Everest 2007 Cybercast: May 5 - Pheriche
May 5th, 2007 by 
Firat
From a series of dispatches from the Alpine Ascents 2007 Everest Expedition team.
Hello friends, family and loved ones,
Ah the first day of R&R. As part of our acclimatization program, we traditionally drop down real low after we climb up to camp III. And today was the first day of the process and it feels great. We had a leisurely rise this morning with most of us succumbing to “Bag Suck”, the inability to leave our sleeping bags. With all the oxygen at base camp we felt compelled to sleep as long as possible. Most of the team has not had a full night of sleep for over a week so hence the “bag suck”. All that said, we hit the trail down to Pheriche well rested and rearing to go.
Over glacier and across moraine(glacial rubble piles of rock) we move quickly toward even thicker atmosphere and the world of the living. We could smell the vegetation before we got to it. First there was mosses and occasional lichens, then grasses and prostrate dwarf Juniper. Pink flowers(family Primulacae) and vocal little birds welcomed us back from the heights. Babbling brooks and freshly born yaks frolicking amidst the stone villages reminded James of his Scottish highlands. Proud Chortans(memorials to fallen climbers) etched against the swirling mist humbled our passage. Yet each step was a step into the world of life and joy.
Join us tomorrow when we eat the Teahouse!
Namaste,
Vern
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