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McMurray Gets Back To Kathmandu - Latest Blog...
| Author: Tony McMurray | Published: 30th April 2015 15:51 |
Ellis and Tony with the Khumbu Icefall and Mount Everest BehindTowcester's intrepid Tony McMurray reports on his fund raising challenge. This year's trip makes kayaking down the Thames, struggling on Mont Blanc, waltzing up Kili, Lands End to John OGroats all seem rather tame.
Tony writes to AboutMyArea/NN12 "It is with the greatest pleasure that I can confirm I am writing this email from the relative safety of a Kathmandu hotel today. Safe in the knowledge that I am now booked on a flight to India with an onward flight to London Heathrow landing Friday PM.
I cannot begin to thank so many people across the Ingram globe who have raised their concerns for my well-being, sent me messages of support and also donated to my fundraising site. I have to apologise that I have responded to very few of the messages sent to me via text, LinkedIn, Facebook, Whatsapp etc…. due to a lack of connectivity up on Everest. The messages of support certainly gave me great strength at a time when it was most needed.
When the Earthquake struck at 11.56am local time on Saturday, me and my team of 5 were a few hours out of Everest Base Camp. As the ground shook violently we heard the deafening sound of the multiple avalanches behind us. Our priority over the next 72 hours was to work as a team, listen to our Sherpas and avoid the many aftershocks, landslides and rock falls as we headed down the valley to Lukla and the airstrip to get us off the mountain.
It is only now, down here in Kathmandu watching the various media feeds and talking with others we met up at base camp that we find ourselves realising the magnitude of what hit us up there on Everest, and more importantly how close we were to losing our lives.
My climbing friend Ellis (pictured above) was making his own attempt on the Mount Everest summit. He met with me and my team of 3 Canadians and 2 Brits the day before the Quake on the Friday 24th in our mess tent. We chatted all morning over what was a great experience for both groups and we wished him well for his summit attempt later in May and he us for our planned trek back down the mountain on the Saturday. Later that Friday we did a tour of Base camp, we met with members of the British Gurka climbing team (see picture below) , posed for photos on climbing ladders, then visited the highest medical centre in the world and finally we stepped foot on the hallowed ground of the Kimbu Ice Fall where all Mount Everest summit attempts on the Nepal side begin.
When the earthquake hit Ellis was above base camp approaching Camp 1 and missed much of the avalanche, likewise me and my team had said our farewells to the Indian climbing team we tented with a few hours earlier, so luckily for us neither were down at base camp when the multiple avalanches swept through the camps. 4 days later at the bottom of the mountain we had an emotional meeting with Ellis and over a beer we exchanged horror stories of how we had got back down. Having been helicoptered off from Camp 1 he flew over the base camp site and confirmed that our tents had been destroyed under the snow as had most of the base camp site right up to its entrance.
Having been close to the infamous 2014 avalanche that killed 13 Sherpas and now this disaster….. I am pleased to hear that Ellis no longer plans to go back to Mount Everest….the Mountain Gods have spoken (as has his wife and two children).
I spoke with my wife last night for the first time since the Quake and she had an equally emotional chat with our lead Sherpa Sukman (AKA Superman) thanking him for helping me down alive. Without his guidance, strong team, professionalism and unstinting drive to get us off the mountain we may not be here today. He himself has had his house destroyed and up until the last few days had lost his brother… who has now been found.
On our last night together with the Sherpas I gave a speech which you can imagine was very emotionally charged... I thanked them on behalf of our friends family and work colleagues back home for getting us off the mountain. We handed over most of our clothing and equipment which we know they will put to good use as they and the Nepalese people try to rebuild their country and their lives.
In recognition of this point my wife and I have agreed to allocate some of the funds raised towards Sukman and his village which has been badly hit.
www.justgiving.com/tonyeverest2015
My wife has insisted that she take ownership of my passport when I return home Friday …. I think I will restrict myself to taking our pet dog for a walk for the next few months….. until my next Fundraising adventure that is.
Please feel free to forward to any customers or vendors who may have expressed concern.
Best Wishes
A ‘Safe’ Tony
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