Lhakchung, Tsering, Lakpa, Gopal, Kami and a couple yak drivers

Sept. 16 - ABC
    
It’s the afternoon of Sept. 16th and all is quiet around camp. The troops are napping away in the warm afternoon sun and Gopal and Lhakchung are up to their kitchen charades again. ABC is quiet in our little corner.

Today was the first day we’ve rested in ABC without seeing a new expedition arrive so apparently the tide is ebbing. The morning brought a bit of entertainment with a party of two going for the summit. We got to sit out on our ‘stoop’ in the sun, sipping coffee and watching the party through our monocular go for the summit. It’s so much more comfortable watching than doing. We lost track of them once they moved out of sight at the summit plateau. We also said goodbye this morning to a few climbers we’ve gotten to know along the trip. A group of 3 Americans called it a day and headed back towards Chinese BC and eventually Kathmandu. We’ve listened to a bit of world news on the shortwave and have consumed buckets of tea. All in all it’s been a good day of rest.

Tomorrow there will be a bit of the same with some laundry thrown in perhaps. At this point we are taking a definite rest day tomorrow and then beginning Saturday morning the 18th we’ll start the daily assessment of whether to begin the summit push. So we could end up leaving on Saturday for CI if things are looking and feeling good in all respects. The guys here are doing well dealing with a bit of the slowness of basecamp life. David and Tony in particular are plowing through books. Terry seems to be as entertained as myself watching the Tibetan yak drivers pushing all sorts of goods here at ABC. Paul’s still enjoying his same 40 songs on his mp3 player and trying desperately hard at finishing ‘Buddhism Made Simple’. He may have given up accepting that a page a day wasn’t enough to bring him enlightenment. The sherpa have been playing cards and resting up as well.

We’ll be in touch tomorrow with an update.

Dave and the team