I’m sorry for cutting the last blog off so shortly – I was thrown off the computer so that the team could watch Hot Tub Time Machine. It definitely requires a specific type of humor, however I found it funny. As I was saying: We walked down to the middle of base camp to see a brilliant gallery showing old and new photos of glaciers in the Himalayas. The difference is sometimes quite astonishing. My dad and I then went down to visit a friend from our Elbrus expedition that we’d kept in touch with who’s now climbing Everest with IMG – Ramin. He actually ended up getting married to one of the other members of that team that he met on the trip and they now have a baby together! Anyway, it was lovely seeing him and I think he was both very surprised and pleased to be told he had visitors when he was at Everest base camp of all places.
It’s been great bumping into familiar faces from other mountains; it really is a small community.
Today we had a gear check in the morning and made sure all of our Y rigs and prussics (I’m not sure on the spelling of that one) met Eric and Jose’s standards. While we were out there it started snowing and it’s continued to be a cold day. I’m glad I got in my shower yesterday.
After lunch we started ladder practice for in the ice fall. We had 3 ladders roped together about a foot and a half off the ground, although it steadily got lower and lower until it broke as we used it… We started with normal boots and progressed into our big double plastic boots, and then into crampons. It was pretty difficult and I think we’re all going to want more practice before the real deal. To be safest you have to stand with the gap in the middle of your crampons on the rungs of the ladder, and not stepping on the metal points takes practice. We only had 2 falls, and one because the ladder fell apart. The photo attached shows my dad walking along in what’s meant to be the correct form; I can’t say I find the leaning forwards my favourite position, but maybe I’ll get there. There were certain advantages to do with being young and balance!
This was followed by a short lesson in filing our crampons back into sharp points (almost all of ours are quite blunt from previous use). This process looks as if it will take each of us about an hour, so I’m not particularly looking forward to my turn on that. All for good cause though.
This evening it looks like we’ll be watching another film, and the rest of the day promises to be relaxing. We’re still all excited by the avalanches and I was out of my tent at just past 6 this morning to photograph a particularly big one. Hope everyone’s well. Ta ta for now.