Yesterday we moved up from Basecamp to an intermediate camp. The height gain was about 300m so there were a few sore heads by the time we reached the camp. The route was dry and dusty up a rough vehicle track - to be honest it was a bit of a slog. The one good thing was that the swelling on my leg had reacted well to antibiotic cream so lancing wasn't needed. The only problem was that fighting the infection left my body a bit weakened. However I am recovering fine.
The intermediate camp centered around a small encampment run by a Tibetan family; mum, dad and 2 little girls aged 5 yrs and 8 months. They couldn't have made us more welcome to their home and had snacks and drinks (Coca-Cola of course) to sell us. The main tent was quite new but very dark with comfy bench seating around the outside and a yak poo fire in the middle. We took our meals and rest time there.
Early today, following a breakfast of porridge, Tibetan bread, fried eggs, cheese and sausage prepared in very spartan conditions by our outstanding chef, Tenzing, we set off for ABC. There was a trek of around 3 hours along a moraine of the Gyrabrag glacier with another height gain of 300m or so. Despite the good acclimatisation at Chinese Basecamp 2 consecutive bid height gain has taken its toll in sore heads and coughs.
However, what a treat awaited us at ABC. Our Sherpas had gone ahead and set up our personal tents and the team mess tent. All of these are spacious and comfortable. We each have an air mattress and a blanket to supplement what we have brought ourselves. Shortly after arriving the yak train arrived amid a furore of bells and shouts from the handlers. We were met with hot orange and shortly after with delicious vegetable noodle soup. The views from our camp are magnificent, or at least they are when they can be seen through the heavy snow that is falling and these tend to make up for the fact that in reality ABC is a blasted rock-scape with level patches having been fashioned to site the tents.
Still this will be home for a few days, and it is great to be here.