Youth Venture

Base Camp

Sometime late yesterday, I caught my first Everest illness. I could feel it in my head and also in my belly. Something like a cold and an upset stomach combined. At about 2am, I had to make a mad dash for the outhouse (I barely made it). It was a rough night. As stated in an earlier blog, being healthy is of critical importance to an Everest climber- there are enough odds working against you, poor health can not be one of them. So, whereas some of my healthier teammates were involved in various base camp activities, I stayed in my tent today... trying to speed a recovery. As it turns out, I am not alone... a virus is going around... and a few other members of our team are feeling under the weather.

The rest and recover strategy seems to working, as just 24hrs later I am feeling much better. I am hungry, my upset stomach seems to have settled, and the cold in under control thanks to (plug here- even though they are not sponsors) Alka Seltzer Plus cold medicine and some Advil Cold and Sinus.

Time in tent gives you to time to think... and listen. Below is a twelve hour slice of life at base camp... might be helpful to give a feel for things, as if you were in my climbing boots:
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2am: me scrambling to put on clothes + boots, wrestling with zippers on tent, quietly swearing when I realize how cold it was outside, and then rapid footsteps to try to reach the outhouse in time.

2:15am: wrestling again with zippers, hop inside tent, shivering (if shivering makes a sound), bundle up in all the down I have to warm up and fall asleep.

5:55am: the alarm on my little watch (a Sunnto Core) goes off; I hit snooze a few times.

6:15am: I call into conference line of Ashoka's Youth Ventures (the great charity I am aligned with on this climb). I am the guest speaker for this hour long call, speaking to kids (in the states, 8:30pm their time) about goal setting, dreaming big, taking action to make it happen.

6:20am: I lose satellite connection, quietly swear again. I dial back in.

6:35am: a large avalanche booms, too close by

6:43am: I lose satellite connection again; again I dial back in.

7:10am: call ends; my neighbors in tents very near me (who were likely woken up my the call) are thankful. I am shivering again and very tired. Interestingly, I also hear birds chirping- what kind of crazy bird want to live at this elevation I wonder? I fall sound asleep.

8:20am: a Sherpani (female Sherpa) is yelling at me that breakfast is on. I over slept, should have been in dining tent at 8am.

8:30 - 9:30am: casual conversation with fellow climbers in tent. They are a good group. Some are feeling fine, others so-so.

9:31am: I have a discussion with the lead guide Vern. He and I agree that I should rest today and get over the illness. He is speaking from experience and I trust his call.

9:35am: I fall deeply asleep again (others on team go to base camp helipad; the helipad actually needs to be built, and team members are pitching in to help clear a suitable area).

11:50am: the Sherpani is calling, telling all that soup is on

12:00pm: I join team in dining tent again; Vern asks how I feel; I mention that I think I am over the hump, that I am starting to feel better.

12:10pm: The Sherpani enters dining tent with plates of sushi. Some members of team cheer, other groan. Two members of team (Mark and Kent) are persuaded to try sushi for the first time. Kent and I discuss that sushi may be yuppy food... and that despite his wishes, he may have some yuppy tendencies.

12:55pm: I crawl into tent again, take some more cold medicine, and fall asleep. (others in team strap on crampons for first time on the trip, go to glacier area to practice skills).

2:00pm: still sleeping (likely having dreams of home, playing with Lucy, and eating burgers with Hlee at our favorite Atlanta spot, the Vortex).

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On a final note tonight, we have a little bit of a blackout period being implemented on communication from Everest. Has to do with China's