I've apparently done nothing today except move 20m to the dining tent a few times, and one best-forgotten trip of similar length to the toilet tent, yet I'm exhausted!
This is partly because of the altitude, at 6400m most of us notice significant effects on breathing and general malaise, no matter how fit we are...or aren't. Last night was cold, around -15 centigrade INSIDE my tent with me in it. A shortage of insulated sleeping mats aggravated the discomfort of a long night, and an intermittently strong wind has been pouring down the mountain, almost uprooting my tent at times!
The next factor making today such hard work has been that same intermittent wind combined with the typical burning hot sun. So lying in the tent, one is constantly taking clothes on and off, unzipping tent doors, re-zipping them again,getting in and out of sleeping bags etc etc, all in a place where turning over, or putting boots on makes you puff like an old steam train. This is high altitude mountaineering. Come home golf, all is forgiven...
Incidentally, there are armed Nepalese troops here at the high end of camp two, very pleasantly ensuring that nobody goes above the camp towards the Lhotse face above. They have been given permission to shoot according to the BBC.
THIS IS MOUNTAINEERING , BUT ALSO NOT AS WE KNOW IT.

The Jetstream

For those who don't know, the jetstream is the name given to the constant and ferocious winds that flow around the upper atmosphere, both helping or hindering our jet planes on their journeys. The lower level of these winds is typically around 8000m, certainly in these parts, and as the speed of air movement is between 80-200 mph it's height on a given period governs whether a mountain like Everest is climbable at all! Fortunately, certain recurring tendencies in jetstream behaviour related to monsoon development over India will USUALLY produce some chances of climbing the highest mountains in May most years. For this we wait, with crucial guidance needed from weather forecasters around the globe. Mistakes in this area can naturally be pretty disastrous.
SEE HOW MUCH LUCK YOU NEED TO CLIMB EVEREST?
Through the night, and especially early this morning, I could hear a terrible roaring noise, similar to that made by a massive waterfall, hundreds of metres high. There is no water here. That was the jetstream pouring over the ridges of Everest and Lhotse 2000m above me. The forecast must be right on a summit night, or the strongest of climbers would be snuffed out like a candle in moment. Oh my.

Messages

Jacq, enjoy the relative comforts of Scotland, and don't worry, once I'm down through the icefall tomorrow we have our enforced rest of up to 11 days for the Chinese chance to summit and film the torch. Grim waste of time for us.
I heard today on the BBC that their correspondent managed to reach BC, but was told to go forth and multiply by the Nepalese authorities, " in order to help our Chinese friends".
I believe those same friends have a special Olympic torch poised on the Tibetan side as I write, awaiting a "weather window". I wish them all the best with that, for all our sakes!

Due to battery power issues, I hope Greg and Ray will respond tomorrow to recent messages. They are both very well.