Hello there Cybernauts.
We're all sitting around the dining hall this evening playing Scrabble, reading romance novels and generally enjoying each other's company. I've been tormenting the team with my trying to learn to play my Martin guitar. Fortunately, they have so far remained extremely tolerant. This is remarkable considering the paces we guides put the team through earlier today.
Yes, today was Ladder Day. We lashed two 10-foot ladders together to form an 18-foot bridge over a nearby pond. This was to simulate one of the many typical crevasse crossings we will face in the days to come. After a brief demonstration of how to correctly walk across the bouncing, narrow ladder, we made everyone walk the plank. At first it was mellow, boots on the rungs and bare hands on the safety lines; all scrambled across with a fair amount of panache. Then we raised the bar. Now, with crampons, we had our first victim of the ice pond. It should be said that balancing on a flimsy ladder over ice water while trying not to snag one of your 10 spikes on a rung is a good challenge. We added to this difficulty gloves, then mittens, and for the ultimate test, a 30-pound pack; more victims for the pond. But, as the day wore on, there was a marked improvement in the team's ability to navigate the wobbly crossing. And, of course, this was our goal. Look out icefall, here we come.
Yesterday's Base Camp group photo may be viewed on everest-2003.org. So take a look and see us in the lower right corner of the group, just behind the tea table.
Hey, Bruno just made history by being the first customer at the world's highest cybercafe, which just arrived by yak train today.
Ciao for now. — Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent