At the airport ready to leave to Nepal – the whole family is here with 9 bags in total! Yet somehow not over the weight limit. I’m so excited now, you know the funny feeling that you can get in your stomach from a mixture of excitement and nerves? That’s how I’m feeling. I can’t believe we’re finally off. We’re meeting the team tomorrow and I hope we’ll bump into some familiar faces in Kathmandu too. I’ll keep you posted.

Just a short video of the Summit Ridge on Everest – it’s impressive! 3000m drop to China on the right hand side, and 2500m drop down to Nepal on the other side. Not scary at all then, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WxStWIP5vOw

Lots of new links for media pieces if you’re interested:
– We had a follow up interview on Dubai Eye radio station, with my mum, dad and myself. It was lots of fun and very relaxed, the link is http://nightline.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-12T21_56_05-07_00 if you would like to listen.
– I’ve also been featured on the Trek and Mountain website in a running feature on British Girls and Everest, I’m really not sure where one of the quotes came from as I definitely didn’t decide to climb Everest on the Everest Base Camp trek 4 and a half years ago! A nice article none the less, and they’ve asked for a phone call from Nepal after the trip I believe for an article in their magazine. Quite exciting. The link is http://www.trekandmountain.com/girls-of-everest-part-3/.
– BBC got in touch and featured a piece on their news page for my local area, found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-17415909. Just to clarify – I’m not trying to become the first woman to summit any two mountains within 24 hours, as I’m sure that was done quite a long time ago!
– The Belfast telegraph featured an article, which can be seen at http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/offbeat/teenager-bids-for-mountains-record-16132150.html.
– Outdoor Adventure Guide is featuring a piece in its next issue, with a mention of the coming article shown at http://outdooradventureguide.co.uk/2012/03/oags-going-native-on-19-april/.
– The Independent has a paragraph on the challenge at http://www.independent.co.uk/i/matrix/the-news-matrix-saturday-17-march-2012-7575814.html.

I was back in the UK last week and did a couple of interviews on BBC radio Nottingham and BBC Three Counties radio; it was brilliant going into the BBC studios next to the Houses of Parliament, and really exciting to be live on air. A press release by the Press Association while I was over there is what sparked a couple of the articles shown above, and we’ve been shown some interest for after the climb too with the possibility of TV!
So, lots and lots of new updates, as you can see. Another update coming tomorrow with a photo of all our equipment – currently spread out all across the floors upstairs! 1 week left!!

Quite a long time ago, before Vinson and Kosciuszko, we did an online TV interview with My Dubai, My City, and it’s just been put up. So, if you’re interested, the link is:
http://www.mydubaimycity.com/en/videofull/1362/Profile–Leanna-and-Mark-s-Seven-Summit-Challenge
As for any other news – 4 and a half weeks left to the big climb!! Also, we are so, so close to reaching our 5,000 pound fundraising goal for the Vitiligo Society, at www.justgiving.com/leannashuttleworth, thank you very much to anyone who has donated!

My dad and I have were given some questions from the brilliant Everest blogger, Alan Arnette, for an online series of interviews for Everest climbers in 2012. Here’s the link if you want to have a look:
http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2012/02/13/everest-2012-interview-with-leanna-shuttleworth/
Also, some very exciting news – we’ve been given our Everest team roster! Everyone’s already introduced themselves, which is unusual in itself, and so far it all really bodes well for a lovely group of people. One of the guys climbing is actually an old team mate from our first Alpine Ascents expedition to Elbrus, and we have another younger person (20s) on the team! Which, although not nearly necessary, is always quite nice. It’s a team of 9 clients in total, with one just going to Camp 2, and with no other females on the team. Our guides have been confirmed as Garrett, from our Vinson trip, and Lakpa Rita, from our Aconcagua trip, plus two others that I haven’t met yet. Great news for us, as we really got on with both of them.
One other piece of significant news for me in the past few days has been getting a place on probably my top choice veterinary university course – one year in the UK, three years in Grenada (West Indies), and one year in another country of choice! Such a relief.
Good news all round really. Only 6 weeks left, and training hard, I just hope nothing goes wrong now. Ttfn.

http://vod.dmi.ae/media/video/59039/Studio_One___S2_Ep_84
We were interviewed on live TV on Dubai One a week or so ago, and the link is now up. It was such an exciting experience! I think I could get used to being on TV… If you’re interested it’s time 14:57 – 20:54 on the link above, and we’re on right at the end too, going to try the food that was made on the show, which was amazing by the way. On the interview she does actually pronounce my name wrong, for those of you that don’t know me, it does have an “a” on the end! But, all well meaning.
We’ve also heard back from a company in the UK which is hoping to get us 2/3 broadcast (TV or radio) interviews, and 5 press articles in mid to late March, and we’re in the process of organizing it all now. They’ve talked about some very big names in UK media, so I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much – but it looks promising! I’ll keep you posted.

We’re now safely back at home in Dubai, after two whole days of travelling, including spending New Year’s Eve in Sao Paulo Emirates lounge… Needless to say the airport was fairly deserted and we didn’t end up realising it was the New Year until 20 minutes after it has started (I blame the card game, it was really quite interesting!).

The day before I went off with a group of climbers from Adventure Peaks to go penguin spotting, so here is a picture of one of the adorable penguins we saw, included especially for those friends that requested a penguin from Antarctica. You know who you are. It was a great afternoon, followed by a brilliant celebratory dinner with the Alpine Ascents team and the Romero family (and Bob, who we kidnapped from his team for the evening!). Thanks to all of you for making the whole trip great fun, and such a success. It’s always the team that makes the climb for me, and climbing with such a unique group of individuals never fails to both teach me lots and impress. Hope to see lots of you again climbing elsewhere!

For now, I’m looking forward to celebrating Christmas with my family this weekend, and have already started getting organised for Everest and Lhotse. Less than three months now! Actually can’t wait! So, please check back and follow me on that adventure. Thanks again for reading 🙂 the website stats for this last month made my day.

Have a wonderful, successful and fulfilling 2012.

Ttfn.

After an uneventful, although enjoyable, day at Union Base Camp yesterday we have flown back to Chile today. Last night was a great night of music, with Reece making up some brilliant comedy songs, and other talented musicians singing and playing songs from all over the world, including Vern displaying impressive skills on the harmonica. Today we packed up our tents and savoured our last hours in Antarctica whilst waiting for the flight (I kind of miss it already). We arrived here fairly late at night, and have thoroughly treasured our first showers in a couple of weeks. It took me two bottles of conditioner and a very, very long shower to detangle my hair. Anyway, right now a proper bed, off the floor and with a mattress, is waiting for me. Thanks anyone who has been following! We’ll be flying back home early on the 31st. Ttfn.