Mt. Everest 2004: Annabelle Bond's Updates

APRIL 28TH - BASECAMP

WE HAD A LEISURELY BREAKFAST AND THEN I HEADED OVER TO SAY HI TO THE DISCOVERY TEAM AS I HEARD THEY WERE ALL DOWN AT BASECAMP. THEY WERE ALL ON GOOD FORM AND SHAUNA IS DOING GREAT... I THEN AND MET ALLIE, SHE IS THE DOCTOR FOR THE ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS TEAM, A VERY ATTRACTIVE BRITISH GIRL AND LOUIS BENITZ'S GIRLFRIEND. WE SPENT AN HOUR CHATTING AND I MUNCHED MY WAY THROUGH SOME OF LOUIS'S RED LIQUORISH STICKS UNTIL HE RADIOED DOWN FROM CAMP 2 TO TELL ME TO STOP EATING THEM ALL.

I THEN WENT BACK TO OUR CAMP AND DAVID BREASHEARS DROPPED BY HAVING BEEN FILMING IN THE ICEFALL ALL MORNING. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AT MY HARNESS AND THREW IT ON THE GROUND SAYING I WOULD NEVER MAKE THE SUMMIT WITH SUCH A HEAVY HARNESS - MOSTLY DUE TO MY HAVING INDUSTRIAL SIZE WEBBING AND A DESCENDER THAT WAS SO HEAVY AND STRONG IT COULD PULL A TRUCK OUT OF A CREVASSE.

WE HAD LUNCH AND THEN I WENT OVER TO DAVID'S CAMP TO INTRODUCE HIM TO ANDREW LOCK, WHO IS IN MY VERY GOOD BOOK AT THE MOMENT FOR HELPING ME GET DOWN FROM CAMP 3!! ANDREW WANTED TO CHECK OUT DAVID'S TIBETAN RUGS IN HIS MESS CAMP. AMY WAS THERE TRYING ON HER OXYGEN MASKS, I TRIED THEM ON TOO AND THEY ARE HUGE, WE LOOK LIKE WE ARE OFF ON SOME SPACE MISSION. I'VE LENT AMY MY HARLEY DAVIDSON TYPE GOGGLES WHICH FIT MUCH BETTER OVER THE MASK THAN THE REGULAR GOGGLES. ANDREW ALWAYS HAS GREAT ADVICE AT WHAT TO DO AT HIGH ALTITUDE AND MY GOGGLES WERE SOON COVERED IN DUCK TAPE SO AS NOT TO STEAM UP HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN.

WHILST WE WERE ALL CHATTING THE WEATHER DETERIORATED AND A FULL SNOW STORM BLEW IN SO I RAN BACK TO OUR CAMP AND TOOK A NAP BEFORE DINNER. MY NOSE IS STILL REALLY PEELING FROM THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF THE COLD AND EXTREME SUN FROM CAMP 3 AND HOPEFULLY A WEEK AT BASECAMP WILL GET RID OF THIS UNATTRACTIVE LOOK...

APRIL 29TH - BASECAMP

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND WE HAD BREAKFAST AT 9.00AM , I WAS WORKING ON MY JOURNAL WHEN THERE WAS A BIG COMMOTION IN OUR CAMPSITE AND I WENT OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS TENT TO FIND DAVID BREASHEARS DRESSED IN A BLACK CAPE, BANDANAS AND A SWORD IN HIS HAND CHALLENGING ANDRONICO TO A DUAL OF WHO HAS THE BEST JAMON!! DAVID HAD STARTED THIS DEBATE YESTERDAY AS HE POSSESSED SOME PATANEGRA HAM ( ITS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST HAM IN SPAIN) AND WE HAD IN OUR HUGE DELICATESSEN JAMON SERRANO IVERICO. THE DUAL WAS THAT THE BASQUE TEAM WERE GOING TO BE BLINDFOLDED AND JUDGE WHOSE HAM WAS THE BEST! DAVID WAS WAVING HIS SWORD AT ANDRONICO AND CHALLENGING HIM SPORTING HIS BULL FIGHTING OUTFIT WHEN ANDRONICO SAID HE WAS GOING TO CHANGE HIS CLOTHES TO RETALIATE THE CHALLENGE. HE DISAPPEARED INTO THE TENT WITH DAVID CONFIDENTLY WAVING HIS SWORD OUTSIDE, AND WHEN HE RE APPEARED HE COMPLETELY UPSTAGED DAVID! HE HAD ON HIS YAK SKIN WAISTCOAT AND HIS MOCCASIN BOOTS AND A NEPALESE KNIFE AROUND HIS WAIST AND THE TWO OF THEM WENT OFF TO FIND THE BASQUES WITH RODRIGO JORDAN BEING OUR SERRANO HAM CARRIER. AS THIS MOTLEY CRUE OF PEOPLE LED BY DAVID AND ANDRONICO WENT THROUGH BASECAMP ALL THE SHERPAS CROWDED ON TOP OF THE HILLS TO WATCH THESE MAD WESTERNERS WHO THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT THE ALTITUDE HAD FINALLY GOT TO. WE MET THE BASQUES HALF WAY ACROSS BASECAMP AND JUAN WAS BLINDFOLDED AND INSTRUCTED TO TASTE BOTH THE HAMS, DESPITE MUTUAL BRIBING, IT WAS DECIDED THAT IT WAS A DRAW! WE ALL WENT BACK TO DAVID'S CAMP AND HAD THE REST OF THE HAMS, SOME SPANISH CHEESE AND RED WINE - FOR A BRIEF MOMENT THERE IT FELT LIKE WE WERE SOMEPLACE OTHER THAN EVEREST BASE CAMP!!

ED VIESTURS AND VEIKKA CAME AND HAD A BEER WITH US AND WE STAYED CHATTING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND LOOKED AT THE PHOTOS OF DAVID AND ANDRONICO WHICH WERE HILARIOUS. IM NOW BACK AT OUR CAMP WAITING HOPEFULLY FOR THE ARRIVAL OF MY GIRLFRIEND LISA WHO IS MEANT TO BE HERE TODAY.. I NEED MY MAGAZINES AND DVD'S THAT SHE IS BRINGING...

MOST PEOPLE ARE AT BASECAMP NOW OR ARE PLANNING TO GO DOWN VALLEY TO DINGBOCHE TO TRY AND GET READY FOR THE SUMMIT PUSH.. WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR THAT WEATHER WINDOW NOW.. IM PLANNING TO GO WITH ANDRONICO TO EITHER KALA PATTAR OR TO PUMORI BASE CAMP TO JUST KEEP OUR ACCLIMATISATION TICKING OVER, IT SHOULD ONLY TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS... SIGNING OFF NOW FROM EVEREST BASE CAMP TO GO AND EAT SOME OF OUR JAMON BEFORE THE TEAM FINISH IT!!!

Annabelle

 

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