Had to be checked out by the doctor today as this cold just wont budge and at these altitudes its not good, they yadvised I dont go on this climb today but I insisted. We had to acclimatise today by climbing up a further 2000ft. Back home I would do that for breakfast, but when you are already up at 14000ft and climbing upto 16000ft trust me its damned hard and I mean hard hard hard. I was meant to have left this group yesterday and moved on with another group higher up but they had some kind of tragedy no idea what, so I have had to stay with this group now.
Two of the group backed out this morning as they were exhausted and believe me no shame in that as you do just go on raw determination up here, crap nights sleep, colder digs than my gran parties house and thats saying something, you get out in the middle of the night as you wake up thinking your suffocating but its just your body struggling to get enough oxygen in A MASSIVE 53% LESS OXYGEN up here than at sea level.
Me above this morning ready for the climb up to 16000ft, yep Belinda thats a new jacket, its a Mammot shes a cracker isnt she. The fact Im wearing Gloves and a beanie says it all with regard to how windy and bitterly cold it was.
We set off and instantly I knew I wasnt 100% at my best, but wasnt going to jack in. Believe me its hard to describe in terms for you to understand what its like exerting yourself at high altitude and with a head cold and a cough. For instance you simply DO NOT eat while climbing as you cant breathe properly, you dont talk as you cant breathe properly. Imagine a mask thats tight a round your face with a small 3 mil hole in it for air and then jump on an exercise bike, then you kind of get the idea, damned hard to say the least.
The above is after we lost a few more so far up as they started panicing with the lack of oxygen, which left me mark the aussie and glyn the taff and two girls. Both girls were struggling big time and I mean mega big time and thats not being big headed or anything as its just so awkward up there to breathe. Kalken put me at the back behind the girls to give them tonnes of encouragement as they kept wanting to jack in. Fair play to one of them as she is a smoker and has diabetes. She actually in the altitude had forgot to take an insuline shot, fortunately Belinda had given me tonnes of Dextrose High Energy Glucose tablets, one of which sorted her in minutes.
At this altitude me and the aussie were not larking about or anything it was serious knuckle down stuff as the suns rays are extremely strong up there and you have to wear a hat whether you want to or not and the steepness and footing under foot was some of the worst I have encountered. Anyway we made it to the top and in front of these krauts I spotted coming up from behind us, but just to shattered to mess about as any form of exercise kills you. I got an arm around the shoulder when we got down from the lead sherpa Nima and he thanked me for helping him out today as he had used 2 sherpas up taking the others back down, as he knew I was struggling with a cold and cough, I was quite chuffed with that coming from these hardy bunch.
Like this morning I was larking about with Kalden shadow boxing and after 30 seconds he was in hysterics as I was bend forward gasping for breath, so as he turned around I stuck the boot straight up his jacksie to the amusements of all the other sherpas.
Im not sure but I think we get to Everest this saturday some time, not 100% as I just took in behind the lead sherpa, head down and put 1 foot in front of the other. Loving it though even though its physically hard going.
PS: The only beer they have is lager and its san miguel and its mank mank mank, but when we got down today when I bought me and Kalden one each it tasted great.
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