Mt Everest 2006 Nepal side: Dirk Stephan Machermo 4400 Meters

Above the Second Step headed for the Summit. Well Dirk will be on the other side. but nice picture@EverestNews.com

Yet-Lodge, Machermo, 4400m: I wrote until late at night, then slept quite well. In the morning fighting with small diarrhea attacks, would have been too easy without! The mandatory protein cereals should release energy for the day. We start up at 8:30 am, although I plan to take my time I cannot resist and cover the distance within 1 hour 40, other trekkers arrive 2 hours later. Though route is tough, maintaining along a scarp, deeply covered with snow. A crash without ice axe would be almost inescapable. Instead I have a unbreathable view to the Cho Oyu, the said easiest of the largest. The south wall does not really look easy so the standard trek is via Tibet. In the Yeti-Lodge I drink 2 liters tea and nip my digestion problems with 500mg Ciprofloxazin in the bud. Short term I feel reestablished and climb to the next anticline 100 m higher in altitude. What a pity that the Cho Oyu is mantled in the usual clouds arising in the afternoon, tomorrow morning the view will be cleared again. The Lodge is filled with English and French trekkers, the French returns from below, the paths are cleared but due to the snow mud their boots are wet all over, they say. The English actually plans to camp outside, but with those snow conditions they prefer the Lodge. At the Everest I will not have any other option.......

Namaste-Lodge, Goyko, 4790m: Crystal-clear the most beautiful part so far! Next to incredible views to the Cho Oyu the most impressive are the saint lakes. Halfway frozen with stone creatures all over. Especially the view from the Goyko to the third saint lake recalls Scandinavian Fjords. I reach Goyko within 2 hour 30, true euphoric! It almost appears that the tough training pays off. On the other hand I know it needs weeks to get to the oath actually. My today´s condition does not count. However I spend the night at least in a height like the highest Alps. Indeed here the climping starts! In the afternoon the Lodge fills up, the English arises after four hour walk, completely burnt Dutchman returns from the Goyko-Ri and a Korean bunch falls asleep seated. I enter soon my sleeping bag, thus I want to leave early, no cloud shall block the view onto the Everest!

Dirk Stephan

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