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20th September 2008 - Reflections

We have a day of relaxation ahead and then a tour of Buddhist sites before returning to the UK early next week. As the team look back over the past few weeks, we all have our own reflections. It was not an easy trek in burning sun, monsoon rain and snow at altitude. But it has been an incredible experience for all - not least the moment one of our carrier yaks fell from a suspension bridge drenching three rucksacks in a deep glacial river.

We have certainly brought the concept of coffee mornings to Nepal and it has caught the imagination of many. ‘So you’re the crazy dudes doing the coffee morning on Everest?’ asked one American trekker passing us on the trail. The word had spread far ahead of the team!

One of the telling and uninitiated comments was from a Romanian woman staying at our team hotel. Her parents have recently died from cancers. Terminal illness gets ignored by her home health system. ‘I wish we had a Macmillan at home. We were all so lost at the end. God bless you all for what you do’.

Heartfelt thanks to all our supporters and sponsors from the team and all those we may have reached.

19th September 2008 - Kathmandu

The team are back in Kathmandu, where they have held Nepal’s Biggest Coffee Morning in the grounds of a former Maharaja’s Palace.

Guests were invited and the picture shows (left) Shankar Prasad Pandey, Govt Secretary for Ministry of Youth. He is also a leading Nepali Scout!

The Coffee Morning was widely covered in national Press.

16th September - Trek Back Begins....

After the success of the coffee morning at Kala Pattar on Sunday, the team have now started the long and tiring trek back to Lukla and onwards to Kathmandu.

They will next be in contact on their return to Kathmandu, when they will be able to send the spectacular images of the World's Highest Coffee Morning!

STOP PRESS - 14th September 2008

News via satfone: The team have today summited Kala Pattar at 18,550' and beaten their previous coffee morning records set earlier this week! There are very few higher places on the planet where you can get an open invite brew and biscuits! All are safe and well.

Pictures to follow in the next few days - but here's one from 4,500m before they set off.

12th September 2008 - Dingboche

We are acclimatising at Dingboche, high on the edge of the Khumbu glacier. We succeeded in having another coffee morning here at around 15,000ft today, breaking our own record of the 9th September!

The terrain has changed dramatically and there is no doubt we are now in high mountains! There are peaks rising to all points of the compass and glacial lakes to the north. It is all very, very impressive!

We have been rising through alpine forest following the deep cleft valleys of the first few days. Along the way, the trees part opening dramatic views of mountain peaks. It is all very tempting and the terrain is actually easier walking, albeit constantly up or down!

We are to visit the Tyangboche Monastery. This burnt down a few years ago and was rebuilt rapidly following masses of donations from Everest trekkers around the world. Nearly all the river crossings we have made have been on new steel rope suspension bridges funded in similar way. We, too, have made contributions through our trek package and tourist tax and it is good to know we are putting something back. All the improvements for tourism have immense practical benefits for the locals, such as speeding the passage of goods and medical support.

Today we took an acclimatisation trek up to where the Girlguiding Everest07 team set the hot air balloon record last September. The conditions are much better this year and looking at the route and pace they set, you really have to give them credit for what they did!

Unfortunately, cloud enshrouded the mountains all day long. Despite this, we trekked to the Everest View Hotel, the World’s highest hotel above Syangboche. We held a coffee morning, much to the bemusement of the staff. To mark the occasion, we unfurled the summit banner at 3,880m. So this was the World’s (First) Highest Coffee Morning, thus setting the benchmark! Onward to Kala Pattar to beat our own record now!

The town of Namche is the epicentre of the Sherpa world, a trading point between the mountain nations. Although we are here just ahead of the main season, the eclectic influences of worlds meeting are tangible. We are literally in the clouds today at more than two miles above sea level. The houses, shops and lodges are all arranged around a horseshoe bowl in the mountainside and all residents awake daily to the view of high peaks popping through the cloud. It is quite an experience.

Today we rose before dawn and headed for a private charter flight into the remote mountain airstrip at Lukla. This legendary short runway is cut into a steep mountainside and beats any theme park ride for thrill factor!

Once the Sherpas sorted their immense loads, we set off at pace for a night at Monjo on the edge of the Sargamartha National Park – Everest Country. We are already above 3,000m and all have a heady mix of altitude, weariness and excitement.

Tomorrow, we rise and take the long climb up to Namche where we have an acclimatisation day planned.

After a long and weary flight, the team have arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal. Today was Emma’s 19^th birthday and she had special treatment on the airline and at arrival in the team hotel!

We have had a full briefing from the lead Sherpa and a good buffet feed ahead of an early night. We are still battling with technology providers, but at least nature seems to be on our side with a glorious sunset and expected ok weather tomorrow morning.

As if to underline the rubbish English Summer, we set off today in awful rain, gales and motorway spray. The hope is set firm that this won’t be the story at the other end of our journey! But the trend has been 30°C in Kathmandu and progressively cooler as the trail winds its way up through the mountains.

All the training and planning is over and focused into 16 people, 32 rucksacks and a Coffee Morning kit winging its way to Nepal!

Macmillan have sent us some giant inflatable coffee mugs to take up the mountain! Not sure we will have the puff to blow them up, but a garage forecourt pump did the job quite well this weekend. It might have to be a foot pump at 18,000' so that should be a nice warm-down for someone's tired legs!

We've been back on the moors doing some muddy teambuilding challenges and a little bit of free-climbing to test nerve and mettle. All getting a bit excited with only three weeks to go.

We had most of the group together in the past week for some long and hard walks back on Dartmoor.

The team has shown good progress over recent months and each walk has slightly more difficult terrain and challenge. And pace.

So, we headed up onto high Dartmoor and it rained. And hailed. And blew a gale. Well, this is Britain in Wimbledon Week!

Much fun was had by all despite the weather - and we raised a few quid along the way. We took a long hard route through valleys and peaks, with our picnic held in a hailstorm on High Willhays. The picture shows some of the team on the summit of nearby Yes Tor at a mere 619m. A very up and down day!

If you are free in the day on Wednesday July 2nd, please join some of the team on the summit of High Willhays.

At 621m it's a baby compared to where we're going, but it is Southern England's highest peak. We have the Macmillan picnic mat and a few games in mind. So drop us a line if you want times and routes!

Whilst it's far from a great Summer, the weather is kind to Moorland walking, warm, overcast, fairly dry and with cooling high breezes.

A mixed batch of training walks this month, with work schedules meaning walks have been in small groups.

As the students head into end of year exams and others are dispersed with work around the UK, training in May looks to be a lonesome trail! Each is getting on with their own thing and looking forward to a bit of sunshine, good company and teambuilders ahead in the Summer.

Some of the team attended the Girlguiding SW Region AGM and Event in Bristol, where the Everest100 project and Macmillan volunteers had stands. Both displays attracted big support and best wishes for the Everest Coffee Morning attempt from the VIP's and attendees.

A couple of our team members have been in Nepal over the past week on business. They took the opportunity to make a brief trek into the Himalayas as a taster for September's challenge.

At this time of year the climate is quite different, dry and hot. But it was good to see the country happy and stable and all the main trails and crossing routes seemingly in very good condition.

It was very tempting to stay for much longer, but we're really looking forward to returning with the full team later!

Several members of the Girlguiding team have been back on High Dartmoor this weekend as training continues in rough UK weather!

Teambuilding tasks were set to help get to know each other - with warm walking socks awarded to the winners.

Whilst the team members have been following their own schedules in recent months, Group Training has commenced on Dartmoor this weekend.

Glorious views but bitterly cold winds and uneven ground - ideal introductory preparation for the gradual build-up over the months ahead.

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