Summit Success

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I am sitting in the sun at base camp watching the hard-working Sherpas clearing up the camp and packing everything away. It has been almost six weeks now that I left Pakistan and after all the waiting and acclimatising the expedition is finally over and we managed to ‘knock the bastard off’ as Edmund Hillary said after having climbed Mount Everest in 1953.

 On 1st October seven members, seven Sherpas and three guides (including Russell Brice) stood on the tiny top of Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world – and I was one of them. It was a tough climb and I guess I had forgotten how hard climbing an 8,000m peak was.

 However, having been part of this successful expedition has made me the first German woman to stand on top of this 8,153m high mountain, which may not be such a big deal, however, it is a bit of history and it will certainly go into Miss Hawley’s database.

As we are shutting down all our communications system, I will have to stop here but I will be in touch again once I am back in Kathmandu.

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. Ellen

    Hello Manaslu sister!!! I miss you! Thanks for the great team-work on the mountain! Cheers and hugs to you!

  2. Toby

    Hi Billi,
    congratulations of course! But the pressing question is about the salted plums…were they all eaten ? Who had to eat the most ? How many did you have ? And Russell ? Were any carried back down ?
    Cheers, Toby

  3. Thomas

    Hi Billie,

    fette congrats aus Berlin. Tolle Leistung nach 4 Wochen Regen….

    Ciao T.

  4. Jan

    Billiiii – klasse!!
    Herzlichen Glueckwunsch!
    dZ 😉

  5. Alessandra

    I am in my room jumping up and down!! sweeeet!! Fabulous job girl! Hope to celebrate in Istanbul!!!

  6. Beth

    Billi,
    Congratulations! Since I am late posting, I’ll just echo the words my brother said when I sent him a text about your summit. “Wow! What a stud! Amazing!!!”
    I’m also glad you get to be the first German woman and made it back to BC safely! Way to go!!!

  7. Rosemary

    Well done Billi. Delighted you got to the top and that you are safe and well. What next? I’m sure you have some other mad plan in mind. Love to all in KMD when you get back.

  8. Steffi

    Billi, Ich war fast die ganze Nacht wach und hab an Euch gedacht!! Woohoo, Du hast es geschafft, herzlichen Glückwunsch! Ich umarme Dich von Herzen und Du bitte drück Russ und Ellen ganz doll von mir! Macht Euch noch ein paar schöne Tage. Juhuu, ich freu mich!! 🙂

  9. Declan

    Billi! Billi! Billi! Billi! Billi!
    Congratulations! Happy to hear you’ve again succeeded in your madness and delighted too to know that you did it safely! Look forward to catching up with you when you’re back where you should be!
    Hugs! :o), d.

  10. WendyQ

    Congrats Billi! Call me when you are in Kathmandu – would be great to catch up. 98510-87520

  11. Kate

    congrats Billi! Awesome achievement!

  12. klaus und gerti

    grossartig, herzlichen glückwunsch und
    hoffendlich bis bald in ga-pa.

  13. Sonja

    Awesome! Well done Billi, a bloody mary at Sams for you

  14. markus

    Billi

    so great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Jopi (Julia)

    auch von mir herzliche Glückwünsche, liebe Billi! Darauf kannst du stolz sein! hoffentlich bis bald mal in KTM, ich werde Ende der Woche zum Kanchanjunga aufbrechen, aber nur zu den Base Camps! oberbayrische Grüße, Julia

  16. adele

    FANTASTIC – wonderful news, Well Done!!!Hope to see you in ktm before I go on thursday xxx

  17. Marion

    Gratuliere, Billi! Du bist schon ein Superweib! Dickes Bussi!

  18. TINA

    Hallo Billi,
    wow, herzlichen Glückwunsch. Du kannst schon stolz auf Dich sein und ich bin froh, dass es Euch allen gut geht.
    Du bist dabei, Geschicht zu schreiben……….
    TINA

  19. Judith

    ..ich habe Gerlinde und Ralf bei ihrem Vortrag gesehen. Jetzt kann ich es vielleicht ein bisschen besser verstehen…. aber wohl nie so ganz. Gratuliere dir von ganzem Herzen!! Mei, bald bist du richtig berühmt. Alles Liebe

  20. Lizzy Hawker

    SO happy for you Billi, and also to know that you are all safe and well, thinking of you so much and looking forward to hearing the stories. Sending you all the strength and energy from the engadine mountains to ‘come down’ to the everyday. A big hug and lots of love and smiles, Lizzy

  21. andi

    gratulation, yipppihieeijay! und am besten: du bist heil wieder unten! drück dich aus der ferne feste

  22. mama

    gratulation und komm gut wieder nach Kathmandu, wir sind alle happy,dass du es geschafft hast, dickes Bussi

  23. Nonna

    Way to go girl!!!!!! Congrats from Nonna & Mickey

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