Episode 018: Yak-Tastic!

Posted by on Sep 13, 2006 in All Podcast Episodes, Season 1, 2003 Everest Expedition | Comments Off on Episode 018: Yak-Tastic!

Yak Yak Yak. Yesterday everything we own here was weighed to discover how many yaks will be needed for the trip up to ABC. Today, it’s time to pack up and ship out! All of our yaks and their herders are on scene this morning to load all of our materials on these hearty animals. I thought the yaks would actually be larger. They look exactly how I imagined them, from a distance, but get closer and you realize that they’re actually quite small. Just like I feel I tower over my sherpa friends (I’m over 6 feet tall) I feel I tower over my new yak friends. Wait, I take that back, the yaks are not my friends. They are extremely weary, paranoid animals and give me very untrusting stares. How can you blame them? They’re probably thinking to themselves, “Hmm, what’s that guy going to lash to my back and make me carry?”

Jon Miller

Total Running Time: 20:57

Email from Major King, April 20th, 2003
Hey Jon,

A quick note to say I made it back to the U.S. I guess it feels good to be back. I get the feeling I will forever be haunted by the way things ended up for me. What happened had to happen the way it did. In retrospect I am not second-guessing; I HAD to leave. I just wish I had not got sick. Please do not beat yourself up about the way things transpired. You helped me immensely in a time of very great need and I will never forget it. I have never felt so sick in my life or been so scared or felt so alone and helpless in my life.

The hospital stay in Kathmandu was anticlimactic but very necessary. It gave me some good war stories to tell over cocktails! It just wasn’t much fun anymore without you and Ben to share with. The Nepal doctor said wait a week before flying home. Not an option. I left a day after checking out and was home on Easter Sunday afternoon.

Hang in there and make us all proud! Give Ben all the support you can muster. Remember how boring your life will seem when you get back. I will try to fire off an E-mail direct to Ben very soon, but if he’s with you now, say hello and tell him I’m pulling for him a hundred percent. I miss you guys. Send me your home phone number (again) and we will call Heidi and get together with her.

And finally, you will be pleased to know I still have not had a solid shit since before Zhang Mu on the way up. I am telling you this because I know that you would want to know. But running hot water SURE FEELS GOOD, BUDDY!! Talk to you soon and thanks again for all you did – it was a lot and I love you for it.
Your friend,
(The Real) Major Video

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