A Little Walk to Check the chest out.
16th April After a good nights sleep I decided to go for a little walk just to see how my chest is. I set off with Nigel who was going to walk upto 6000m again. When I start walking the altitude instantly affects my performance. My breathing goes through the roof. I have to take it really easy when I set off. I did an hour up and there is a definate improvement. I am still runnning at about 80% but not coughing as much as I have been. I am on chest antibotics and are going to resist going for walk tommorow with the majority of the party. This will hopefully give my chest time to sort itself before we head up to intermidiate camp at 5700m on Sunday. Mentally I feel like I have had a few days of thinking my chest could stop my attempt at this early stage. The way it`s improving I hope to be back to full fitness in the next 36hrs. If all is well we could be back as early as the last week of May. It`s more likely to be sometime early June. Our Yaks roled into camp this morning ready to be loaded up for ABC. Watching the yak herders make a note of the loads being weighed on there make shift scales and arguing over the cost is great fun. Listening to them negotiate, then watch the Yaks resist having the equipment loaded makes for a good viewing. Whilst I was walking most of the group did a bit of rope work. They practiced moving up a line, past a belay point and abseiling down.

Another Rest Day BC
17th April We were supposed to be heading up to intermediate camp today but the support team needed extra time to get the camp ready. The first time we head up towards Advanced Base camp we spllit the journey up. This is because is over 15miles and an alltitude gain of 1200m. This would be to much in one hit the first time around. I am using this extra rest time to let my chest sort itself. It still is not perfect but is improving every day. Some of the coughing comes with being in this enviroment. The air is cold and dry so just iritates your throat. I am into a habit of wearing a buff over my mouth and nose pretty much all the time. I wear it when I`m sleeping which takes a bit of getting used to. The camp is comfortable. I have managed to have a kind of shower and done some washing. It is really nice to have my own tent. Although they are pretty big higher up it will be 2 to a tent then 3 very high up. This will be a bit of a squeeze.

Walk upto Intermediate Camp 5700m
18th April Today was hard. I still feel like I can`t get enough oxygen in to power my legs. I am not fighting this and just go at a pace that suits me. The trek took us up the East Rongbuk Glacier past some stunning glaciel formations which were surrounded by 6/7000m peaks. We lost sight of Everest for most of the day and pulled into camp about 4pm. The camp is on the rocky band betweeen the glacier and the towwering cliffs above. Now we`re up a bit higher, 5700m just moving around becomes tiring. Hopefully it won`t affect my sleeping to much.

The Pull upto ABC
19th April Woke up after a good nights sleep. I`m sharing a tent with Simon, the other dad, which is good. We are about the same speed and he gas a lot of experience which is worth having around. Todays walk would take us upto ABC at a height of 6400m. It`s widely accepted that above 6000m is where you really begin to feel the alltitude. We set off and I felt ok, then after about an hour or so I felt like something chenged and I could get the oxygen in. My pace didn`t increrase dramatically but the ease with which I moving improved. When I came to an incline I would conciously increase my rate of breathing and it worked. As the day went on I didn`t feel like the height gain was impacting on my performance. When we stopped about 30mins from camp to have our lunch I was feeling good. The scenary was outstanding as we followed the glacier up. Towers of ice stood 50ft high, as if they had been sculpted. As we turned for the final pull upto camp there was Everest again but this time from very different angle. Unlike base camp where you have the classic view if Everest this is more a view of the north and north east ridge. These are the parts of this huge rock expance that are of interest to us. You can clearly see the main obstacles that are between you and the top of the world. I wouldn`t say it looks close but from here you are gazing up at the all the bumps and ripples before that lead you to the final summit cone. It is amazing to think back in the 1920s Mallory and his team stood in this same area and looked up asking themselves.........where now? The plan from here is to make it up to the North Col at 7100m via a steep 400m head wall. This is going to be the first real hard challenge of the trip. A sum of money is paid by every team to the Chinese Tibetan mountaineering organisation who fix the lines from the bottom of the North Col head wall to the top of the mountain. This will be completed late april depending on the weather. As the trip heads into May the winds will drop and it will become warmer and more settled. Some teams may attempt to summit as early as the first week in May if it looks good. We won`t be ready that early it`s going to be mid to late May.

Up to the Head Wall
20th April After an wild night with strong winds I decided to go up to the head wall and get really close to Everest. This involved an hour or so up to "crampon corner" where .... you guessed it we stuck our crampons on and had about 30mins over the glaciert to the head wall. The scene was incredible. To my left is the north east ridge which was first climbed by Russel Brice only quite recently. In front of me is the North Col with the noth ridge above. This then ramps up meeting the north east ridge above 8000m and the final few metres to the top. It`s spectacular. Stood up there you really feel like you on the mountain. Once at the head wall there were people going up. Thry were at varying different stages of what seems like a set program of acclimatisation. There were people who were carrying big packs. These guys will be staying up on the North Col and are ahead of us. I had a chat with the Montanegrans who were heading up for the first time and coming straight back down. I can see how covering the same ground several times can become a real mental challenge. If I feel good I think I will attempt the Col tommorow.