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EVEREST AND PRAYER FLAGS

Setting up ABC is a lot of work. We spent two days setting up platforms and putting up tents.

ABC is at about 21,000 feet. We stayed here for 2 weeks acclimatizing. One day we ascended toward the North Col (23,000 feet), stopping short. Another day we climbed all the way to the North Col and descended. Then we climbed to the North Col and spent the night. I experienced a lack of appetite at ABC and ended up losing weight. This is common and is why we and several other climbers descend back to the lower altitude at Base Camp to try to regain strength. Some people have trouble sleeping in altitude. Thankfully, that's not a problem for me.

NIMA, OUR ABC COOK

CON

THE PUJA CEREMONY - During the Puja, the Sherpas ask and pray to the gods for permission to climb Mount Everest and for a blessing for a safe and successful expedition. Until the Puja is held, no one from the expedition is allowed to climb, for fear of angering the gods. As a Buddhist religious ceremony, the Puja is presided over by a lama, Lama Jangbu, a Buddhist holy man. During the Puja, the flag pole is raised upon the chorten and prayer flags strung across the camp. Prayer flags can be seen all throughout Buddhist Tibet and are said to purify the air and pacify the gods, as they flutter in the wind and, in so doing, release the prayers written upon them to the heavens. The 5 colors of the prayer flags--always red, green, yellow, blue and white--are symbolic of the earth's five elements: fire, wood, earth, water and iron.

Prayer flags during our Puja Ceremony get a visit. This is considered good luck.

EYES ON EVEREST

THE PUJA CEREMONY

TOILET SCANDAL - The blue tent is our toilet tent. You can see it's not easy to reach. When we first set it up, some climbers from another group used it, and filled it, without permission. If reported, they could be fined heavily for this (someone said $1000). We just told them to stop and get their own. Later, some Tibetan yak herders stole our toilet (full), cleaned it out and used the barrell. Ah, the troubles at ABC!

ABC gets more and more crowded as time goes on.

ABC

LOPSANG

PHANDEN

LAMA JANGBU

GENE WITH EVEREST IN THE BACKGROUND

RETURNING FROM ACCLIMATIZING ON THE NORTH COL

GROOVY GLASSES

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LAMA JANGBU

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