a big thank you

So, back home finally- to my mum, my dad, all my family and to my own bed!

England looks absolutely beautiful with fresh eyes- when i left it was still miserable winter and now: SUMMER!!

I am still missing Everest dearly. In Kathmandu i had my first meal alone for 6 weeks- eating soup at the yak and yeti buffet without the usual banter from the team was really depressing, i just wanted to be back with them in the mess tent, wearing my down jacket and munching on Bihm's fantastic fare.


Obviously, i have read all the comments on this blog and take them seriously- to those asking why i havent thanked my rescuers enough- the courage to come out of your warm tent and go back into the freezing cold and dark to help someone is truly heroic. As i said in that blog- i owe the sherpas and the team that came up to help, my life.

Overall, i feel incredibly guilty that this ordeal happened. It just goes to show that one small mistake, one small slip, can have such huge concequences on a mountain like Everest. The ascent and beginning of the desent on summit day was absolutely text book- i was feeling strong, and throughout the expedition, had had no other problems and was a strong member on a strong team.

Would i have gotten down alive if i didnt have the team around me? Its very unlikely. I would have most likely suffered from exhaustion and the cold and died on the path, unable to move fast enough back to camp. it scares me to think that such a small injury rendered me so useless.

I am so lucky to have had not only support but GOOD support. In my opinion we had the most professional sherpas on the mountain, they were fast and didn't mess around- they were true heroes.

Better mountaineers than me have died on big peaks like Everest, and i am sure that some of them need not of if they had had the support that i had that night. Thankfully, the day after next we all arrived back at BC, i was in a huge amount of pain with my back, but we were safe and the ordeal was over- that was a huge relief.

So back home, on reflection of the entire expedition- whilst i can say it was the time of my life, and when i was asked yesterday in an interview if i preferred all the media pampering or being on everest- i replied dead pan: Everest. And i meant it- give me sunrise in the ice fall over a photo shoot any day. It is still marred by the fact that i caused such a dangerous situation for those sherpas and my team that came up to help- from the bottom of my heart i have thanked them for helping me, but it will never be enough.

So again: Lakpa, Dorje, Rick, Greg, Victor, Henry, Kami, Tom, Namgel, , KC Lakpa. Thank you.

Bonita