Annabelle Bond Summits Everest: The story in her words...

MAY 18TH - BASECAMP: I HAD SUCH A DEEP SLEEP THAT MY EYES WERE LIKE GOLF BALLS WHEN I WOKE THIS MORNING. THE BOYS GAVE ALL OUR HIGH ALTITUDE SHERPAS BED TEA IN BED AND THEN WE ALL HAD BREAKFAST IN THE MESS TENT AND AWAITED THE ARRIVAL OF ANDRONICO, MISAIL AND ERNESTO ANXIOUSLY. WE WERE EXPECTING THEM EARLY AS THEY WERE MEANT TO HAVE STARTED THROUGH THE ICEFALL AT 6.00AM! I SPOKE TO SHAUNA FROM DISCOVERY WHO WAS ON HER WAY UP FOR HER SUMMIT ATTEMPT WITH BEN. SHE IS ONE COOL COOKIE AND I SPOKE TO HER ON THE LAST LADDER BETWEEN CAMP 1 AND 2. I WISHED HER THE BEST OF LUCK AND IM SURE SHE WILL MAKE IT, SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST LEVEL HEADED TOGETHER GIRLS I HAVE MET WITH A STEELY DETERMINATION FROM HER SKI RACING DAYS NOT TO MENTION VERY ATTRACTIVE.

I FEEL BAD AS I'M ORGANIZING OUR BASECAMP LEAVING PARTY TONIGHT WHILE SHE IS HEADING UP THE MOUNTAIN, AS ANDRONICO AND I ARE LEAVING TOMORROW ON 19TH FOR LOBUCHE TO FLY ON THE HELICOPTER ON 20TH TO KATHMANDU BEFORE HE GOES TO THE STATES AND I HEAD TO THE BEACHES OF PHUKET FOR SOME SERIOUSLY NEEDED R & R WITH THE GIRLS. MY BODY NEEDS TO RECOVER FROM THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE DESPERATELY, I HAVE A HACKING COUGH, A DISINTEGRATING NOSE, SWOLLEN AND BLISTERED LIPS AND I'M HOBBLING ON BLISTERED FEET!!

OUR PARTY TONIGHT AT BASECAMP I'VE BEEN BUSY ORGANIZING - ALL OUR DELICATESSEN WILL BE CONSUMED, THE SALAMI, HAM, QUESO ETC WILL BE THE APPETIZERS AND WE HAVE HAD BEER, MOUNT EVEREST WHISKY AND COCA COLA BROUGHT IN FROM GORAK SHEP!! I'VE INVITED THE DISCOVERY TEAM - I HAVE TO MENTION ANDREW LOCK AND HECTOR DID AMAZINGLY FAST ASCENTS OF EVEREST AND ANDREW WAS INVOLVED IN A RESCUE WHICH IF YOU WANT TO SEE ALL THE DETAILS YOU WILL HAVE TO WATCH DISCOVERY CHANNELS PROGRAMME ON EVEREST WHICH WILL AIR IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR AND FEATURES ALL OF US AND OUR EMOTIONAL JOURNEYS ON TRYING TO SUMMIT MOUNT EVEREST. ITS A MUST SEE!!! I'VE ALSO INVITED GUY COTTER, LOUIS BENITZ AND HIS GIRLFRIEND ALLIE FROM ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS, CHRIS WARNER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, NICO AND VISIBLY THE GREEKS - I'M DELIGHTED THAT NICO MADE THE SUMMIT YESTERDAY.. AND IF DAVID BREASHEARS AND CO ARE BACK DOWN THEY WILL OF COURSE COME TOO... SO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE FOLLOWED THIS INCREDIBLE DREAM OF MINE TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT, PRAYERS AND GOOD WISHES.. I'M KEEPING THIS DIARY GOING AS ILL REPORT ON VARIOUS EVENTS LIKE OUR PARTY AND ALL THE SCOOP OF WHO HAS MADE THE SUMMIT ETC, THE NEWS ON EVERYONE'S PROGRESS INCLUDING SHAUNA AND BENS.

MY NEXT GOAL IS TO CLIMB MOUNT ELBRUS IN RUSSIA WITH THE CHILEAN TEAM ON 15TH JULY AND I'M HOPING TO TAKE THE HSBC FLAG AND THE EVE APPEAL FLAG TO ITS SUMMIT, SO I'LL HAVE A DIARY ON THAT CLIMB. WE WILL BE TAKEN BY GUY COTTER AND LOUIS BENITZ FROM ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS.

I WILL HAVE THE DATES 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH MAY OF MY JOURNAL ON TOMORROW AS THE SHERPAS ARE BRINGING MY BAG DOWN FROM CAMP 1!!! ADIOS FROM A MELTING BASECAMP!!

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