summit. Hope we'll hear more details from Brad when he's back in civilization.

BTW, Brad (whenever you're back) - I noticed before that you went to Namche to send emails. Is the internet cafe in Tangboche is still running? When I bored "resting" and waiting out a chest infection in Pangboche, I was running down to Tangboche every once in a while to have a pastry and send emails. (I was completely unconnected on my climb so these public facilities were my only option.)

Hey Sophia and fellow sydney-sider Andrew, I just jumped online to post some more pics and I see your comments. Yes, I did get sick but now more inclined to say that I got HAPE than chest infection. The doctors at HRA diagnosed me as having HAPE. I am more slightly inclined to believe them as I wasnt gobbing up huge chunky goobers (Thats my medical description ) but then again I didnt have the full range of HAPE symptons (i.e pink frothy sputum or rales).

All I know is that on my second attempt to go to camp 3 after feeling strong was that I couldnt breathe anymore and over the next 2 days got worse as I couldn't even breathe normally at rest. Gping back down to EBC turned into an 8 hour epic on full oxygens with ultimately a sherpa piggy-backing me to the clinic as I lost full consciousness.

I also managed to get HACE at base camp on Day 3 of the expedition but then again some people thought I had a stroke, so that's something else I also have to figure out.

Regardless, I feel a bit cheated as we had a very good cautious acclimatisation schedule. The plan now is to sell the dog, downsize the minivan and explore the possibility of smuggling drugs in unmentionable orifices so as to return next year .

Hey Brad

Glad to hear you survived to climb another day, I was following your climb on Phils site.

There is always another day and at least now you have been there and seen what its like and got a fair way up the mountain which is more than most.

Im about to head back over to West Papua, via Port Moresby around 18 June, spend time in PNG and go to Mt Wilhelm, then to Sepik for some other things, then onto Vanimo across the border into Jayapura, chase up a permit, down to Wamena then to Mt Trikora all going well, then back to Timika over to Agats then back to CP via another route if all goes well. Got some good pics from CP now its a great area to hike/climb in with some remarkable features.

Cheers

Roger

Sad to hear you didnt quite get there but glad to hear you are OK!!!!

By the look of your profile you have successfully been up to that kind of height before, so lets hope that its a 1-off!!

Im off to Nepal in October to attempt Mera and Island Peaks (and Amphu Labtsa) with World Expeditions and am looking at something bigger in 2009 if I go OK (ive not climbed higher than 14,000ft - French Alps so far).

After than I land back in Oz for good - would love to hear some of your stories and recommendations.

Roger, it sounds like you are becoming quite the expert on climbing in Papua and PNG. Have you posted any pics of CP?

Andrew, I guess after Island and Mera, then Ama Dablam will beckon??

Id love to do Ama Dablam but I am the worlds worst rock climber............Been looking at it, plus a few of the 7000 ers, and even Cho Oyo when I am feeling brave.