Wednesday 24 April North Col 7000m: 
Wilco: I woke up at 9.30 AM. I called my girlfriend Heleen last night and it was a very emotional call. At midnight I was awake and I knew it was 18.30 PM in Holland. That is the time she is most likely at home.  It is almost hard to believe that you are connected via a  sat phone with your living room at home. We asked each other how things were going, we just wanted to be with each other. Heleen needed somebody to tell her to slow down a little with her new job, running a kindergarten. I just want to feel her hands on my forehead and shoulders. But I was in my down sleeping bag and felt only the warmth of my water bottle filled with hot water. She ask me about the plans for tomorrow. I said : North Col. Only that. Live can be very simple. Just carry a load to the North Col.

But keep in mind it was a very heavy load. We left at 10.30 AM. Our backpacks were really heavy, about 17 kg. each, but on this altitude it is
almost to heavy. We started slow but steady. In the Changse face, on some spots 65 to 70 degrees steep, I hardly make it. But we have to go on. Trying to get a pace again, and thinking that every time you go up it will be easier. But it didn't feel like it. It was the second time and the first time was much better. OK, our packs were lighter the first time. I see other climbers struggling also, and think "He goes even slower than me" Finally at 15.00 I reach the col (7000 m.) and the next heavy task is
waiting for us. We have to put up the tent and anchor it very good for hard wind and storm. We are glad there is almost no wind and after an hour of hard work we have a new home. That is nice.  We try to rest a little, the weather is good an we are experts in descending. Last time we needed only 1.5 hours to descend with empty backpacks. After 1.5 hours of rest we descend. Back in ABC we can hardly talk anymore, but consider it a very good day of work. At night , after dinner (not really great, rice with dry beans, sausage and cabbage) we discuss the strategy for the coming days. We cannot decide and will talk about it tomorrow after a well earned night of sleep.

Dispatches