Urszula, Jamling and Carrie

The Waiting Game
    
12 May 2005

The Waiting Game

Home Sweet Home, no, this isn?t it but it?s all we?ve got so as the days pass by and blend one into another, we do things like lay in our tents, eyes closed, and pretend we are somewhere else. Perhaps on the summit of Mount Everest, or maybe on a beach somewhere, or even someplace as simple and serene as our own cozy bed at home, feeling the sun streak through the window and warming the comforter while the smell of fresh ground coffee tickles the nostrils, aaaaahhhh, pure bliss.

This is the waiting game, the time being experienced by every expedition here in Everest Base Camp when it doesn?t matter what anyone wants, it doesn?t matter how strong you think you are, the only thing in control now is Mother Nature and she isn?t going to let anyone up that big hunk of Granite until she?s darn good and ready. At the moment Mama seems pretty ticked off! The winds up high have been blowing at a rate of anywhere from 75 to 100 plus miles an hour and unless these climbers weigh about 500 pounds each, they aren?t going to do very well staying in their boots. I can tell you from looking around; nobody here is a heavyweight contender.

Everyday we look at weather reports. Right now, it is looking like the first window of opportunity lies around Saturday the 14th or Sunday the 15th, therefore, the plan is to gear up and go up at that time. The team will go for their summit attempt. This process will take them first to Camp 2, then up for the next five to six days to the summit and back down to Base Camp. This is the time when good weather is going to be critical to their success. We are hoping that the wind will calm down enough to make the summit attempt possible. If the winds continue to remain too high, the team will then come back down to Base Camp after waiting it out in Camp 2 and make a second attempt toward the end of the month. We are all hoping that this will not be necessary as beaches; beds, warm comforters, and fresh ground coffee are beckoning each and every one of us.

We did have a special visitor today, Jamling Tenzing Norgay dropped by our camp to say hello to Jim. Sugar and I were especially star struck and excited to meet the son of the first man to stand on the summit of Everest along with Sir Edmond Hillary. Jamling, a fine mountaineer in his own right, and also the original subject of the IMAX film, Everest, was leading a group of Trekkers from Lobuche to Everest Base Camp and then down to Gorek Shep. We were thrilled that he stopped in to say hello to Jim, and Sugar and I could not pass up the opportunity to take a picture with him, thanks Jamling!

That?s where we stand, looking up at this marvelous work of nature, waiting for our turn to stand upon her, hoping for a moment of kindness from her and all the forces that surround her. The clock is ticking.

Trixie