Wednesday 22 April 2009

Anyone for cricket?


















































































I am feeling very well and strong on the mountain and have been put in the first team out of three which is good but they are all very strong and I have to work hard. We started the first of our training climbs this week by climbing a peak called Lobuche (6,050m). We walked from Everest Base Camp to Lobuche Base Camp then the next morning climbed up to Lobuche camp 1. The following day we summited at around 9am after starting at 6am. I stayed on top for around 50 minutes before desending all the way to Lobuche BC for some lunch and then a long long walk back to Everest BC. It was a long tough day but it was good to be climbing.

Whist in Kathmandu, we heard that Lords was sending out a couple of cricket teams to Gorak Shep (just down from Everest Base camp) to set the world record for the highest game of cricket. As a joke, I bought a cricket bat, stumps and balls in Kathmandu and brought them up to Everest BC. Russ then took over and provided 2 uniforms for 2 cricket teams - 1 sherpas and 1 westeners. We dressed up and carried our cricket stuff down to Gorack Shep and challenged the Lords team to a cricket match at camp 2 on Everest (some 1200m higher than their game) They took it very well and luckily for us did not take up the challenge since none of us can actually play cricket. We exchanged caps etc. and Russ offered to take one of thier official cricket balls to the summit so that they could auction it off to help their fund raising.

1:Adrian, one of our guides, leading the climb up through the rock band up to camp 1 on Lobuche.
2: David Tate just completing the rock band.
3: Lobuche camp 1 (5,400m)
4: Edward at camp 1 on Lobuche
5: View from the summit of Lobuche looking down the final ridge.
6. Picture taken from the ridge looking back up to the summit of Lobouche.
7: View of Everest from the top of Lobuche. Everest is tucked behind the Nuptse / Lhoste ridge, base camp is in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.
8: View from the summit of Lobuche looking back down to camp 1
9: Russ playing Scalectrix in the White Pod at Everest base camp.
10: Some of the Sherpas playing Scalectrix in the white pod.
11: Picture of the Sherpa cricket team - the Khumjung Tigers - with cricket bat and stumps.
12: Russ with one of the captains and the organiser.

6 comments:

Paul M said...

Pictures are great.. Hope the weather isn't too nice.. Peter will be annoyed by your tan! ..keep up the good work and be safe..Paul, Linh and Julian x

Francis said...

Glad to see all is going well so far Chris (and even more glad to see you got out of playing cricket!). Best wishes from Francis, Maggie and your two, spotty, four-legged mountain climbing companions. PS - hope you haven't come across an Epic Eddie whilst there!

joe said...

Chris.keep up the good work and keep the blog updates coming.That new camera clearly working well and my kids all love looking at them as the views are spectacular...hows the "solar" charger working on the ipods ???cheers joe

Colin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Colin said...

I thought you gone to Everest to climb not watch cricket and play with a Scalextric set!

Mount Everest The British Storywww.everest1953.co.uk
www.everest1953.blogspot.com

Linh said...

Have been anxiously waiting for this installment!! Pics are fantastic. Even more fantastic to read you're feeling STRONG...rrgghhh. Let us know when the moment of truth comes, I'll start throwing rice and flour. I have no doubt that this little adventure of yours is causing the rest of us at normal altitude more anxiety than you. ;o) But without doubt, excited and supporting your every step.