There were times yesterday that I thought I might be in over my head. This morning I had partially recovered and several of the other guys were sharing the same feelings. Seems everyone underestimated the ferocity of the heat and exertion in the icefall. On top of all this I may have picked up the cold that has been going around coughing, aches and pains and low grade fever. If so it will mean putting off my next trip for a couple of days. I am not sure it matters at this point. The icefall doctors as they are called have not finished fixing the route to camp one and won’t for 4 or 5 more days. Once that happens we will make a climb through the ice fall to camp One where we will spend several days acclimatizing then to camp two where we spend several more before returning to base camp to recover. I got our version of a hot shower but it was too cloudy to wash clothes. That will just have to wait. So generally I caught up on my journal and tried to rest in case I decide to go up tomorrow. Terri is flying out of Katmandu in a little while on her way home. She got into Katmandu yesterday in the middle of a 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM curfew. Demonstrations had been planned against the King and for a restoration of democracy. This is the King and Army’s way of putting them down. It probably saved me money because she had to stay in the hotel. But knowing my extreme shopper she probably negotiated an Army escort. Today it was suppose to be back to normal so she may get some shopping done this morning before her flight to India and on to the US leaves. Returning from a climb or trek like this is always a surreal experience as with each addition hour you are exposed to more of home and first world living. Terri has a long layover in Delhi and a long flight after that but usually by then you scoff at the minor inconveniences – you’re going home. You get on that American Airlines flight and all the flight attendants speak English and hail from places you know and the next time the doors open you will be back in your own country. When that immigration inspector finally hands back your passport and says welcome home it is a great feeling. In a few months if all goes well I can list three countries on my travels India, Nepal and Tibet. I won’t get a stamp on my passport from Tibet though because there are no border crossing guards at the top of Everest. The border passes right through the peak but I can live with that!