So what's really next?

Well I'm home for 10 days before I lead a Three Peaks Challenge on behalf of the Intensive Care Foundation on the 12/13 June, then it's up to Yorkshire to help marshall the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge on the longest day. Can't help feeling Caroline might be getting a few nights away with me (under canvas of course - I'm not being paid that much!) 

After that in early July I'm off leading a World Challenge school trip with Churcher's School from Petersfield to, believe it or not, Nepal to do the Annapurna circuit followed by a community project in Kathmandu followed by two weeks sight seeing in Northern India. At the end of September I might be leading a trip to Kilimanjaro on behalf of the Intensive Care Foundation subject to enough people having signed up. (If you're interested get in contact as soon as possible). Finally at the end of November I'm off to Nicuagura and Costa Rica for a month, again with World Challenge.


Obviously outside of those dates I'm available for any of the courses that I run!


I've already been asked to give to two talks about my adventures, one of which is up in London. So if you know any organisations who might enjoy hearing about my exploits or who might benefit from a motivational talk with plenty of humour please get in contact! I'm also very happy to give talks to schools. 


For those in and around the Exeter area I really do intend this time to give an evening talk at some stage in the Autumn subject to finding the right venue. So please watch this space.

The picture is of The Garden Of Dreams on the outskirts of Thamel in Kathmandu. I can thoroughly recommend it as an oasis away from the city's hustle and bustle if ever you visit.


Last entry tomorrow! Have a guess at the title?

So what's next?

Well some people have been far too generous and have said I should write a book about the trip. I suspect it would only appear as a freebie for Kindle owners or for wrapping up fish and chips! 

Can you beleive that some of the team members have said I should be a stand up comedian (they can't get out much), to which I replied ' I already was standing up!'.

Which reminds me: why do women get married in white? to match the kitchen appliances! Boom boom. Ok I'll stick to the day job.

I've been as open with you as I have felt possible (some might say to open at times!) throughout the 10 weeks however there are some things that I have omitted.

Firstly if you are considering climbing any mountain over 8000m there is a strong possibility of risking your life or health, not just with AMS, HAPE etc but also snow blindness, frostbite or retinal haemorrhaging to name but a few.

Very few people know that I had three bleeds in both my retinas following my 2010 trip (sorry Dad as this is the first you will have heard about this). I put them down to my severe coughing. Well perhaps unsurprisingly I'm fairly sure it has happened again this time.

On my last trip down to Gorak Shep about three weeks ago the sight in my left eye became very slightly blurded in part of my field of vision. Thankfully this rectified itself the following day. I also had a piercing headache like pain directly behind my right eye shortly after this which took three days to subside. Every time I coughed it felt as if my eye was rattling around in it's socket. It was so painful I thought I would have to go and see the HRA doctors, who I was convinced would send me down to Kathmandu and end my attempt. The pain started up in Camp Two so I was really relieved when our first summit bid was aborted and we returned to base. I'm pleased to say that everything seems to have settled down now as I've had no similar symptoms since then.

On any long expedition you're bound to have good and bad days and you've got to be strong enough to overcome those days of self doubt etc by yourself.

You will have read about the numbers of climbers on the route. David estimated that in the end around two hundred and fifty climbers probably summited which is a large number. It's hard to be accurate until all of the teams are back and have spoken with the Ministery of Tourism.

In terms of the total of number of ascents from the UK after this season it will probably be around 450 people which out of a population of 60 million is a very small fraction.

So that's it for today. Only two more days and hence posts to go!

Arrival back in Kathmandu: 9.5 weeks later!

Having decided to pay for a helicopter flight to make sure we got ourselves and (very importantantly for me) our bags back to Kathmandu today, it was with some relief that the weather dawned misty. There were roughly four or five fixed wing flights first thing this morning before the cloud cover became too thick by around 9.00 am.

Our helicopter eventually came in around 11.00 am and five of us got on board. By chance the cargo handler said 'the old man' should sit in front next to the pilot! What a cheek, anyway I wasn't going to argue.

The helicopter took off and flew within the valleys, much lower than any plane, only rising to enter a new valley. The ground beneath was a patchwork of cultivated terraces and remote hamlets and communities that only increased in size as we approached Kathmandu almost an hour later. At first there were no roads only footpaths and tracks for yaks.

The terraces looked just like contour lines on an ordnance survey map. I don't know what was being grown as the pilot was obviously the 'Stig's brother. He wore a hat, dark glasses and a buff so you couldn't see any of his face. What's more he didn't say a word all trip!!

During the latter part of the trip we encountered a severe rain storm that buffeted the small helicopter. Whilst I wasn't surprised that the wipers didn't work I was pleased the Stig had X-ray vision as I certainly couldn't see where we were going!

I was just pleased that I still had Lama Geshi's card and and scarf in my hand luggage (remember his insurance - apparently no one had died on Everest carrying his card). Although it did occur to me. 'I wonder who the underwriters are and who do you contact in the event of a claim!'. Thankfully we passed through the storm without mishap.

Once at the hotel I had the hottest bath I could stand and just wallowed for about half an hour - bliss. We were back to civilisation!

Arrival in Kathmandu

Thankfully the flights were uneventful. I even made it through Indian security without having to empty my rucksack even though it was full of electrical equipment. Delhi airport has been through an amazing transformation since I was last there two years ago. It's now very modern with an excellent duty free area. There's even a hotel within the transit area which I would have really appreciated back 2009 having climbed Ama Dablam. Unfortunately we missed our connecting flight on our return journey. Consequently we spent a really miserable 24 hours waiting for the following day's flight home. Trying to sleep upright in a chair made the previous three weeks camping seem luxurious!

On arrival at Kathmandu airport we were met by Pasang who is our lead climbing sherpa and UIAGM qualified guide.

Driving through the streets of Kathmandu is one of those experiences you never forget. They say driving around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is dangerous well who ever said that has not been to Kathmandu. Whilst our Highway Code probably extends to 200 plus pages here there must only be one which says 'when wishing to change lane or direction sound horn and proceed!'. Another quirk is whist all motorcyclists must wear crash helmets their passengers don't. How mad is that.

On arriving at the hotel we were immediately invited to a blessing which after the journey I was more than happy to accept! I suspect the hotel owners are just glad to see their guests arrive in one piece.

Needless to say the evening was spent around the bar and over dinner.

This morning we had a thorough briefing from David our leader about various aspects of the trip as well as a talk from Ted Atkins, an ex RAF engineer, who has developed the TopOut oxygen masks that we will be using. More about these in a later post.

This will be David's seventh Everest trip whilst Pasang has been to the summit eight times so we are in good hands.

For lunch we went into Thamel, which is the tourist quarter, to a steak house. Five of the team had a 1kg fillet steak each! Cian (pronounced Keean) and I wisely decided to share one. If you're wondering about the cost approximately £9 each. No doubt in a few weeks time we'll be dreaming about such things.

Tomorrow we are up at 4.00am in order to get to the airport early for an early flight to Lukla.

Well if you've read this far well done even I think it's time for a break!