Advance Basecamp, Mt. Everest (via satellite phone)
Elevation: 6350m/20,828ft
Low -10C/14F High 4C/35F Calm
9:40am

Eric Brown Describes ABC Life, Food and Politics
James Asks The Burning Question: What's With The Food, Man?

This is Eric Brown reporting for Patagonia Mountain Agency calling from PMA Advanced Base Camp (ABC). Today's date is April 30, 1999, and as always, base camp--Advanced Base Camp, is at 6,350 meters, 20,828 feet (plus and minus). Low this morning was about negative 10 degrees [Celsius], 14 degrees Fahrenheit--it's just cold [laughter]--we're not trying to be too accurate. High yesterday was about 35 degrees Fahrenheit and, fortunately, the winds have been calm.

This morning, Jacek, Ryszard, and Witek headed to Camp I, also called North Col, and tomorrow, weather and wind permitting, they will head up to Camp II and set up tent. Camp II is at 7,800 meters. Tadek is expected at ABC sometime this morning. He spent last night at IC (Intermediate Camp). Otherwise, it's just Talli and I. Omar, Ian, Masaru, and Barbara headed back to base camp for rest and recreation two days ago and because of the resort-like atmosphere there, compared to here at ABC, they are calling it beach club - short for BC, I guess. Masa injured his leg on the trek down to base camp but is improving as of our last radio call. Omar's cough is better also, now that he is in base camp, and says he'll drink lots of cough syrup to aid in the recovery.

Life in ABC is okay. Food is decent to poor, although Dendy, our ABC cook, surprised us the other night with an egg roll-type-thing (laughter) - I know that doesn't sound very appetizing but it was very tasty--we all gobbled them up. Breakfast is usually porridge followed by toast and egg. Lunch is some type of bread, flash pastry, a vegetable or potato dish, and cheese. Dinner is soup with prawn chips or popcorn followed by a pasta dish, cauliflower, maybe moo-moos, hot dogs, or Spam, and then desserts, which is usually a warmed canned fruit cocktail or this fruit mush I've taken to calling yak mucous (laughter).

Reading, resting, cleaning your tent, playing cards or checkers are ways we pass the day. Witek spent one morning building a rock wall around one side of his tent to cut down on the bothersome wind. The Ukrainians seem to be advancing up the mountain the fastest with the American-led Simonsen expedition close behind. Normally, every expedition chips in money to whomever is fixing the ropes. Rumor is the New Zealand-led expedition is wanting to collect money from everybody, but the Ukrainians, who have fixed most of the ropes so far, say they don't want any money at all. BC politics - more as the story evolves.

In my last dispatch I mentioned the Pujah ceremony held to pray for success on the mountain. The rock platform is actually called a churgin - c-h-u-r-g-i-n - whereas the ceremony is called a Pujah.

Talli and I will be in ABC until the 3rd of May, personal records for living above 20,000 feet, so wish us luck. That's it for the last day of April. I will talk to ya'll soon. Over and out from PMA Advanced Base Camp.

James: "Alright man, sounds good...you seem to have a..."

Eric: "Yea?"

James: "You seem to have a real--uh--fascination with the food on this journey Eric, what's with that?"

Eric: (laughter) "Well, I wouldn't call it a fascination - let's call it more of a--uh--an aversion. (more laughter) But people like to hear about what we're eating. I mean it's one way to bring it down to kind of a level.

James: "Well, I hope they like it!" (more laugheter)