Greetings cybernauts this is Vern Tejas with Alpine Ascents' 2003 Mt Everest ascent. Well some of us got in today, flying in from Kathmandu, all the way to Namche Bazaar. Some of us flew in, part of the climbing team and myself. Willi and Ellie and Luis flew into Lukla and Luis has since then ascended to Namche and there are eight of us here starting on our acclimatization. We started a day early just to get a jump on building those red blood cells that are so important at altitude.

The big activity today was watching them unload the helicopter and coming down the hill from Syangboche, you drop down about 500 feet to a beautiful Panoramic Lodge overlooking downtown Namche Bazaar. This afternoon we dropped down to visit some of the shops and eat some apple strudel in the local bakery and drank cocoa until our eyes popped out.

So we're getting started and we'd like you to stick with us for the next couple of months as we work high into the Khumbu and ultimately to Base Camp, we're looking at a couple of weeks before we get there, and then up Mount Everest to the top of the world. So ciao for now and drop us a line.

— Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent

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