Back in the U.S.S.A.

Well, um... we're back. Actually we got back last weekend, but we were busy acclimatizing to sea level--i.e. eating protozoa-free food, taking hot showers, and watching lots of reality television.

Here's a photo of Jen, Kat, and me in front of the Khumbu Icefall (that's Everest there on the left) along with the Mountain Professionals climbing team. Now that Nepal's friendly neighbor to the north has done their Olympic-torch-on-Everest thing, the team is readying their own summit bid. Word is that they'll sleep at Camp 3 tonight (May 11)--or at least try to sleep (good luck with that, guys)--and then go back down to Base Camp for a few days of rest before making their summit push for real. Be safe! And take lots of pictures!

As for pictures, I'll be uploading some more very soon, along with an explanation of this whole Jen-and-Maria-climbing-Everest thing (which many of you have asked for)... so stay tuned!

Start Again Crying

We are back in Kathmandu. In the library of our hotel last night, a German blurted that out: "Start again crying." He was trying to say something..but what? I don't know. Those Germans, so dramatic...and everywhere! I have no idea what he was talking about, but when I woke up this morning, I noticed that I had written "start again crying" on my hand, because it just seemed so hilarious last night, I had to write it down. Things are very exciting here! In other words, we are starved for comedy. But at least Kathmandu is warm.

I laugh at all of Maria's jokes. Her laugh is very loud, which can be useful when you are lost without a headlamp on a darkened Himalayan trail and your Sherpa is sent on a desperate mission to find you before full-on night fog sets in. But I'll let Maria and Kat fill you in on that one, as it was their "adventure," not mine.

I do think people go a little bit crazy here. All of us--not just me. Yesterday Kat told me that I was being politically incorrect for getting upset at two Nepali men who were staring at my chest--because (in the seering heat) I was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Hmmm. Well anyways, to avoid confusion, today I'm wearing a full-length bathrobe, boots, a head scarf, and a full-face balaclava. Don't want to lead anyone on! And yay me, I'm hot in a whole new way. Are we going insane?

See, this is what happens when you are cut off from civilization for two weeks. Speaking of, Base Camp was quite the scene. In a preemptive strike against torch protest, all communication out of Base Camp was shut down--no sat phones, no internet, no cameras...thus our silence. You may have heard that the Nepali Army was authorized to shoot on sight anyone disobeying this mantra. In reality, things were a little more relaxed than all that, but many climbers are afraid that their summit attempt will be endangered if the Mountain does stay closed until May 10--and it looks like it will. The fear is that there will be a mad dash for the summit as soon as the Mountain re-opens, which will create a potentially dangerous situation. Traffic jams at critical junctures such as the Hillary Step have caused problems in the past, and threaten to do the same this year. Our best wishes go out to the climbers still on the Mountain...stay safe! And hopefully the torch will get to the top soon. Hi China! Are you reading this? We were very obedient at Base Camp, just like you asked. Hello!

I would like to give a special shout-out to Renee for the hilarious updates to the Dander Report.

So much more to ramble on about, but I don't want to bore you right now. This sudden re-connection is just blowing my mind, and I'm afraid that everything might be coming out wrong. Ha ha.

More tomorrow. For reals!

It's Lonely at the Top

I'm lonely. We climbed to 14,500 feet today, and then back down to 13,500 to sleep. We are in a town called Dingboche. I desperately need a burrito and a saled with seared ahi tuna. Help.

We did our first interview for CNN today. We talked about how we could combine the same old things to make new things to eat for dinner. We figured out the solar panel. I pondered the amount of dust on my pant legs.

Needless to say, there was some down time today. We hung out with Canadiens. They surround us. They are connected somehow to the Olympics, and they like to sing.

It's very cold all the time now. Waking up, cold. Breakfast, cold. Lunch--you guessed it, cold. But I'm not complaining, really. There is that little thing called the Himalayas all around us.

Hi mom and dad!

Greetings From 11,300

Hello, and apologies for the delay in updating. Nobody told us that Macs don't work at altitude. There are a lot of things that nobody told us.

We arrived in Lukla on Saturday via the Hillary/Tenzig Airport: and airstrip poised at an angle on a mountainside. It actually looks vertical when you make the approach. The plane, chartered by the fabulous Yeti Air, screeches uphill upon touching down. It actually goes downhill to take off. A very odd sight indeed.

The Yeti Air plane was, well, let's just say old school...complete with blue padded walls and folding seats. But the ride wasn't too bumpy, and we lived. The domestic airport was scarier: it looked like a farmer's market with planes. The metal detector was more of an accessory, as every person who went through it beeped, but security didn't seem to mind.

Fast forward to Namche Bazar, where we are now. We took an extra day here courtesy of me. In my usual fashion, I overachieved, racing upward in elevation (3000 ft) with a 35lb pack that included my camera gear. My special reward was bad AMS--acute mountain sickness, i.e. altitude sickness. It was the second worse I've ever felt, just behind shingles. I threw up, felt dizzy, could barely walk...a real party. The worst part was that I thought I was dying, and started inventing symptoms that our guide Dave informed me do not exist in the realm of altitude illness (including one that I like to call "cold heart", i.e. "my heart feels cold."). Those of you who know me know how I have the uncanny ability to invent--and actually feel--symptoms that I believe to be killing me. So you can imagine what a pleasant time was had by all on that particular evening.

Luckily I recovered within a few hours. My computer did not fare as well.

We will arrive on Everest one week from today if we stick to schedule. Next Tuesday. We will hopefully have internet access at least once before then. We should have some sort of access on the Mountain. We hope.

Saw Everest for the first time inearnest today. What a sight! Also saw Lhotse and Ana Dablam.

I do miss home...am getting sick of the food. But not sick fromteh food..yet. Somebody said "bakery" today and I got all sad. I will need Water Street, pumpkin pie, juice, fruit and salad promptly upon my retun. Please make a note of it.

I miss you all!

xo
jen

Namaste, Young Americans

The day began with a gentle symphony of weird animal and bird sounds, and I liked it. Maria was wearing earplugs, and she missed it all. She claims not to care. Of course, she would care if she knew what she was missing…so let’s all hope she doesn’t read this. (She probably won’t--she’s much too busy thinking up new and creative ways to work Burning Man into every conversation. What fun for me!)

OK, so, I’m exhausted and thus am at risk of not being as hilarious and inciteful as usual, so I’m going to keep this short. (Sorry mom.) We have to wake up in a few hours to fly to Lukla and officially begin our journey to the Mountain.

So…here are some things I can tell you about Kathmandu:

Driving (I use the term loosely) is more dangerous than climbing Everest, but at least you don’t have to worry about getting a ticket, no matter what you do.

The soap here is very strong; I theorize that it’s preemptive. There is talk of limited showering in our futures. And, despite what Maria said in her previous blog, that is NOT my style. I, for one, like it clean.

There are a lot of dogs, and they love lying motionlessly everywhere.

Monkeys like ice cream cones.

Who are all these hipsters? (There goes our niche.)

There are electricity schedules so credit cards are only accepted sometimes. Sometimes I wish it was like that in New York.

"Young Americans" is on the radio here in the library of the Courtyard Hotel. The people that run the hotel are great, you shoud stay here if you come to KTM.

OK, that’s all for now. So much to say, but must sleep. Hello to everyone, we’re thinking of you!

We're Here, Dammit!

Well, two days later... we've finally arrived in Kathmandu. The town's not much to write home about--at least yet--so I won't. But the hotel is great. A flower-encircled oasis rising from a slum. I really don't know where it came from. Our trek mate Kat is supposedly in the hotel room next to ours, but we're afraid to knock in case of napping (though she's probably already out on the town).

Also the weather is warm. And we're wearing polypropylene. Found the shower and freshened up though. (Well at least I did. Jen was more interested in finding a "power source.")

Anyway, we've obviously found the electrical outlets. (Nevermind the young Brit boys who wondered what I meant when I asked if there was an "outlet." Of course I instinctively replied something snide about looking for the Nike store.) Jen and I both have writing to do. Jen on a script and me on an article. So that's all for now.

Photos TK. Soon.

Bye now!

Rushing out of Venice

Maria is rambling on the couch and drinking red wine. Simultaneously, somewhere out there, Kat is boarding a plane in NYC. We leave from LAX in 4 hours. Did I mention we are rushing? Here in CA, Cynthia and Didrick, Everest veterans, are making us feel better about Mao bandits along the Khumbu route and the trials and tribulations of going the bathroom on the ground for a month.... Ouch. (Toilets, can I get a wut wut...miss you, for reals.)

But, despite it all...we are excited. Here we go.

Maria is still talking. She says "Maria finally gets out of the car after the neurosis (i.e. Jen too NY) driving-errands-hours and hey...we're going to Everest..." It just hit her. It will hit me at the airport, I guess. PS...is Maria going to refer to herself in the third person for the rest of the month? Ouch 2.

Don't forget to check in on my cats...their blog, updated by Renee, is at http://dirtylitterbox.blogspot.com.

See you on the other side!

Leaving LA

We're here in LA making the final arrangements and running errands. Our flight leaves at around 11PM tonight. So excited!