Episode 016: Puja Party and More Packing
Posted on Aug 2, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 016: Puja Party and More Packing
Party Over Here. With our Everest puja concluded, we finished things off with a party the likes of which I’d never seen before. Really, I’m no stranger to the occasional rager, but we really kicked it Tibetan style on this one. Immediately after the puja finished, the Sherpa guys brought out a few trays of food and...
Episode 015: The Puja
Posted on Jul 26, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 015: The Puja
Asking Everest’s Permission. This afternoon we had our Puja ceremony to try and get the mountain’s blessing before beginning the climb. A couple of monks arrived from the Rongbuk Monastery down the valley to conduct the ceremony. They began by creating several intricate sculptures out of yak butter and tsampa, a...
Episode 014: Calling Karma
Posted on Jul 19, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 014: Calling Karma
Can You Hear Me Now? Ben has brought a satellite phone with him to Everest, and we were able to call Karma back in Kathmandu to get a status report on Major. Apparently Major’s doing fine, but it was difficult for me to follow a one-sided telephone conversation in Nepali. Lhawang placed the call and I could discern a few...
Episode 013: Construction and Conversation
Posted on Jul 12, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 013: Construction and Conversation
Heavy Lifting. Well, Major left Everest Base Camp yesterday and we have no idea how he’s doing. In the meantime, we’ve begun building a stupa for our camp. This alter will be used in our blessing ceremony, or Puja, in a few days’ time. I’ve seen images and small snippets of video from pujas but...
Episode 012: A Major Problem
Posted on Jul 5, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 012: A Major Problem
Altitude is the Wildcard. Today was a difficult one. Overnight Major has become too ill to stay at Everest. As the sherpas begin to organize all of the expedition’s food, Major lay in his sleeping bag in the Dome and lapses in and out of sleep. He can barely move and you can tell his thought processes are slow. I talked...
Episode 011: Welcome to Base Camp
Posted on Jun 28, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 011: Welcome to Base Camp
Dumbstruck by Everest. I was not prepared for how awe-inspiring the last few kilometers of driving would be. As we headed up the Rongbuk Valley all you could do was look up at the massive North Face of Everest. This mountain dominates the view but we did not overlook the human-scale attributes of the valley. We pulled over on...
Episode 010: All Signs Point to Everest
Posted on Jun 21, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 010: All Signs Point to Everest
“One step at a time, boys”. It was so great to leave this morning and head back out on the road. Today’s driving brought us up to the top of Pang La Pass and some amazing views. We’re on the final stretch of road leading to our new home for the next month and a half. Not far out of Tingri we came across...
Episode 009: Tingri Office and Day Spa
Posted on Jun 14, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 009: Tingri Office and Day Spa
“American Prayer Flags”. Well, we’re now in the shadow of Mount Everest, in the little town of Tingri, Tibet. This place is around 14,000 feet and a popular spot for climbers to start getting used to the altitude. We’re staying in a little hotel right off of “Main St.” and since there are so...
Episode 008: The Friendship Highway
Posted on Jun 7, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 008: The Friendship Highway
Everything changes before Everest. It took a while, but we’ve made it up the side of the Tibetan Plateau. It’s striking how different the terrain is up here. After all of this driving uphill in our fleet of Land Cruisers, we’re suddenly at the bottom of some very flat valleys. Well, this is Tibet, and the...
Episode 007: A Tibetan Point of View
Posted on May 31, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 007: A Tibetan Point of View
Why is everyone speaking Mandarin? We finally cross the Friendship Bridge into Tibet and enter the town of Zhang Mu. Of course the experience is anything but friendly. Once we’re in Tibet we’re immediately under the watchful eye of the Chinese government officials and we’re not allowed to film anything....
Episode 006: The Road to Tibet
Posted on May 24, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 006: The Road to Tibet
Everest here we come! Kathmandu has been great but it’s time to get moving towards the mountain. We start the day off with the first of many, many kilometers along the Friendship Highway. This road connects Kathmandu, Nepal with Lhasa, Tibet and is the highest continuous road in the world. As we begin the drive I’m...
Episode 005: Shave and a Haircut, 12 Patches
Posted on May 17, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 005: Shave and a Haircut, 12 Patches
Looking good is half the battle. Lhawang said that every step brings you closer to the top of Everest. Well, I guess some steps are smaller than others. Today is the final day we’re spending in Kathmandu, and it’s a day full of little steps that are all part of the journey. Ben has a day of beauty at the spa and...
Episode 004: The City of Bhaktapur
Posted on May 10, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 004: The City of Bhaktapur
“Down with the U.S. Imperialism.” Lhawang, our head Sherpa, or Sirdar, and Ben’s Everest climbing partner finally arrives. It was great to meet Lhawang after hearing so much about him from Ben. The two were part of a Dhaulagiri expedition just 10 months earlier so this was a great reunion. Earlier, we check...
Episode 003: Kathmandu, Part 2
Posted on May 3, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 003: Kathmandu, Part 2
Om Mani Padme Hum. Major finally arrives and the Everest expedition continues. We check out the largest Stupa in Nepal: Boudhanath. I can’t get over how amazing this place is. I just want to spend the day walking around and around the central spire (in a clockwise direction as is the custom) and stare up at the Eyes of...
Episode 002: Kathmandu, Part 1
Posted on Apr 26, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 002: Kathmandu, Part 1
Forget Bob Seger. We’re not going to Kathmandu, we’re already here. The gateway to Everest. Unfortunately, Major’s still behind in Bangkok but he’s on his way. Ben and I visit Swayambhunath Stupa, where the Eyes of Buddha watch over us. This is a place I will never forget. Part Buddhist and part Hindu,...
Episode 001: Walmart to Kathmandu
Posted on Apr 24, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 001: Walmart to Kathmandu
The Everest expedition begins. We start things off with a trip to Wal-Mart to get as much “high energy” snack foods as we can pack in our duffel bags. After a couple of days of packing, we finally board a plane and head west for Asia. There’s a little problem with overbooking in Bangkok and Major stays behind...
Episode 000 Introduction
Posted on Apr 13, 2006 | Comments Off on Episode 000 Introduction
Start Here. Get a good feeling for what this Podcast is all about. A little background on the expedition, team members, the film and how this all came to be. Total Running Time: 9:44 Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:45 — 146.0MB)Subscribe: RSSPodcast (the-rest-of-everest-hd): Play in new window |...
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