Back in BC!

On Sunday at 7 a.m. – right on schedule – we set off for a downclimb to our safe haven. The last night in C2 was endless – I barely slept, the tent was assaulted by blasts of wind and I was supporting it by my eyesight to prevent it from collapsing. K2 definitely wanted to show us who’s the boss. My head ached and felt like bursting; I practically couldn’t take in any food (which, in fact, was the case all through our 2-day stay at this altitude) so at least I was obediently drinking liter after liter of water to wash down a pill after pill of aspirin.

Finally heading back to BC.  I was quite weak when climbing down; fortunately the prospect of a warm meal in BC cooked by Anthony, our top-notch cook from England, carried me over the fearful House’s Chimney between C1 and C2. It’s a bitch of a climb, and when there’s severe wind to add to it, you have no room for error. The way down is much faster – it’s a mixed terrain, and steep too – by no means to be underestimated (in fact, nothing at all so far has been given to us for free). As reported in my previous post: Mark, a member of our team, had to call it quits and was taken by a helicopter back to Skardu yesterday. Today even the beefed-up British woman from the other team, sponsored by Red Bull, has given up.

But let’s look ahead; the bad and the ugly is all forgiven and forgotten. I’m enjoying several days of rest and it doesn’t take much to make me feel happy.  I’m fed, wrapped in a sleeping bag inside of my own tent, teeth brushed (my mom, a dentist, would be proud of me), hair brushed up, skin taken care of by Just … plus an extra bonus of a shower tomorrow, and if the sun bothers to show up I’ll even treat myself to a hair-wash. A hell of lot of stuff going on, and I… I already have an itching to be up there again.