Well, we walked into Namche today.  Internet cafes (I'm at one now), bakeries, gear shops selling North face knock offs, tea house construction, yaks, trekkers...civilization I guess!?

It has been fascinating to read mounteverest.net and other Everest internet sites.  As I said in my last post, take all accounts of activity above 8000 m with a pound of salt.  I'm feeling like I haven't written enough about the challenges of climbing?!  Maybe I should talk about how cold and hard it was?  I think having worked and lived in the Canadian Arctic for 5 winters (and my Mum's Christmas cake) gives me a big advantage dealing with the cold, -20 C isn't such a big deal when you are prepared for it (honestly.)  And the nasty exposure of crossing crevasses on ladders, climbing the Lhotse Face (45 to 60 degrees steep), attached to a two ply polypropolene rope made in India, climbing the southest ridge to the summit with tremendous exposure on both sides of you.. well that's what mountaineering is all about.  That's why you climb, because it is challenging and you have to focus and you better have all your systems nailed (like squeeze checking your biner every time before you rappell, something teaching rock climbing at Outward Bound brain washed into me.)  I loved climbing Everest: it was fun, challenging, interesting, beautiful, boring, exhilarating, the whole gamut.  At times your whole consciousness was focused on just one single thing, like where to place your right foot... that's it, absolutely nothing else. That's the purity of it.   

We (Al, Scott and I) walked tfrom BC to Deboche yeaterday..a long 9 hours!  With only 1 full rest day in BC my legs were pretty tired.  I ate a plate of spaghetti at the teahouse and fell fast asleep on the first bed I've experienced in 7 weeks.  As we approached Deboche a light rain started to fall, the earth smelt wonderful, the blossoms on the trees looked incredible..it was good to be back in the forest, almost magical. 

Tomorrow we walk to Lukla then fly to Kathmandu (the "Du" to hipsters) the following am when there are no clouds to obscure the 2,000 foot drop off at the end of the runway (I ain't kidding) as the planes' wheels leave land. 

Anyway, it is interesting ready all the "e" press about Everest, and I'm sure the processing will continue for all who have spent time in the prescence of Chomolungma.  Perhaps we are all just struggling to come to terms with our experience.  I want to thank all my recent "posters"; Pryor and family, Gord and Lori, Colin, Pablo and Andrea, Hugh (say hello to Kelly and the kids)  and Harry!

I will try to send some photos on my PDA tonight.

Namaste, Angus