I'd like to introduce everybody very briefly. As Trekking Team we have: Robert Jones, Margaret Cruzal, Pam Coleman, Nicole Haberstich and Larry Shore. And for our Climbing team members we have Jeff Mathy (Take 2), Paul Jean-Michel Valette, Bob Charles, Bruno Rodi, James Clarke, Matt Holt and last but not least, our wonderful Alex Bright.
So we're up here in the Khumbu, and starting the whole acclimatization process so that we can get higher on this thing. And that is the latest from the Khumbu.
And here's a word from Luis:
Another year, one filled with amazing potential
and possibility as we go up and up and up....yet again, hopefully to the
roof of the world. Each year I am amazed at the cast of characters that this
place and especially this mountain attracts. Being the 50 year anniversary
of the 1st ascent, all the luminaries are coming out of the woodwork, and
what a season it promises to be. Among our own little family, we are
spending the days up here getting to know one another, getting to know how
our bodies do at altitude, and laying all our hopes, fears and dreams on the
table. An added benefit to us climbers is that we have a delightful trekking
group joining us for the approach to base camp, giving us other faces to see
and stories to hear, knowing full well that in a week or so, it will be down
to business and getting started with our work on the mountain.
For right now, our time is spent roaming around Namche Bazaar eating doughnuts and scrambled eggs by morning, and taking small hikes in the afternoon, back to the tea house to read, relax and slowly allow our bodies to adjust to life at 11,000ft. This may seem lazy to the average bystander, however, the name of the game up here is not how fast you can move, but how much energy you can store up for those eventful days come late May. Even at this point every little bit helps. We will try to keep all of you back home up to speed as we make our way up the valley towards base camp, and then on up the mountain towards the summit. So till then, this is the Alpine Ascents International Everest 2003 Expedition wishing everyone back home, a very pleasant day.
— Willi Prittie and Luis Benitez, Alpine Ascents International Guides and MountainZone.com Correspondent
