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Presents Ski Everest Autumn 2000 !

The two backpacks which were found missing upon arrival to Kathmandu were discovered at the Ljubljana airport, and are already on their way to Nepal through DHL service.

Thanks to immense efforts made by the Ljubljana airport police and DHL, the backpacks are to reach Kathmandu in a matter of days. Thanks again

Despite the jetlag and the time difference we gained traveling eastwards, we spent the major part of this morning unpacking and repacking the load to be carried by the porters.

The sirdar Ang Dorje says that the 30kg packs which we prepared in Slovenia are too heavy (by three to four kilos), which is why we repacked the load. The journey towards the base camp will be very straining due to heavy monsoon rainfall, and 30-kg load could prove to be too much for porters. Today we also completed the kitchen equipment acquired and checked kitchen tents, burners on which meals will be prepared at the base camp and on the mountain, dishes, plates and cutlery. Tomorrow we are to meet the cook of the expedition who will - together with Franc Oderlap, in charge of the diet for the expedition - make arrangements for provisions supply in Kathmandu and Namche Bazar.

According to The Kathmandu Post, the English-language Nepalese daily, 34 expeditions from 15 countries attempting 20 different summits have applied with the Nepalese Ministry for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. As for Everest, only three expeditions have applied, two from South Korea and of course the SI.MOBIL Extreme Ski Everest 2000 expedition from Slovenia.

The Slovenians rank the second as to the number of expeditions attempting Nepalese summits this autumn. Only South Korea boasts more attempts; seven altogether. Slovenias six expeditions include that to Janak (arriving to Nepal on 7 September), which will tackle three summits in the eastern part of Nepal, near the mighty Kanchenjunga (the third highest mountain in the world). According to the Nepalese, this project counts as three separate expeditions. Other Slovenian goals include the Dorje Lakpa sixthousander, which will be attempted by one mountaineer only, and Annapurna III (7,555m), which will be tackled by an expedition from Maribor, planning to arrive to Nepal end of September. This year Nepal is to host altogether 225 mountaineers from all over the world. (Apart from those already mentioned also climbers from Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the USA and Uzbekistan.)

Two more news from The Kathmandu Post. Nepal is struggling with an epidemic of Japanese encephalitis. This contagious virus-infected disease attacked the southern part of the state, particularly the low-lying subtropic province of Terai. 360 people have been hospitalized; for 23 the disease was fatal. No case of this dangerous disease has been so far spotted in Kathmandu or north of the capital.

Also active are Maoist rebels, who planted several bombs around the country, in attempt to set free some of their followers who are in jail. No casualties have been reported, and no attacks on tourists either.

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