23 Apr

Hi everyone,

First a correction to yesterday’s report –

The team of climbers did NOT manage to climb to North Col. They only managed to climb half way up the ice wall. They might attempt it again today,

Beng Cheong has returned to Base Camp YESTERDAY afternoon – following some physical difficulties adjusting to the environment of Advance Base Camp.

According to radio broadcasts, Rozani is supposed to come down today to Base Camp too. This leaves only 2 climbers left in ABC (David & Gil).

Today, we woke up to very cloudy and windy weather (cold too).

Our communications tent (which houses all the hi-tech communications equipment) was ripped apart by very strong winds yesterday afternoon. Today, we had to spend the whole of the morning improvising a repair with an American, who was attached to Eric Simmerson’s group. We are now waiting for more manpower and better weather to erect the Mountain Hardware “Golf Ball” tent, which is bigger and hopefully, better equipped to withstand the winds of Rongbuk Base Camp.

Ting Sern

“Dick the tent repairman”.
He was the one who helped us patched the comms tent after it was ripped apart by strong winds yesterday.

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SINGAPORE AIRLINES:

Thanks for SIA’s generous baggage allowance, the expedition has been able to transport all its mission-critical equipment (1000kgs!) without a hitch to (and later, from) Kathmandu in Nepal. See SIA’s neat website at http://www.singaporeair.com.sg to see why it’s often regarded as the world’s best airline.

Looking cool in their SIA caps, from left, Beng Cheong, Ting Sern, Gil and David; and front Roz