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Oxygen Vacation

Here on our Oxygen Vacation, in Nammche Bazaar 3,400m our appetite exploded, our coughs disappeared, cuts curried, and we are ready to head back to our mission. Beiing at a lower elevation, makes us think sharper, healthier but at the same time we are on our nerves especially when we hear other climbers summiting the mountain.

Our guides tamed us since day one not have our expectations high, and look for the end of May for a possible summit day. We spent a good few days here at Namche, first we had the chance to finally blend with the main Alpine Acsents team. As we were on different rotations, we nearly met on base camp. Such an amazing and dynamic group, I enjoyed their company at Namche. They headed off 2 days ago, and went off for their summit push the very next day. I wish them all my very best, and come back with all their fingers and toes. Summiting the mountain is not the most important thing, but to come back to our families is. They have a summit day of the 18th or 19th., I am following them closely as most of them are my friends especially the guides.

We have been spending time here in the Panorama Lodge in Namche, chilling with the team watching a lot of movies and tv series. We also found this amazing bakery owned by Sushila Sherpany who used to live in NYC. She has the most amazing freshly baked brownies, and we couldn’t stop having the cheese burgers or the starbucks coffee she serves. God I’m bona miss this in a few days.

I also met Kancha Sherpa, who is the only living Climbing Sherpa of the 1953 First Accent expedition to the top of the world. He is the cousin of Sherap Sherpa who owns the Panaroma Lodge where we are staying.

Whats next, next we fly tomorrow morning at 8am back to Everest Basecap. We will probably spend 2 days there before heading for our Summit Push. We will skip Camp 1 and head directly to Camp2. Have a rest day there, then go to Camp 3 to Camp 4 and a rest day at Camp 4 before the final push to the Summit. We are now looking at a summit day between 21-23. That is very tentative and might change anytime.

During my summit push, Adam Sobel will be updating regularly from basecamp especially on the final push. I on the other hand will do my very best to call in using the satellite phone to give a regular update.