Northern Ireland Everest Expedition 2003
Base camp and to ABC

Everest is fearsome from Base Camp. The camps were scattered over the rubble just below the snout of the Rongphu Glacier, which prevents driving closer to Everest. Previously expeditions would be based at Rongbuk Gompa, about 9kms before here.

Sunset from BC, this shows the summit route well.

Visitors to our camp and we weren't famous yet! Anyone guess Dave's opinion?
Another nameless member was more enthusiastic though.
(2007: Banjo and Lauren are now married and have a baby!)

Karsang, gentleman and top kitchen hand,
he worked on Dave's first Cho Oyu expedition, a Cho Oyu expedition with me and now Everest,
and many more in the future. He lives in a village close to Cho Oyu.

After our BC party we had a puja to show respect to the mountain.

In one of those coincidences the lama for our puja had also performed
the puja for the 1993 Irish Everest Expedition, and found his picture
in the book about the expedition!

The team minus Temba and Topke: L to R, Dave, Banjo, Ang Furi, Karsang, Jamie, Dorje and Richard.
By this stage, after a few days at BC Steve had succumbed to diarrhea and dehydration, leading to cerebral odema,
and both him and Duggie had returned to Northern Ireland.

Finally after 8 days at base camp we trekked up to ABC (see the yaks below) and en route we walked on moraine beside this stunning glacier.