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This is just a very quick hello from Namche Bazaar, where we arrived this morning. I am amazed by how ‘high-tech’ the Sherpa capital has become with wireless internet being available almost everywhere. I am currently sitting in our lodge, enjoying a Cafe Latte and I am just about to proof-read the edited version of my translation of Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner’s book ‘Ganz bei mir’, which will most probably be published in spring next year.

The trek up here has been fine and it is actually the first time for me that I am trekking in with the team as I usually just walk up by myself. “Well, it’s better that somebody looks after you as otherwise you will go too fast again and get altitude sick,” Russell said while steaming up the Namche Hill like a high-speed train.

Our team consist of five members (Katharina from Austria, Kazuyo and Naoki from Japan,Greg from the US and myself) as well as the two Japanese guides Hiro and Shinji. And of course we will be supported by Russell’s great Sherpa team led by Sirdar Phurba Tashi, a 21–times Everest summiteer and wonderful leader.

Apparently there is still a lot of snow further up the valley following the cyclone from the Bay of Bengal that also affected Nepal, dumping metres of snow in the mountains. For our Sherpas, who were aiming to reach base camp tomorrow, this means a change of tactics as there is too much snow for the yaks to reach the base of the mountain. This means that we can take it easy and amble up the Khumbu at a leisurely pace, which is certainly better for our acclimatisation.

I will keep you posted on our progress depending on the internet connection in the area.

Warm regards from a beautiful and sunny Namche Bazaar, which is higher than the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany.