FROM LHOTSE BASE CAMP

We just arrived to Lhotse base camp few minutes ago. This base camp is also the Everest one. It is situated at 5.400 meters. Yesterday we left Kathmandu very early to fly to Luckla, entrance to the Khumbu valley. From here we flew in a small helicopter to Lobuche, at 4.900 meters, where we spent the rest of the day. Despite having acclimatized in Dhaula, the sudden change from 1.000 to 5.000 meters has affected our bodies. All of a sudden our bodies have to live with half of the oxygen. Although they can do this, their adaptation is slow and we have not felt very cheerful in the last hours. Today in the morning we walked for three hours and reached our base camp. It is impressive how crowded this place is. Even if you have seen this before, you get impressed to see a small canvas town spread out all around. Everywhere you look at, you see tents. Mess is huge and the appearance of the different camps is overcrowding. We cannot complain. As we sent our staff ahead of us, we already have everything settled up here and in a very good condition. The single tents, the mess tent, the kitchen tent, etc.  The military expedition from the High Mountain School of Jaca is very close to us. They welcomed us tenderly and we are very happy that things are working out well for them so far.
Now we have to get used to this base camp life style again. After spending one week in Kathmandu, our bodies and our mind got used to that situation. Our body tried to recover itself from the impressive reverse which involves climbing over 8.000 meters. Now we have to make our body understand that he ahs to get ready again to bear the extreme altitude. It will not be easy. It is probably what worries me the most about this expedition. Our throats are broken, our lungs do not breath completely well and the signs of 8.000 meters extreme fatigue are still present. We will suffer a lot, abut I think it is worth trying. If after few resting days weather gives us an opportunity, we will go up, little by little, but not looking back. We will make the most of it from our attempt, and we will return satisfied about our success or at least satisfied for being able to fight again in high altitude. So far we are relaxed, settled in our new base camp, with all our senses in alert, glad about the spring schedule being carried out as planned so far. We trust Lhotse will give us an opportunity.
Carlos Pauner