Valerio Massimo Everest Expedition 2009

Valerio’s trainer has been impressing upon him the need for lots of food and sleep this last week to build some excess weight but our plans for a last-but-one lie in this morning were thwarted by a couple of well- meaning (we think) Germans who rang at 6:30 am with some ‘very important’ questions about Everest. Having […]

We spent Sunday in Pegler’s expedition shop in Arundel, after attending a magical wedding there the day before. The contrast between where we were (sunny, charming English seaside town) and where we were going (high..cold.. you know) couldn’t have been greater as we shed our party clothes and tried on vital accessories like boots, gloves, and in my case  a ‘lady monkey jacket’ by […]

Two huge cardboard boxes were delivered today, filled with all the new kit Valerio had ordered. It was like Christmas – although this time Santa brought sturdy boots and hot packs insead of sugar plum fairies and reindeer.  The kit ranges from the terrifying – adjustable balaclavas and an ice axe (the bank robbery special) – to the more benign, marshmallow-soft body suits […]