Firat Eren

From a series of dispatches from the Alpine Ascents 2007 Everest Expedition team.

Namaste from Namche Bazaar!

It’s 6 pm here in the heart of the Khumbu. All 3 of our Mi-17 Heli flights made it into Syangboche and we’re celebrating our first night in the mountains. Yesterday our first group was unable to get out and was bumped to today so we all ended up on the same schedule.

The flight in was a wonderful spectacle. It was the clearest skies I’ve seen in my multiple Everest seasons giving everyone a perfect view of Chomolungma as we landed. The fact that this particular Mi-17 had windows that you could actually see out made a difference too I guess! Other peaks like Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru and Kongde Ri were also out in all their glory.

At this point the gear has been unloaded and stored for the night up at the airstrip and the army of Yaks will arrive tomorrow to start hauling it up to BC. Namche is a buzz with the Everest season in full swing. Teams are milling around purchasing last minute supplies and getting their bakery fixes before heading onward and upward to higher elevations. The paths in the heart of the village were filled this afternoon with Westerners checking out the latest and greatest in Chinese made knock off outwear and Yak bells which seem to get larger and larger each season.

Our team is healthy and smiling. Everyone is happy to be up in the hills after the sights, sounds and smells of magical Kathmandu. In about 15 minutes we’ll be sitting in front of some Yak steak and fries and settling into life of the Khumbu that will be home for the next couple of months… hard not to smile thinking about it.

Once I’m able to download some photos from our day today we’ll get those sent out on the cybercast. Please note family and friends that our BC email address will only be checked once we’re at BC so don’t be surprised that you’re being ignored!

All the best,
Dave