Mt. Everest 2005: Gavin Bate: Gavin is back

File photo Everest on a better day ©EverestNews.com

Update: Gav back in touch : Hi All,
Gavin is just off the phone! Every time he rings into the Audio Blogger it is engaged or offline and hence hasn't left a message but our internet whizz, Richard, will hopefully have that all cured soon.

He is now at Bupsa, the village where AA Gap students three years ago started renovating a 350 year old monastery. The Monastery is now finished and Gavin has been sitting with six Lama's going through the opening ceremony for tomorrow. The incredibly detailed paintings of Buddha's life inside the monastery have been finished and tomorrow a huge Buddha will be carried from Karla Pass high above the village down into the monastery with all the religious head Lama's behind it followed by the local community. He reports that the excitement, appreciation and atmosphere are electric.

Gavin was saying that for the last few hours he has been sitting in the candle lit monastery reflecting upon where he has been and what now lies ahead, the importance of both and how they worked together to achieve so much not only in Nepal but also Kenya.

We last heard from Gavin in Namche. He then walked from Namche to Lukla in 8 hrs and stayed the night and then onto Bupsa today in four hours. Having been there many times myself I don't know how he is covering so much distance especially considering what his body has already been through!

Some people have been asking Gavin's high point on the mountain and until now we have only had the audio reports and a rumour that his hi point was at the Balcony. I can now tell you that Gavin was above the Hillary step, the summit was just ahead of him however as reported due to the large amount of people on the exposed summit he felt it was simply not safe to stand and wait especially with the wind picking up.

So as said from the start Gavin was unable to stand on the summit point due to the crowds and with the conditions, the lack of oxygen, the sick photographer and the potentially worsening weather he took the right choice and headed down. If you look at photos of the SE ridge you will see that it's plain sailing from the top of the Hillary step in comparison with the rest of what he had done and he also reports that he felt great. He was a matter of feet from the high point of the summit but he says he has no regrets. He reckons it's out of his system now and has achieved what he set out to do, he was after all at the top of the world.

We will need to now have a chat to Labrokes and see where we stand on the fundraising side of things for Moving Mountains. As soon as I get some news it'll be posted.

Gavin's plan is to head to Bumburi tomorrow and see the micro hydro project and check up on all the people there from Adventure Alternative and Moving Mountains who have been working tirelessly to have everything in place. The reports are sounding fantastic and Gavin sends a big thank you to everyone who has donated and helped.

He then heads back to Bupsa in the afternoon for the Monastery opening and in true Sherpa tradition, the large party that follows. Not to mention a well deserved beer!

Hopefully we'll hear from Gavin over the next few days when the audio blogger is up and running again.

Please give to his good cause: DONATE NOW!

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