29th March

1655hrs, Debouche

Walk-time: 2.75hrs and 2.5hrs

Descent: 4910m (Lobuche) – 3820m (Debouche)

The screwdriver lives! It would appear that, in the same way the Doctor is attached to his TARDIS, I am attuned to my sonic. When I felt bad the screwdriver failed and yet this morning it worked and now is back to full strength – as am I.

Well, as close to full strength as I can be. But even fully rested I doubt I would have made today’s descent any faster. Up at just before 6.30am our breakfast at seven was delayed as word came through from Team One – not only had they reached Base Camp and returned to Gorak Shep for sleeps, they were now on the way to meet us for breakfast. So with morning meal delayed til past eight we all had a little more time to gather strength.

As Team One arrived I felt no jealousy, anger or regret at not being part of that group – only relief that not had they returned, but also achieved their goal. So with a reunion and food in store, we finally broke for Pheriche at 0900hrs.

This morning was glorious, a clear and sunny day where Nuptse and all other surrounding peaks shone. Within minutes we’d all started taking off outer layers, and the fantastic landscape we wandered through seemed a far cry from the dreary, pain-filled world a few days previous. Reaching the memorial in what felt like record time we spent fifteen minutes doing photos before ploughing on to Pheriche.

What a difference sunlight can make - photo courtesy of Hanifa

Yet another reunion, this time meeting a much healthier-looking Matt who was now ready to walk off the mountain with us. Given his health just two days previous it is a relief to see him well – and also a brilliant example of how a simple descent can stave off something as deadly as HAPE.

Well, we say simple…apparently it all went a bit MacGyver when the oxygen didn’t work and Matt eventually got his oxygen through half a Biro. So his life was saved by a ball-point!

The stopover for lunch stretched on for nearly two hours, which did not sit well with some of us. After a week we’re all becoming familiar with the weather pattern – brilliant mornings, crap afternoons. By the time we left – 1345hrs – wind and snow was descending on the route to Debouche. Still, we managed to storm through at a considerable pace, no doubt due to the newfound-abundance of oxygen!

It is amazing to see how the weather changes the beauty of a place. After a day of snow, the Pheriche Valley looked wonderful in the sunlight, and melted snow turned to rivulets running through the whole Valley floor. After a lovely chat with Lucy I soon bounded across the valley floor, stepping from rock to mound to stone so as to avoid snow and water – and mainly to act like a small child trying to keep off the ‘lava!’

Conversely the lovely morning walk from Debouche become a grey, wet and cold return as fog and snow besieged the valleys.

I wouldn’t say that the air feels thicker down here, but certainly I felt the effects; breathing comes much easier, muscles no longer burn and cry out for oxygen, and my head is clear and pain free – though I did have 1mg of Paracetemol to start the day just to help keep the pain away.

My toes feel a little sore from being pushed into my boots, so one last trim of my nails today before we finish this amazing trek.

-Chris