Fund-raising

Wednesday, 8 Aug
"Mission Control":   There was little mention of Jan in the summit blogs yesterday and I wasn't able to establish why he didn't summit but now all can be revealed!

Tuesday, 7 August
What a fantastic day it's been! 

Monday, 6 Aug
Deshun:   Wonderful, lazy rest day in Priut today!   It feels like we're being lazy but we're actually preserving energy for the summit push - hopefully tomorrow.    Unfortunately the Russian cooks refuse to cook our wheat/gluten free pasta and both Jan and I are struggling a bit with the food on offer.   The pic (right) was taken at breakfast this morning and the look on my face speaks volumes!
Weather permitting we'll be leaving for the summit at 0330 tomorrow morning (Tuesday - about 0130 SA time) and we should reach the summit by mid-morning.   It'll take us another 4hrs or so to get back down to Pruit.    Because the weather here is so unpredictable we have 3 possible summit days built into the itinerary - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.   Thereafter we have to leave the mountain or we won't be able to depart Russia before our visas run out and that's why we're praying so hard for good weather.   At the moment the forecast for tomorrow looks fine for summitting and hopefully by this time tomorrow I'll be
sending you pics taken on the summit!   Hold thumbs!

Deshun sending news back to "Mission Control and a climbing team trek past Priut on an acclimatisation trek.

Sunday, 5 Aug
Deshun:   After breakfast this morning we began to move camp up to Priut.   We took a ski-lift for the 1st section and then a chair-lift up to the "barrels" (a camp pictured right with the twin-peaked Elbrus in the background).   Natasha, our guide, has a sunny disposition but nonetheless sorted out people trying to push into the chair-lift queue ahead of us.   From the barrels a snow-cat took an enormous load of all the food and other supplies needed by teams at Priut.   Jan  managed to catch a ride as did one or two other climbers but when they reached the camp they discovered passengers are expected to help offload!  
I arrived 30mins later and after our lunch of salami, trout caviar, cheese and black bread was in no mood for another 2,5hr hike but a determined Natasha led us slowly and steadily up to Pastukhova Rocks.   It was tough going but we all reached 4700m altitude before we descended back to Priut and a rest day tomorrow.

Jan:    Offloading all the supplies was pretty tiring but the ride up on the snow-cat was worth it!     The pic (right) is Desh arriving at Priut a short while later.  The views from up here are really beautiful as you can see in the pic below.

Thank you to everyone thinking of us and praying for good weather.   Tomorrow we rest and then, if the weather's ok, we'll try for the summit on Tuesday.

Saturday, 4 Aug:

Deshun:   Yesterday I didn't take gloves on the acclimatisation trek and almost froze in the sleet and strong wind.   Today I took 2 pairs just in case and didn't need either.   (Note to self:  always take lots of gloves and thereby ensure good weather!)    Today we climbed beyond Priut to 4300m altitude and stayed there a while to acclimatise before returning to overnight at Azau.   We'll move camp to Priut tomorrow morning and then we’ll do another acclimatisation climb, this time up to Pastekova Rocks at 4690m altitude.   This is me on one of the Priut hikes.   I'm still feeling good and really looking forward to summitting.

Jan:   Difficult day for me today – but definitely not as bad as day 2!   The body struggles to function properly on the decreasing oxygen supply as we climb and some days are just harder than others.
Being able to communicate so easily with the outside world makes a huge difference to the expedition and it's such a treat being able to send and receive emails, pics, etc.
Also it’s wonderful being on such a well planned, smoothly run expedition and all credit goes to Pat Falvey’s “Irish and Worldwide Adventures”.   Here's a pic of our Russian climbing guide, Natasha Ter-Gazaryan, who has so skilfully led us up and down and up and down and up and down some more and, in the next few days, she'll lead us up to the summit of Elbrus.  

Friday, 3 Aug:
Jan says:
This morning we left at 0900 and, taking all our gear/etc, caught the cable car to Azau at around 3000m altitude, our new base for the next couple of days.   Leaving our gear at Azau we climbed up to 4045m, beyond Priut ["refuge"], where we spent a while to acclimatise before returning to Azau for the night.   So, as you can see, we're sticking to the basic acclimatisation rule of climb high, sleep low.
It was a good day, not too strenuous, and I was able to get some great footage.   Unfortunately the satellite signal isn't at all good tonight so I'll rather try to send the pics when there's a stronger signal.
Tomorrow we're doing another acclimatisation trek before returning to Azau to overnight and Sunday will see us moving camp to Priut from where we will attempt to summit!
love to everyone back home and thanks to all for the support and encouragement
Jan

(left) Flower Valley which the climbers passed through on Day 2 and (right) one of the older cable cars up to the Azau area

Deshun says:
Another great day today and both Jan and I are feeling really good.   Although some of the days this week were really tough overall the programme is perfectly paced so that we don't even feel like we need a rest day.
Also knowing that we'll be moving camp to Priut in a day or so means that summit day is almost within touching distance and that's enough to give any mountaineer added energy and encouragement!  
Because we're all feeling strong and coping so well it's been decidede that, Instead of the planned rest day, tomorrow we'll be off at 0930 up the mountain to Priut and beyond for more acclimatisation.   Here's hoping the rest of this 1st for Women Elbrus expedition goes as well as it has up to now.   Even though we're trekking and having to acclimatise the days are simply flying by and we're loving every minute.
Deshun

"Mission Control" says:    Priut 11 ("refuge for the 11") was built in 1929 as a research station accommodating 11 scientists.   Over the years it was extended, rebuilt, extended again and, in its 70yr existence, provided accommodation for thousands of climbers before it burnt down in 1998.
The new structure, seen here, is Diesel Hut which can accommodate around 55 climbers.   This is the last camp before summitting so in climbing season  excitement is always in the air.   From here it is possible to summit and return to camp in a day  - weather permitting of course.

The 1st for Women team of Deshun and Jan will be attempting the summit  mere days from now and we'll be updating this site regularly with all the latest news and more images - direct from the mountain.

Thursday, 2 Aug:
Jan says:  Deshun is lekker tired so asked me to report.   It's raining and we're busy packing up to move camp tomorrow to further up the mountain.   Today we did a long trek, easy incline but l-o-o-ong, and peaked at around 3000m altitude.
To both of us it was kind of a rest day - rest for the muscles, anyway.   Deshun sets a slow pace and keeps it up for hours.   She's perfect at energy management.   Other climbers steam ahead, stop to rest then rush off again whereas we just keep going at a steady, comfortable pace and manage to keep up with everyone else as if by magic.   She's been nicknamed "the Masai Warrior"  -  striding ahead with that relentless kilometre-eating pace.   I learn a lot from her, how to pace myself, how to handle descents and how to laugh a lot on expedition.
So far there's been very little action photo wise.  Each day has been trekking up and back down again.  However, now that we're getting progressively higher and higher I should be able to get pics with a bit more action.
Every day Deshun puts a flower in her hair and I've noticed many of the male climbers on the mountain doing a double take when they see her.   In the words of the '60's flower power song "if you're going to San Fransisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair" except Deshun's in the Russian Caucasus nowhere near San Fransisco and doing 1st for Women proud!
Cheers!
Jan

Deshun says:   Don't listen to him!   Far from being "lekker tired" I've just done ALL the packing for tomorrow so I asked him to report on our trek today to keep him busy and out of my hair!!!  
Today we trekked to an altitude of 3020m at Stary Krugozor ["the lookout"], apparently a former military observation post. 
I found it fairly easy and we were happy to have a bit of a rest.   It was also important for us to find a good rhythm and heart rates which was not possible over the 1st few days.   Even though the trek isn't hard it is, nevertheless, possible to enjoy the experience from astride a not-so-fiery steed.   As you can see I walked and, I assure you, so did Jan!   All in all it was a really good day.
The earlier glitches with the BGan satellite communication system we're trying out have been sorted and we're now able to make and receive voice calls, email, faxes and even live audio/visual streaming.
It's wonderful to be able to communicate properly with the rest of the world while on expedition!   If the system keeps working like this for the rest of the 1st for Women Elbrus expedition I'll definitely be using it on my future adventures!
We're excited about  moving further up the mountain as it means we're getting closer and closer to summit day!
Thanks for all the great support
Deshun

"Mission Control" says:  Keep watching for news updates on the 1st for Women Elbrus expedition - the climbers will be trying to summit early next week and we'll bring you regular news of what's happening.

Wednesday, 1 August:
Today's training hike on the 1st for Women Elbrus expedition was really steep and very tough.  Another beautiful sunny day and a trek up through pine forest with several rivercrossings, over a broad section of rock and shale before they got to the snow line at 2600m altitude.   Then further up through the snow to Flower Valley at 2823m altitude where they stayed for an hour or soto acclimatise before beginning the descent back to base at 1780m.   Here the team are resting in Flower Valley before tackling the steep descent.

Coming back down the steep slope was even harder than going up.   The forest floor is covered in very slippery pine cones so there were numerous unplanned, undignified, hilarious descents by climbers sliding down on their backs.  The only way to stop is to grab on to whatever's available and stop from sliding further.   Jan slipped on a pine cone, slid right through Deshun and another climber and ended up in a bush.  At least he hasn't stepped off any precipices (precipi?)  -  not yet, anyway.

Todays comments from the team:
Jan:     Tired and sore after today's trek.   I never want to see another pine cone!   There was a good satellite signal when we returned to base this evening and I was able to email some pics back to SA.
Deshun:   This expedition is so much more pleasant than the previous time I was on Elbrus.   The going is tough but it's also thoroughly enjoyable.    And I'd forgotten just how beautiful it is here.
It's raining this evening but we're hoping tomorrow will be clear otherwise it's going to be a very soggy trek up to 3000m.
It's now 2251.  We've had dinner, done the briefing session for tomorrow and checked the gear so now it's off to bed ......
 

The plan for tomorrow:
Tomorrow will see them again cross the snow line and climb to 3000m with the aid of crampons (metal spikes which fit to the sole of the boot ) which provide traction in snow and ice.   The pic (right) shows crampons with 1 fitted to a ski boot.
They'll spend an acclimatising hour or so at 3000m before descending to the same base they're using tonight so tomorrow will be an even tougher day than today but it's all really good and vital preparation for getting to the summit.

Hope to see you here again tomorrow when there'll be another blog with the latest news from the 1st for Women Elbrus expedition!

Deshun and Jan finally left for Russia on Saturday.   What a scramble!  
Firstly we packed, repacked and then packed all over again to fit all the climbing gear, photographic and electronic equipment into 3 duffel bags and 2 backpacks!   Not easy and, as most airlines don't classify mountaineering gear as sports goods (unlike for golf clubs, etc) excess baggage has to be paid per kilo overweight, our team had hoped to take the heavier items as hand luggage.  There were some obvious exceptions - like the ice axes for example!!   Security would not have been amused.

Finally it was all done and we had enough time left to take a few pics of Deshun in her great new pink and grey climbing gear courtesy of 1st for Women who are sponsoring the expeditions to Elbrus and Kilimanjaro.

OR Tambo international departures was insanely crowded on Saturday afternoon.
and pushing a luggage trolley through the sea of humanity was almost impossible. The 1st for Women branding caused quite a stir at the airport with several people curious as to what Deshun and Jan were all about.    As you can see from the pic below Jan is also kitted out in
1st for Women colours having been declared an honorary women for the expedition!
After a few hours in Dubai they arrived in Moscow on Sunday morning where they met up with the rest of the expedition team.   Today they all fly to Mineralny Vody - (literally "mineral waters") a mineral spring resort on the northern edge of the Caucasus - and then travel by road to Terskol (altitude 2100m) from where they'll head into the mountains and begin the expedition proper.
If there's good weather in the Caucasus, they will be sending regular news and pics.  This Elbrus diary will continue throughout the expedition so we hope to see you here again tomorrow!

Our 2 climbers, Deshun and Jan,  are about to embark on the "7 Summits" program and we're tickled pink to announce that 1st for Women are generously sponsoring this expedition to Europe's highest mountain as well as the Kilimanjaro expedition planned for early 2008.   (There will be more exciting details about Kilimanjaro over the coming months so keep watching this space!).

We're celebrating this fabulous sponsorship by kitting out Deshun and Jan in 1st for Women's colours and have had great fun trying to track down mountaineering gear that isn't in the usual red, yellow or blue!   Anyway we finally succeeded and they will head off to Russia proudly wearing our sponsor's brand new logo!!!

On July 29 they will meet up with the rest of the expedition in Moscow and head off to climb Mount Elbrus - the highest peak in Europe and the 1st mountain in Deshun's "7 Summits" program.

Follow their progress daily on either www.deshundeysel.com or www.firstforwomen.co.za.
Deshun will be in daily phone and internet contact via satellite and would love to read your comments posted on the website.

Our two South African trekkers, Desh and Jan, have recovered from the affects of the trek and are out exploring Kathmandu.  
Dinner with Paddam last night was a feast.   After 2 hours of nonstop eating Desh thanked her host profusely for a delicious dinner only to be told that there was still more to come!    She says it's wonderful to, again, be experiencing the special warmth and hospitality of the Nepali people.
A comment posted on this website by Paresh, a resident of Kathmandu, says simply "Nepal is a place where every one should go at least once in the life time" and, having trekked and climbed in the Himalayas several times, Desh and Jan are making full use of this week to fully experience the Kathmandu Valley.

Old vs New
The area is a visible clash of old vs new and Jan, with his experienced documentary eye, is keen to explore this aspect.   Some of the old dates back to the 10th century and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the valley are considered to be under threat. 
The three cities in the valley are Kathmandu and Patan (now separated only by the Bagmati River) and Bhaktapur, about fifteen kms from Kathmandu.   Each has an historic Durbar (royal palace) Square, all of which are included in the UNESCO listings,
In Kathmandu and Patan the old is overun by the new in many ways  -  uncontrolled urban development, overcrowding, air pollution that hangs thick in the air and, until recently, very little was done to preserve the heritage in the chaos that is Kathmandu.
They spent today filming in Patan and saw first hand the effects of uncontrolled urban sprawl.

Images of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur
In Kathmandu the Durbar square features the incredible Kaasthamandap temple.  Built in 1596, entirely from wood, it contains no iron nails or supports. 

Swayambhunath in Kathmandu.  Usually called the Monkey Temple by Westerners because of the many monkeys that live there

 
 

In the 1960's hippies who flocked to Kathmandu  took advantage of the Nepali "anything goes"  attitude at that time.   Several musicians of that time (Cat Stevens, Bob Seger and a few others) paid homage to Kathmandu in their music and Jhochhen (Straight House Lane) became known as Freak Street.  Although it is now a commercial area, it still reflects some of its former character!

Tomorrow they'll be visiting Bhaktapur which has a strong artistic heritage and is much quieter with less development having taken place

Bhaktapur's Durbar Square
.

April 16 - safely back in Kathmandu!

OK, so I was just a little stressed
Sorry I've been so quiet but there was no news from Desh on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.   Imaginations started running wild.  What if the Flat Earth Society's right and they stepped off the edge into the void?   What if they were abducted by yetis?   What if they're lost?  LOST??? On that busy trek route you stand more chance of being trampled to death!   Okay, you're right, but what if ...? what if ...? what if ...?
Meanwhile, back in Nepal...
Our group left Lobuche early on Friday morning and headed toward Kala Pattar.   The weather was miserable - minus 5degC plus a windchill factor of minus 15degC!  They were walking into the wind which made getting up Kala Pattar even harder than usual and at one point Daley sat down on a rock and tried to explain just how tired he was.   The usual words just did not suffice - weary, exhausted, bushed, worn out  -  none came close to conveying what he was feeling.   He finally realised that there simply are no English words to adequately describe the extent, the magnitude, the completeness and the ENORMITY of His Tiredness!
Reaching the top of Kala Pattar!
Nonetheless they reached the top of Kala Pattar at about 1115 and were treated to that perfect, stunning, breathtaking view of Everest and all the surrounding peaks.   All the hardships of the previous 10 days fell away  -  they had made it to the furthest and highest point on the trek and were standing at 5585m (18192ft)!!     For all of us non-adventurers that equals five and a half kilometres - in an upwards direction!
On most days cloud starts to form in the late morning and Everest is often obscured by early afternoon.   Our trekkers were fortunate that it was perfectly clear and they had plenty of time to film and take photos before cloud started to appear and the group had to begin the descent towards Pheriche.   It is my understanding that they spent the night at Lobuche and left for Pheriche early on Saturday morning to be there in time for the helicopter at 0900.  
Pheriche - helicopters and a medical emergency
Arriving in Pheriche they learned that, not only was their helicopter going to be late, but that a woman suffering from cerebral odoema (an extremely serious symptom of AMS) had been brought down to Pheriche clinic in a critical condition and an air rescue was urgently required to take her to Kathmandu.    Frantic activity followed in Pheriche while the doctors were deciding whether to put her on the helicopter with our group or whether to wait for a proper rescue flight.   Desh was interviewed at some length on her high altitude experience by BBC-TV who are in the region covering the very large AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) research project being conducted on the mountain this year by Extreme Everest (as mentioned in the update for April 8 - Day 4).
In the end it was decided that the patient should wait for the rescue flight and our team returned to Kathmandu where they checked into the Hyatt Hotel (complete with a very welcome spa!) for the night.
The end of the journey
And so it is back in Kathmandu that this journey has come to an end.  Daley left for Doha today and Peter and Kelvin fly out of Nepal tomorrow.   Tonight Desh and Jan are having dinner with Paddam who runs a company in Kathmandu handling  advance logistics for trekkers and climbers  -  Sherpas (porters and guides), trek accommodation, permits, airport transfers and the like.   Their flights back home were originally booked for April 23 but the trek was shortened by 4 days due to the ascent being a day ahead of schedule and the helicopter flight from Pheriche replaced 3 days of walking!   We are now trying to book them on to earlier flights otherwise they will spend the next week in Kathmandu.
Kirsty is staying in Nepal for another month or so to help a leprosy clinic there get an income generating program under way - much as she is doing with refugees in Northern Uganda.  She works incredibly hard to make these programs a reality and spent last night at an all night dance event in Kathmandu selling massages to the participants to raise money for her projects.   This after a 20day trek (she trekked solo for 10days before meeting up with the group in Namche)!   My thoughts are with her during the rest of her stay in Nepal and I can't wait to see her when she pops back to South Africa in May before going home to Australia.
Back to the beginning
I guess it's appropriate that these trek updates should end more or less where they started.   On April 5, trek day 1, I reported that our trekkers had boarded a tiny Yeti Airlines plane to Lukla.  Today, looking for Kathmandu images, I came across this one showing the Yeti Airlines office (green and white sign on the LH side of the street) in Kathmandu where that flight would have been booked by Paddam's company a few months before the trek.
The past 12 days have brought many new challenges and experiences to our trekkers - the scariest flight, that uphill landing at Lukla airfield, yak cheese, the highest altitude, the coldest weather, probably the worst food, more yak cheese, those damn suspension bridges, the most discomfort, perhaps the furthest walked, the most moaning, the first sight of Everest, and still more yak cheese.
They will also have had many new experiences within themselves and, having learnt new things about themselves every single day, they have lived the Buddhist teaching that something is only a waste if we learn nothing from it. 
Whether it's been the best or the worst time of their lives, whether they loved or hated every step, whether they enjoyed the trek or not, they will all return home knowing that they've done something extraordinary and we salute them all.

This may be the last trekking blog for now but there will be lots of other interesting stuff so  please don't adjust your set ....

April 13 - trek day 9!

Today is all about Everest!
Everest as seen on the trek

Everest from Kala Pattar (the furthest point on the trek)
(or, as one trekker says on his website, "from the bottom of the top of the world")

Everest from the air

From whichever angle and however many times you see that sight it is always breathtaking.  
The mountain has an indefinable something.   Or perhaps we each find something different there - each to our own need.    No matter what it is and no matter whether we call her Sagarmatha (Nepali), Chomolugma (Tibetan), Zhumulangma Feng (Chinese) or Everest (Western) everyone who stands before her comes away knowing that their soul has been touched - by the Mother Goddess of the Earth.

April 12 - trek day 8!

And then there were 4!
Today our trekking group was reduced to 4.    First Peter decided to stay in Pheriche.   He had hardly slept for the past 2 nights (probably as a result of the altitude) so his decision not to continue was a good one.   The rest of the group set off for Lobuche but, shortly after, Kelvin turned back to Pheriche having also decided not to go any further.  
It's difficult for those of us sitting at home to appreciate the toll that the trek takes on the body and every other aspect of one's being.   Not one single part of the trek is easy.   From the time one leaves Kathmandu to the time you return it's a very tough adventure  -  extremely high, extremely cold (and gets colder), uncomfortable, exhausting.   It's also an amazing experience that many people find deeply spiritual and life changing.  At the very least it takes the trekker right to the core of every single aspect of themselves.
On the trek one is 100% immersed in all of those aspects - for those 11 to 15 days there is no respite from the trek.   At every step along the way each trekker must make their own choices, many choose not to complete the trek and that must be respected.   To push ahead ignoring the signals being sent out by the body is extremely dangerous at altitude so, while we're disappointed that Peter and Kelvin did not get to see Everest from Kala Pattar, we are very happy for them that they got as far as they did and that they are safely back in Kathmandu.
Yes, Kathmandu!   A Sherpa accompanied Kelvin back to Pheriche and then he returned to the group saying that Peter and Kelvin had managed to arrange a helicopter flight from Pheriche to Kathmandu.   I'm sure Kelvin's had his fill of suspension bridges and small aircraft!
Today's trek and Lobuche
The remaining group of four (Daley, Kirsty, Jan, Deshun), plus Sherpas, carried on to Lobuche and arrived there in just under four and a half hours.
Our trekkers have now reached Lobuche - the final, and highest, overnight stop on the trek ascent.   Populated in climbing season only, Lobuche is very small and consists mainly of tourist accommodation.
The picture on the right shows the settlement with Pumori peak in the left background.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Eric Shipton climbed Pumori from where they could get a good look at Everest to plan a route to the summit.
Shipton helped plan the route that Hillary and Tenzing Norgay took in 1953 for the
first ever summit of Everest.   The black and white image shown here is of Hillary on Pumori during that expedition.
Plans for tomorrow
Tomorrow morning the group will leave Lobuche at about 0500 and head for Gorak Shep, the highest village before base camp, where they'll stop for breakfast.   They're hoping to reach the top of Kala Pattar by 1030 or 1100 and Deshun is going to attempt to phone me from there.
If she isn't able to she'll call once they're back in Pheriche later in the day.
Naturally they're all extremely tired but determined to get there.   At this point Kirsty is the strongest, Daley is not having the most fun he's ever had but he's coping well, Jan's legs were a bit wobbly today but he made it okay and Desh is trundling along without any serious problems.  
Daley is now the only person on the trek who has not been to Kala Pattar  -  Kirsty, Jan and Desh each having trekked several times.   Desh's first trek was in 1996 when she was a member of the 1st South African Everest Expedition, led by Ian Woodall, during which Cathy O'Dowd became the first South African to summit Everest.    Jan was also on that expedition and it was on that trek that Desh met Kirsty who was trekking solo to base camp.   That's our Kirsty!
The pic on the right is of Kala Pattar.  Don't panic - it's the short brown one being dwarfed here by Pumori.  It's actually surrounded by high mountains, including Everest, so even though it's altitude is pretty high at 5545m (18 200ft), Kala Pattar doesn't get even so much as a mention on climbers' lists of mountains to conquer. It does, however, offer that classic view of Everest and so it is, in every way, the high point of the trek.

Here's wishing our group all good things for tomorrow - hopefully Sagarmatha will bless them with a clear view of the highest point on earth!

And, of course, there will be another trek update tomorrow.

April 11 - trek day 7

Firstly an apology - and it's a big one!
On Day 4 I told you that the group was at the Paradise Lodge in Dengboche.   I'd got a bit ahead of myself and the village was, of course, Deboche  -  not Dengboche which is a village beyond Pheriche.   I'm very embarrassed and have corrected the blog for day 4!
To make amends I'm including a link to a great satellite image of Nepal and surrounds.    The image can be dragged up, down, left, right and you can zoom in or out.   If you zoom out (drag the slide till just 8 or 9 bars show below it) you'll get a great image of the trek from right from Lukla to Mt Everest. 
4=Lukla, 1=Deboche, 2=Gorak Shep (last village before Everest), 5=Mt Everest.  You can  clearly see how they first trekked through forests and green vegetation, then, as they climbed, the terrain becomes brown and finally into the snow covered areas.   Click here to check it out.

Just outside Pheriche is Pangboche which, at
4 765m (15 633ft), is the highest year-round settlement in the region.  There are villages at higher altitudes in the Himalayas but, due to the altitude, none have a permanent population.
Both Pangboche and Dengboche (close to each other) claim to have yeti remains for display - at a small fee.   There was a huge fuss in the 1950's when a Hollywood actor, Jimmy Stewart, arranged for the paw to be stolen and brought to him but nowadays scientists are mostly agreed that the skull and paw are those of a serow (goat-like animal).
Buddhist Prayer flags
The photo on the right is of a traditional stone Sherpa house with the customary Buddhist prayer flags.  The flags are generally in sets of 5 colours representing the 5 Buddha families and the 5 elements  - blue (symbolising sky/space), white (wind/air), red (fire), green (water) and yellow (earth) - and are hung in that specific order.
Today in Pheriche
Weatherwise today was beautiful and our group spent much of the day resting and acclimatising.   They did a 45minute hike to the top of a nearby hill and then back to Pheriche for more relaxation.
The room temperature last night was minus 18degC but today they moved to the White Yak where the rooms are better insulated and more comfortable.
Plans for tomorrow
At around 0800 tomorrow morning they'll head off in the direction of Lobuche which, at 4 930m (16 170ft) is the furthest and highest trekkers stopover. 
Gorak Shep is closest to Base Camp and climbers stay there but, at 5 180m (15 000ft), it's generally considered too high for trekkers to overnight.
Lobuche has 2 peaks, Lobuche East (shown below) and Lobuche West both of which may be climbed on a trekking permit.  The highest point to which one can climb on a trekking permit is the top of Kala Pattar - a climbing permit is required to go any higher or to proceed beyond base camp.
The rest of the trek
They will probably arrive in Lobuche in the early afternoon and will rest there tomorrow night.   The next day they'll trek through the village of Gorak Shep and to the top of Kala Pattar - the highest point on the trek  - from where they will see that classic view of Everest right in front of them.   Hopefully the weather will be clear.
After that they'll retrace their steps to Pheriche for the night.   As they descend they'll benefit from great rushes of energy due to the increasing oxygen levels so they'll be breathing easier and moving faster.   As a result it's quite easy to reach Pheriche from Kala Pattar even though it took them 2 days to do that distance on the uphill trek.
Pheriche to Kathmandu
The guys have decided not to do the return trek to Kathmandu so, at 0900 on Saturday, a helicopter will collect them in Pheriche and fly them to the city.   This also means they'll miss that very "character building", Yeti Airlines flight from Lukla airfield to Kathmandu but I'm sure that didn't influence their decision at all!
No doubt the first things they'll do in Kathmandu are fling off their trek clothes and have a proper shower but I'm sure that straight after that they'll be calling home!

There'll be more trekking news again tomorrow!