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Thomas’ vision deteriorates linear, which so far has the advantage that the vision returns when getting down again. The moment we reach the moraine ridge leading towards ABC, Thomas feels like being in a dense fog again and the pace slows considerably and we hardly arrive any quicker than the first time up, but this time without any help from Sherpa’s so that is good.

30th April:
While today (Queensday in the Netherlands!!) Russel’s Himex Sherpas are finishing the finals stretches of fixed lines close to the summit (and they are continuing to the actual summit while they were there, congratulations ?), we are being blessed by means of the Puja Ceremony.

This means several hours or prayers, offerings to the gods and blessing of our gear as well as ourselves using food, drinks, flags, scarves and much more. Always very impressive and even for the non-religious amongst us somehow a trusted and safe feeling.

The rest of the day we rest and prepare for the next day: the climb up to North Col, 7000m! In the evening we all meet our Sherpas for the next weeks.

I already know Pemba from last year, where he proved to be one of the strongest persons I ever saw, while being totally helpful and friendly. I had met his friend Pasang in Kathmandu a few weeks ago, but for Thomas this was the first time he met the 2 newest teammembers. He immediately felt very comfortable with both of them and is looking forward to climbing and working together.

Most other members have not met their Sherpa’s before but the connection between the different teammembers happens natural and all are very happy with their new friend and necessary link between their dreams and the realizing thereof.
All of our Sherpa’s have summited at least once, most more often. Most have worked for us before, are related or friends and incredibly helpful and strong. They are the most important part of our team/expedition and we supply them with the same tents and food as our members, for which they are very grateful and happy as many others frankly treat their Sherpa’s quite bad..

1st May: ABC- NorthCol
We tried to leave early, but during breakfast Thomas started throwing up again. After it settled down we redistributed Thomas’ weight, so he could try to go up after all without carrying too much. After one hour on the rocks we attached our crampons and finally entered the Rongbuk glacier properly.
We were still quite early when reaching the fixed lines with only a few people in front of us, including most members of the Everest Peace project including leaders Lance and Jamie.

On our way up we meet a cheerful Alex and Sergey coming down, quite cheerfully and not in a straight line as they already halfway their day-long celebration of the 1st of May

The route up to North Col is very good this year, the slopes and ropes are quite constant in their angle, there is no vertical ice pitch and the ladder crossing the bergschrund (the final crevasse) is now more diagonal, making it easy to cross.
The place is still of amazing beauty, and the route switchbacks between age-old seracs and crevasses. It is getting really crowded though and we are lucky to be in front of the long queue.

There are 2 lines at all places, though there is no real up- and down line, normally the climbers respect eachother and all goes well.
Suddenly a crazy Spanish –speaking climber comes down on the line where about 20 climbers are, while the other line is totally empty. He is totally loco and starts screaming at everybody on the line, demanding he goes down, forcing all other 20 climbers to temporarily unclip. Altitude does crazy things with mentally unstable people…

Thomas, Pemba, Pasang and I finally reach the North Col after crossing the final ladder, just when the weather completely turns around. Only half an hour later, the Australians enter the kitchen tent, with Christopher quite hypothermic, which is helped quick by lending a down jacket and getting him hot tea and noodles. He is doing well and still enjoying himself, so that is a very good sign.

We are very happy that our expedition has organised the first ever North Col kitchen tent, including a fulltime cook! In principle this was organised for our Sherpa’s so they could get served and eat good food while working on the high camps, but our members are being served just as well. We crawl inside and Kumbu, the cook, prepares nice noodles and tea, followed later by excellent Dal Bhat.
We can simply fill our bottles up with hot water and rest in this mess-tent or climb into one of the many available team tents. Normally North Col is quite a dirty place, but we also have another premiere: a toilet tent at 7000m!

So our clients and Sherpas do not have to squat in the howling winds with others watching, do not have to wait for hours while they melt snow to be rehydrated and can eat in a warm and comfortable place. All of this will prevent altitude illness and will help our members reach their goals. It is quite nice to see the amazed faces of some passing other climbers, who paid double or triple the amount and who are rightfully wondering why they did not have this service

2nd May: NC-ABC

I spent a long time chatting with Pemba and Lincoln last night, drinking litres of water and tea and went to bed feeling well. Both Thomas (in a tent with Pasang Sherpa) as well as Pemba and I had a reasonable night, meaning we actually slept, unlike many other teammembers. Pemba and I occupied the spacious TNF Himalayan 47; the special tent The North Face sponsored us with and which will hopefully be used by Kevin and Milan when filming. Our Russian sleeping bags kept us warm through the night and we felt good.

The next morning we went out for a little hike, did some filming and photographing while the winds were picking up quickly and coming from all sides now.

Then it was time to get down. As Thomas’ vision had almost completely disappeared (he could only recognize others when they spoke to him and could barely discern the snow ridge from the black rock in the distance), we had to take much care descending the steep snowy ice slopes. But especially the 2 Sherpa’s were very helpful and Thomas descended down the 400m slopes within 1 hour and 20 minutes. As I could not add any efficiency to the system we had set up, I helped Lance from the EPP down at the same time.

We slowly walked back to ABC, spending one more night there. Some members had opted to descend to Intermediate camp or even BC, but that would mean needing extra recovery days, so it is false economics. Alex and Luda had waited for us and Nickolay (Cherni) had also arrived so we had a pleasant –and tasty- lunch.

3rd May: ABC- BC

Thomas and I went down after breakfast. The stretch is long especially when one’s vision is not good. But even with full vision the distance itself (roughly 20km) is still enough to keep you busy 5-9 hours. Unless your name is Noel Hanna, ‘adventure racer extra-ordinaire’, then you run down in a few hours

Just after having a nice lunch halfway I met my friend Lorenzo in the first time in about a week and a half. He is off antibiotics, but did not appear very strong, so I hope he will take it easy and not force himself up to North Col. He acclimatizes well normally, so could do with one acclimatisation round less. But he must take care about his throat infection as he has seen last year what damage that can do…

Thomas and I arrived at 1900, just before sunset. It was great to see Kevin and Milan again as well as the other teammembers as almost the entire team was together again. The bad news is that Bill has had a second pain/backattack and also has some added lung problems and has decided to go down. He will take the jeep tomorrow, together with Pat Singh and John Delaney, who had signed up for the North Col program only. 3 members with very distinctive but even more very pleasant characters, who in this short time had become friends and it’s a shame we will have to go on without them. Safe travels and good health to you all!

4th May: Resting at BC..

Now we are all resting at BC, only some of us have a lot of typing and photo-editing to do
Noel and the Vikings (including spare Viking Henrik) had spent some time in Taschi Dzom and are preparing to go up again to North Col tomorrow, Team B will follow including yours truly will follow a few days later, this time trying to sleep at least 2 nights with a hike to 7500 in between!

Meanwhile I am typing this in the entertainment tent, where many of the guys are watching One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest ("Get out of my way son, you are using my oxygen"). Remarkable how similar the institution on the Television is to our tent right here

Keep following us on this blog, as always your comments and remarks are most welcome. And while you are at it, please donate a small amount to the Cureblindness charity here to say thank you for our updates. 100% goes directly to the organisation who can make a blind person see again for less than $20 per patient!