October 5 - Busy Life at Base Camp

This is Leila Silveira calling from Base Camp. I have been spending most of my time with the radio, getting calls from Camp 2, Camp3, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, even the summit of Lobuche.

Nima Tashi, our climbing sirdar who endured an avalanche on the Lhotse Face a couple of days ago, arrived at Base Camp last night. He seems fine but there’s still some dizzy, numbness around his left ear and of course he’s in shock as it was a close call.

He left early this morning and made it quickly to Pheriche where the doctors at the Himalayan Rescue Association examined him. He’s now resting at home in Tengboche and if the symptoms aren’t better by tomorrow he’s going to go see Dr. Jean, our friend at the Khunde Hospital, for some further exams.

Meanwhile, I just got a call from Lakpa at Camp 3. Camp 3 is established and Wally plans on leaving Camp 2 tomorrow morning with the team to spend one night at Camp 3, which according to him is the “Headache Camp”. Well, being at 7550 meters, it’s quite understandable. It’s the last camp before the South Col where they start sleeping on oxygen.

Grant Meekins also called from the summit of Lobuche where he did a very fast, successful, solo ascent. Actually, he almost ran to the summit – it took him five hours from the Eco Lodge at the Lobuche village to the summit! He was amazed by the views and he couldn’t have chosen a better day – the weather has been fantastic in the Everest region. Not a single cloud in the sky for the past few days.

Michael Fagin, who helps us with our weather forecasts, said he’s amazed how dry it is. On his last email he said he wishes he was doing the forecast from Base Camp.

Well, we’re here in Base Camp looking forward to everyone’s return, especially the climbing team who has been up at Camp 2 for five days and won’t return for three more days. Then they’re planning on going down the valley for some rest, extra oxygen and to get themselves prepared for the summit attempt.

Parsong, our Base Camp cook, is also preparing the menu for their arrival. I know that sushi, which is one of his specialities, is going to be the appetizer. I love that! And of course with wasabi.

Anyway, I have to say the life at Base Camp could not be any better. I’m sitting here in my tent watching Ang Temba, our Base Camp sardar, work with the other Sherpas on the floor of our communication tent where the glacier is kind of melting and all this heat makes the floor uneven. Of course in the background we have the sound of our own neighbours, the SPC. And we’ve been watching the avalanches on Pumori.

Well, as I said, life could not be any better. Bye!