Local time: 18:00 5 Nov 2007
Location: Pangla
Altitude: 4480m
Weather: Overcast all day Temp. -2 to + 5 C

Hi everyone it's Cassra here. Today we came up the valley to Pangla. It took us about 3 hours excluding a very long lunch break. Originally we had planned to get to Machermo (4410m ), but when we arrived there after just 2 hours and everyone was feeling good we decided to have a lunch break there and then trek to Pangla an hour further and 80 meters higher. This will give us an easier walk tomorrow, arriving in Gokyo earlier, enabling us to have a good look arround the area in the afternoon and planning the next days climb up Gokyo Ri

Our Lodge for the night
The lodge in Pangla is very basic, but has the advantage that it's not very full and we have been offered seperate rooms. For you who know Darren well, its easy to understand what a relief that is for his room mate of the day.

A bit of afternoon excercise
This afternoon we climbed a hill just behind our lodge to the hight of 4800 meters, which was great excercise and will make tomorrows trek much easier. All of us handled it very well, but boys being Paul A and Darren challeneged each other to a 50m sprint up the hill. All good stuff for the final aim of getting up Island Peak.

Yak's Horn Update
Last night Darren , having carried it for 2 days had the right to choose a successor. Myself , Paul B and David were prime candidates. In the end David got the head for trying to trick Darren to say the forbidden word. We all agree that it was a very devious move and agree with the punishment. This morning saw a few points being exchanged at rapid spead. I was 1 point up for using the for bidden word, then Darren turned his breakfast plate of 2 egg and toast over his trekking pants. At the same time David used the forbidden word...this situation got me so excited thinking I was no longer the prime candidate that in all the excitement I knocked my own egg and toast plate off the table and the point system was restored.

FLASH UPDATE
As I was writing this Darren just said the forbidden word, thus the new point total for today is Darren 3, Cas 2, David 1 and today's teachers pets are the two Paul's

Anyway that's all for today.
More soon Cas

Your Messages

Thanks MC for all your kind support and words. Please see attached a picture of a one year old baby Yak that we took for you today.

Hi Battersea crowd. I was thinking of you all, that evening. The most missed must have been the ice ceam and Grazia's tights.

Cheers Christoph, Kiki, Freddy and Nico for your messages a few days ago. Hope all is well back home. See you all soon

Hi Boys.
Keep looking after Mummy, send me some footbal results. Be very good and the XBOX will be looking good for X Mas.
Lots of love ..Daddy

Hi Amy
Thanks again for looking after Grazia so well. Btw just wanted to mention that the bottle you guys got me from the States is one of the most important ones on this trek/climb

Hi Erin,
Thanks for your message the group all had a laugh at my expense. Nice to talk to you tonight. Congratulations on your personal achievement. Miss you! Chat soon.
Love Dave xxxxx