Day 12 - World Record Holders!

We are World Record holders! The game was a huge success yesterday. Even better, Hillary won!! Amazing performance and a great team effort saw us defeat Tenzing convincingly.

In the end all the Hillary boys stepped up to the plate like we knew we would. A strong opening partnership between David and Glen got us off the mark and from there we kept on going. Charlie Campbell bowled exceptionally, but everyone played their part. Most of the credit must go to Glen though. Throughout this whole thing he has been exceptional and excelled yet further on the day. Superior tactics, great leadership and a class performance. What more can you ask for from a skipper?!

It was a truly amazing experience. I am so pleased. There was a moment when we were batting that I took out to wander around the far side of the pitch and see the game happening in front of me with Everest and Nuptse as the back-drop. Now that is a special moment!

Celebrations were suitably debauched, with Champagne popped, cake cut and awards given out. Can’t wait to see the photos! A lot of my night was spent with the Sat-Phone glued to my ear doing interviews over in the UK. However, managed to find time between interviews to drink some champers or a beer. Brilliant night! Marcus was a total legend, as he has been throughout.

This morning I went up to Kala Patta with Dharma, David and Kiwi. We decided to avoid upper Kala Patta as it is always crowded. Instead we went to lower KP. Here we had the entire place to ourselves. Peaceful and with such an amazing view of Everest in all her glory as well as the entire Khumbu Glacier and the valley that we spent 9 days trekking up.

Last night I made a tough decision. We had previously always planned on getting back to Lukla in 4 days. However, I have been getting advice from locals and guides that this window of amazing weather will turn soon. Getting out from Lukla is tricky in rubbish weather and we will have no room for error if we take 4 days getting there. Therefore I have decided that we will get back down inside 3 days. This will be tough. However, it is possible and it will give me 2 days to get the Hillary boys out and 3 to get Tenzing. This is a much better situation. It’s going to make me unpopular, but not as unpopular as if we don’t get everyone back to the UK on time!

So we started our decent this morning after the visit to Kala Patta. I enjoyed the day’s trek, tough as it was. However, we now have a major problem. Chronic D&V (diahorea and vomiting) has broken out – nightmare! Wes and Breck have both succumbed and are in bad shape. We’ve tried to isolate the problem. Markby is also ill, but with different symptoms. I think he has straight forward exhaustion. If we are to make it down in the 3 days, I need this illness to go no further! It is a major concern, and am now making contingency plans. Tomorrow is a tough day too!