Makalu Expedition 2004 lead by Norwegian Sven Gangdal: Update 9

Makalu, Nepal, 17.04.04, still sending from Basecamp.

Report from Stian:One hour from now - Sven, Mick, Pepino and the two Dawa's are leaving basecamp (5700m) for our first summit-attempt! Me and Brit will be joining them up in the mountain tomorrow as the second attempt. We all need minimum 4 days to the summit. If we succeed, this will be one of the fastest accends of Makalu through all times. The winds has been terrible the last 4-5 days and we have all stayed here in bc -trying not to get on each others nerves. Now the weather is beautiful and we hope it will continue to be like this for many, many days. Best regards from Stian.

Report from Brit:
A day in the basecamp: We are "sleeping" (except several visits out of the sleeping bag for "pissing" during the night) in separate tents and a smiling sherpa is waking us up with morning tea and biscuit when daylight is coming. My tent is very close to the stupa and I can hear Sherpas are coming every morning for praying and burning the juniper. Then we are offered a bowl with warm washing water! Breakfast is served by Singi Sherpa and Lakpa Sherpa and Anpasang our kitchen boy; porrigde, eggs, check ham (from Pepino), chapaties and tea and hot water. Then some of us starts up the PC, takes more than 1 hour because of low temperature, but we have plenty of time. Looking for new mailes and sending some....if satellite telephone gives steady signals, which surprises us every day. Basecamp is situated on a morene at the edge of beautiful gletcherfalls, and in all directions there are beautiful mountains and Makalu is the queen! We are all humbled when we are looking up for her summit. After lunch in the mess tent, we have a rest in our tents for sleeping, listening to music or reading books. Then dinner before going to sleep again. Because BC is 5700m every movement is slow, and we are acclimatizing in a different speed. In the last couple of days to other expeditions are arriving, one from UK and one German/Spanish. If health and weather will be good, we will all start the long way of climbing to higher camps. I send all my best greetings to everybody visiting the website, to my family and to all busy working colleagues in Alliance apotek, and to all .Best regards from Brit.

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