Jump video
10th October 2008I now have posted the jump video on YouTube:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tkz1FqqEQ4Q
Huge thanks to Wendy (camera flyer), Katy Bairstow (for staying up all night converting it) and Nick (for final editing).
Crash & Carrie update
8th October 2008Apparently the plane crash at Lukla was caused by a rock fall onto the runway which the plane hit and flipped, then caught fire. Unfortunately none of the passengers (14 Germans and 2 Swiss) got out, and neither did the Nepali co-pilot or stewardess, although the pilot apparently managed to escape (that is according to a chap from the US embassy I bumped into this morning). The skydiving has been suspended today, partly out of respect but and also since the helicopter and jump plane are helping with the recovery operation. Martin (UK expert skydiver) was very lucky as he was on the plane behind the one that crashed!
I also saw Carrie Holmes this morning (the US girl who broke her leg). She is in good spirits, all things considered, but is being kept here in the hospital for at least another 5 days since they are concerned about infection; the break was a nasty one with her fibula breaking through the skin. The surgeons think she may have to have her ankle fused, but lets hope not!
John and I have now confirmed our flights and are leaving tomorrow at 09:45, and should be back in the UK at 17:55 on Thursday 9th (tomorrow).
Plane crash at Lukla
8th October 2008This morning there was a plane crash at Lukla airport (the one earlier in my blog with the insane runway) which has stranded the remaining skydivers - sounds like we got out just in time. The crash apparently killed 18 people 
none of our group were involved though thankfully.
First woman to tandem-skydive over Everest!!
7th October 2008This morning we were up at 5am for the fourth day in a row after a succession of brief windows of opportunity, but today I was top of the jump manifest! The plane had to come from Kathmandu since it had to be used to take poor Carrie (US girl who solo-jumped yesterday) to hospital yesterday. She broke her leg when the clouds came in incredibly fast, blocking off her view and forcing her to land on the steps of a Buddhist Stupa. She is doing well though apparently. Having one of the group break themselves was a little unnerving for many of us, especially Molly (Beddingfield) who was pretty nervous already having never jumped before, but I hope her second-thoughts have faded a bit now. 
Anyway, I got all kitted up with a thermal-lined jump-suit and oxygen and at about 09:45 I finally boarded the plane, and was very grateful for John accompanying me! I was attached to Tom, my tandem master, and was sat beside Djuan Rivers (a Disney World VP), who I think was as nervous as me! It took us about 45 mins to climb from the airstrip at 12,000feet (the highest airstrip in the world) to 29,500feet (in-line with the top of Mt. Everest), but we were certainly not bored - we were treated to what must be some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. Titanic mountain peaks reaching into the sky, wreathed in cloud and wearing heavy coats of snow were all around us, and dwarfing them all was mighty Everest itself.
Five minutes to go, and Wendy (our hugely-skilled, and thoroughly lovely camera-flyer) disconnected me from the plane’s oxygen and put me onto my own personal bottle. At this point I was definitely having trouble restraining my nervousness! What seemed like moments later, it was time to open the door, and I should have been terrified but for the fact that as Tom pushed it back there was Everest, directly to starboard, thrusting magnificently above the sparse clouds! I had to sit in the door for a couple of minutes, feet dangling over the edge in the freezing 120MPH wind, but that was actually rather nice - it gave me a chance to get used to the rushing sensation and calm a little.
But then, all that calm was shattered as our Swiss-pilot, Rudy, gave the green light and Tom, Wendy and I maneuvered into the door, and then we were out - AAAARRRGGGHHH!! Ye Gods, it was just as scary as I remembered, but this time I took a little of John’s advice and (cowardly) kept my eyes closed for the first few seconds, just focusing on keeping my position (hands crossed on my chest, head back, hips forwards, and legs together & bent back between Tom’s). Within moments the terrifying falling sensation faded though, and I opened my eyes to find myself flying (well, OK, a glide angle of something like 1:30 is not that great, but it still felt like flying) over the Himilayas, falling past Mt. Everest’s snow-clad slopes!! I cannot adequately describe how that felt, but it was without a shadow of a doubt one of the most intense, beautiful and amazing experiences of my life. Wendy came into view almost immediately and got some great footage of my in free-fall which I shall try to post later.
After about 40 seconds Tom waved off and pulled the ripcord, and with a couple of big jolts we slowed our 145+MPH descent to a more modest 20-30MPH. After making sure the canopy was OK he handed me the toggles and let me fly for a while, which was fantastic fun! As we swooped and turned I was able to enjoy a more leisurely look at the awesome scenery around us, and I gradually guided the us down towards the drop zone. Tom had to take back control for the last bit of course, and we managed a text-book perfect quadruple-buttock arrest (with a bit of sliding of course :).
Unfortunately, once down my clumsy nature felt its need to re-assert itself, and after landing I let out a “Whoop” and punched both fists into the air. What I did not realise is that Dave Woods, our master skydiver, had just arrived behind me and I gave him a whopping left-handed punch right in the jaw, flooring him for a few seconds!! That too is on the video - one for the out-takes I feel.
Anyway, the experience was simply awesome - it is 5 hours later and I am still buzzing. I shall never, ever, forget flying/falling past the highest mountain on the planet.
PS. Pics are coming too hopefully!
Update from Sharon
6th October 2008Hi All,
Kate has asked me to update you all for her as the internet connection where she is, is non-existent.
Things over in the Everest have been somewhat disorganised and she is yet to jump. Her return flights home have been amended and she should be back in the UK on Friday (10th). Kate is well, apart from one slight incident with her lower leg.
She has told me that she should be jumping tomorrow (7th) morning, whilst we are all tucked up in our beds,
Sharon
Back at the drop zone
2nd October 2008Yesterday we arrived back at the drop zone, and this morning our trusty little plane finally arrived so it is now all systems go! Hopefully the test jumps from 18,000 feet will happen tomrrow and the main jumps will start on the 4th.
Trek day 7, Pheriche back to Tengboche
30th September 2008We were at the highest point of our trek this morning, and had to spend 24 hours there to acclimatise, so had a chance to get some decent pics! A nice little treat was seeing the local heli dropping off supplies - the only way to get anything up here is via foot or helicopter (not a good place to be badly ill!). The village also houses the last medical outpost before Everest.
The heli is the only way other than foot to reach Pherice which is at 4.3 km up
Me with the glacial valley, floored with peat, in the background and the glacial head (corrie) in the distance
A local girl decided Rohan’s tripod looked like a fun climbing frame!
Abu Dami (or something like that), one of the most challenging peaks to climb int he region.
A real mountain Yak - the others we had seen (with less hair) are cow-yak hybrids. These ones can only survive above about 3,000m.
Half-way back to Tengboche
Everest (far left) and its neighbours wreathed in their own personal clouds.
Photos from Trek day 6, Tengboche to Pheriche
29th September 2008Last night was my first without John for simply ages (probably two months) and it was very strange. I have not been able to speak with him either, in fact all I managed was a couple of messages sent via the Danish channel 5 film crew’s borrowed satellite uplink and Facebook of all things!
I was thoroughly back into the swing of things today, and resumed my usual position at the head of the first group. I have really started to get the hang of using poles now too - it is rather like cross-country skiing if fact, using them to push myself along. The reason I was up the front, by the way, is so that I could stop and take pictures of some of the breath-taking scenery without getting left behind the group - rather like I do when SCUBA diving!
We stopped for lunch just past 13,000 feet - a massive 4km up. Unfortunately the weather turned, and it was very much “head down and get there” for the last stretch to Periche at 14,000feet (4.3km) - the highest point on our trek. Despite the rain the scenery was still awesome, walking along the base of a glacial valley dotted with massive morraine (boulders deposited by the glacial flow several thousand years ago). We had also no moved well about the tree-line, and the plant life was become more and more sparse; small shrubs clinging to the landscape.
Mafia Monks
28th September 2008At 3pm the monks were holding a ceremony, and apparently we would be allowed to come and watch. We had heard, though, that they were very financially minded and getting rather big for their boots, but we thought nothing of it. The Tengboche monastery is the main one in the region and was certainly impressive.
The monastery
The attitude of the monks did seem rather odd, and they all looked rather “thuggish” for want of a better word. They also seemed very well fed compared with the locals. We were told that we were not to take film or use flash photography, which was of course fine. To our surprise (and disappointment), once we were inside the leading monk was extremely rude, barking at us not to take film or flash (which we were not doing), and going on to say things like “this is my country, you do what I say!”, and “I know what you westerners are like, I know what you are thinking, but I won’t let you”, implying that we would surreptitiously take video, also stating “you must not film - this is a sacred ceremony and no filming is allowed”. None of us had any intention of violatiing their wishes of course, and there was no need for such aggression. One of our party was even kicked out for taking still shots with a camcorder despite stating that he was just taking stills.
The ceremony itself consisted of about 30 minutes of chanting, and they blew a thick cloud of Juniper incense. I found myself getting rather light-headed as I listened to the chanting, and a bit “floaty”, and a few minutes later to our collective embarrassment Lucy (one of the leaders and skydiving journalist), Holly (intended first woman to do a solo jump here) and I got totally uncontrollable giggles in response to another of our party dozing off! I just about managed to hide it by pretending to have a coughing fit, but I have not laughed that much in a long time. I think I blame the incense + altitude!
Inside
Once we left the monks were again very rude, actually laughing openly at Holly with her video camera that they had not allowed her to use. We also then discovered from Serena (the trek leader) that she had negotiated with the monks about filming but had rejected their outrageous request for $900 per camera; so much for “a sacred ceremony that must not be filmed”!
Back in the lodge another piece of the picture fell into place with a sign stating that the monks owned the lodge and the rent was very high therefore they had to charge extra if we were not going to eat there (see below). None of us were at all impressed, and have concluded that the monks are more like a local mafia, and not at all what one we expected from Tibetan Buddhist leaders.
Day 5: Trek to Tengboche
28th September 2008I was mostly better again this morning and was ready to get back on the trail. Unfortunately though, John had twisted his knee badly the day before during the monastery trip and there was no way he would be able to come with us, so this morning we parted ways but I will see him again in 3 days time.
The other thing I was saying goodbye to was nice Western-style loos. For the next 36 hours or so I would have to bite the bullet and use the more traditional “hole in the floor” type loos that you have to squat over; some are not too bad with porcelain bowls (although manually flushed with a bucket), but some are basically a shack with a gap underneath with a hole in the wooden floor! Definitely not one of the highlights of the trip.
Loo!
Despite still being a little weak the day’s trekking was fine, especially given that our Sherpa kindly took my pack for the two long steep climbs. During the morning we contoured around a higher south-facing mountain side which was very different to the other locations, with barbed scrub bushes, many more of the beautiful (and usually sparse) mountain flowers and a constant sound of grasshoppers in the air. It was a beautiful day as well which was a nice change, although I managed to sun-burn my hands.
The winding mountain path
The powerful river with prayer flags hanging off the bridge in the foreground.
We arrived in Tengboche in early-afternoon, just before the cloud moved in. It is a grassy plateau on the mountain top with a big monastery (the main one in the region) and a number of houses and lodges dotted around the edges.
