Thanks for helping with checking over the site too. Your computer expertise is much appreciated.

Rgds, Paul.

Hi Fi,
Thanks so much for checking through the site for us. It's great that other people will be able to use this to have their own website like we did last year. It's certainly been more work (mainly for Paul!) than we thought it would but fingers-crossed it's all done now. Luckily, aside from training, there's not nearly as much preparations for Paul to do ths year as he already has almost all of the equipment. I think we'll start packing this week though because we need to make sure that he has everythng.
Still planning our trip to Boston for Christmas this year so hope to see you then. Say hi to Mark and give Annabelle and Xander a cuddle for us!
Fiona

Hi Alan,

I hope this site can make a small difference in people's lives.

I am really looking forward to the climb and hoping that I'll again be fortunate enought to receive lots of support and encouragment from everyone like we did last year. I think it's going to be tougher on my own compared to having Fiona with me every step of the way. I am sure you would agree that the number one goal is to stay healthy & focussed while on the expedition; this isn't easy when you spend so much time away from home, up so high, breathing the cold dry air.

Regards, Paul.

Hi Steve,

I'm sure you'll enjoy your McKinley trip. Well done on making the committment to get out there. I'd love to go there one day.

Yes, I'll do a few extra laps for you. In fact you are spot on in how I think about my training. Often when I am really tired or not too motivated to train, I think to myself that I never know if this session might the one that makes the difference between whether I get to the top or not, or more importantly whether I climb with a reasonable margin of safety. After last year, I realise how critically important it is that you are as fit as you possibly can be in the event of something going wrong with your oxygen when you are on the mountain.

I will be using Poisk oxygen this time, so I will have a spare bottle with me. Let me explain how this works. Having done quite a bit of research on oxygen systems in the past 9 months, I have learnt a little more about the differences. IMG's oxygen bottles are much bigger and heavier than Poisk, so you carry less of them. BUT, two smaller Poisk bottles weighs the same as one IMG bottle and the two Poisk bottles hold more oxygen than one IMG bottle (as much as 40% more). So for the same weight you get the benefits of redundancy, plus more oxygen.

Last year when my bottle ran out on the South Summit (I still don't know what caused it, but it should have lasted 10 hours and was completely empty after 3), I didn't have a spare and I would have given anything to have this. If something similar was to happen again, I will have a spare bottle with me.

In IMG's defence, their system requires less bottle changes, becasue you are using fewer, but larger bottles. There is a risk involved with every bottle change - cold hands, dropping the bottle. However, I would argue that having more bottles provides a invaluable backup service, and I can tell you that sitting just below the South Summit holding my single empty IMG bottle, I would have preferred to have been using Poisk with its smaller, lighter bottles and to have been able to have a spare sitting in my backpack, for no extra weight penalty.

Paul.
PS. Will think about your idea when we are back.

Steve,
Thanks for pointing this out, but I am not sure I fully understand you. What do you think it would be better to say here? Let me know and I'll change it.
Paul.

Hi Wade,
A Calendar is a great idea. A lot of people ask why Everest takes so long to climb (it's the acclimatization rotations), and this might explain it a little more. Not sure if we'll have time to put this together before we go... Leaving on March 29 and there is still heaps to do!
Paul.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your message of support. Well done on deciding to try climbing - I wrote about why I am going back to Everest on my site (Why do this) and I tried to explain what it is that atracts me to climbing and Everest. If you are after a mental and physical challenge, climbing can certainly provide it, and it also gives you a really good reason to get in shape and stay that way. A course is the best way to get started, as there is a lot to learn. Then there is no substitute for experience.

Yes, Fiona is going to be coming to Nepal and will be in base camp when I am making my summit attempt. There are five people trekking into base camp with her too, which should be good fun.

I decided to go with Asian Trekking, because I heard good feedback from several people, plus I liked the idea of going direct with a local company. The feedback was the most important factor, particularly from people that had been on numerous expeditions with Asian Trekking and were very happy. I'll be able to let you know first hand how I found them after the trip. Asian Trekking provide a logistics service and don't provide guides, although I will be climbing with a Sherpa to make sure that I am never on my own.

Cheers,
Paul.