Our Virtual Everest Trek Day Eleven

Base Camp is bleak and unforgiving.

Brigantes Everest Expedition Day 11.

Woke up this morning feeling different, not sure why. Yes, I know Base Camp is a bit of a disappointment. There are too many people, tourists as well as climbers. The facilities are inadequate and smelly. There is a lot of rubbish lying about. And even some rocks have been defaced by crude graffiti. It’s bleak and unforgiving but it’s Base Camp!

This is where Hunt and Hillary and Tensing started out from to conquer the mountain. And we’ve made it here – all of us! Hard to believe, though, that in a couple of days some of us will be going up, too. Did I say “hard”? Make that “impossible”. I know I’m an optimist, but standing here, how on earth can any of us, all over 70, get up that lowering brute of rock and ice? The answer is I just don’t know. Perhaps we’ll fail, perhaps it’s just a fantasy.  Are we really here, doing this? Well, fantasy or not I hope you’ll stay with it and find out what happens to us on Everest.

Yorkshire it ain’t! Are we really here?

Meanwhile I’ve things to do.  Dowting is taking us out to practice with ice picks and crampons which he says we’ll need as soon as we leave Base Camp to start up. And then I’m slated for testing (and getting used to the oxygen equipment). No time for day-dreaming! 

Luke N Brightside

Communications Officer

Don’t know what planet they’re on. Do they seriously think they’re going up Everest rather than limping back to Lukla and the plane home? This lot climb Everest? In their dreams and my nightmares! We’d have to pull them up the whole way. Still, I’ll play along till reality dawns 

Sherpa Dowting

Head Porter