Mt. Everest 2004: Chilean Mt. Everest 2004 Expedition

APRIL 21ST - BASECAMP

ITS THE LAST REST DAY AND WE LEAVE AT 4.30AM TOMORROW MORNING THROUGH THE DREADED ICEFALL DIRECTLY TO CAMP 2. I FOUND OUT THIS MORNING AS I MADE MY SOCIAL ROUNDS OF EVEREST BASECAMP THAT THE ICEFALL MOVED AGAIN DURING THE NIGHT LEAVING MIKE THE GUIDE FROM ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS AND MANY OTHERS STUCK UP AT CAMP 1 UNTIL THE ICEFALL DOCTORS MANAGED TO FIX THE ROUTE YET AGAIN!! I WENT OVER TO CHAT TO THE GIRLS ON GUY COTTERS TEAM, ONE WILL BE THE FIRST CANADIAN TO DO THE SEVEN SUMMITS, SHE HAS TO DO EVEREST AND DENALI, AND THE OTHER GIRL IS IRISH AND THERE IS BIG COMPETITION THIS YEAR AS TO WHO WILL BE THE FIRST IRISH GIRL ON THE SUMMIT. THANK GOD I'M NOT INVOLVED IN ANY COMPETITION IN TRYING TO REACH THE SUMMIT, ITS HARD ENOUGH WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL PRESSURES.

I HAD COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF KIWI COFFEE WITH THE ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS CREW AND THEN WENT OVER TO THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL TENTS AND HAD A LONG CHAT TO DAVE ( THE ONLY MAN ALLOWED TO VIEW MY MOUNTAIN CONFESSION PRIOR TO RELEASE!!) HE TOLD ME I HAVE TO DO ANOTHER CONFESSION AT CAMP 2, THIS IS WHERE I TELL ONLY THE CAMERA MY INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND FEARS ABOUT THE CLIMB.. I'M A COMPLETE BABY AND CONFESS TO ALL SORTS OF EMBARRASSING THINGS... HOPE I'M LYING INCOMMUNICADO ON A BEACH SOMEWHERE WHEN THIS PROGRAMME IS RELEASED.. HAD A LOVELY CHAT WITH DAVE AND SPOKE TO ANDREW WHO WAS WITH HECTOR AT CAMP 3 AND SAID IT WAS VERY CROWDED UP THERE. SHAUNA AND BEN ARE AT CAMP 2 AND ARE BOTH DOING REALLY WELL, SHAUNA IS APPARENTLY REALLY STRONG AT THE MOMENT. I HATE HEARING ABOUT OTHER STRONG WOMAN ON THE MOUNTAIN!!!

CHRIS WARNER CAME OVER TO LUNCH AND I'VE BASICALLY SPENT THE AFTERNOON GETTING READY FOR TOMORROWS DEPARTURE. I'M STILL HIGHLY STRESSED OUT OVER THE SIZING OF MY MILLET BOOTS BUT I'LL LET U KNOW HOW THAT PROBLEM RESOLVES ITSELF, I HAVE A GREAT GUY IN ENGLAND CALLED ANDREW DENTON WHO IS HELPING OUT AS WELL AS RICHARD FROM BOSTON SO HOPEFULLY CINDERELLA, OR THE UGLY SISTER, WILL BE SORTED BY THE TIME WE COME TO HAVE OUR SUMMIT ATTEMPT!!

NOT MUCH ELSE FROM BASECAMP, SO IT WILL BE QUIET FROM ME FOR A WHILE, I PRAY I GET THROUGH THE ICEFALL OK TOMORROW... ADIOS FROM EBC!!