MOVING ON IN KATHMANDU

Resting, hydrating ourselves, eating well, remembering certain things and forgetting others. In short, moving on from the Dhaulagiri expedition. This is how it must be. We have a new expedition in front of us and we have to leave the last one. However, it is impossible not to remember certain moments. It has been a good expedition, a fast one, one month in the base camp, effective in contents, first Aragonese climb to the summit, first female Aragonese Himalayan summit, homage to our friends who passed away in this mountain and among all, there was a great atmosphere of comradeship and work.
There have also been difficult moments. The disappearance of our mate Rafa, the difficult situation of the Argentinians, the very late arrival of Marta to the summit, followed by an enormous tension throughout the night, until she reached camp 3 early in the morning. As usual, there was a mixture of good and bad things. But if I have to get an average result, it would be a positive one.
The helicopter brought us one more time to the hot weather of Kathmandu. We have just spent three dreamful days, recovering ourselves and coming back to life. Nevertheless it is only going to be a small break for Pérez and I. In four days time we will head off towards our target, Lhotse, 8.501 meters. It is the fourth mountain in Earth, a great giant, a Himalayan titan. We have made this decision after thinking about it very well. Our initial target was, as you already know, Everest. Nevertheless, it has not been a regular year for this mountain. The Chinese Government, pushed by the madness of taking the Olympic torch up to Everest, forced Nepal to shut the mountain until 11th May. This was of course if they reached the summit by then, as if there had been any delays they would have kept the mountain for themselves. Nepali government, with a weak character, even allowed the Chinese government to enter in Nepal to watch over it. Under this conditions our decision was firm, we were not going to pay 70.000 dollars for the permit and risk it. We then concentrated ourselves in Dhaula. We succeed and we now look towards another Nepali giant. We will try to climb the 8500 meters of Lhotse. It will not be easy. To go up, in my case without oxygen, to this high altitude, after the enormous effort in Dhaula, it is going to require insistence and a strong concentration, similar to our dear Palafox. I do hope that the circumstances of the mountain are good, hoping Lhotse respects me as a good opponent, and I wish I can get my 9th 8.000er in few days time. After this, it will be the moment to come back home, after almost three months away. I yearn for seeing my people, hugging them and kissing them. I wish to tell them they do not have to wait any longer, that they do not have to suffer anymore. But I cannot say this yet.
Tomorrow we will say goodbye to Marta. She returns home to cure her wounds. They are not important but she cannot continue the battle. We will prepare all our papers and the 13th of may we will be at the base camp, at 5.400 meters. There will only be one attempt, one opportunity.
We go for it!
Carlos Pauner