Everest 2003 North Side Expedition
Russian Adventure Team Dispatch Four

4/5/2003  News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition under the leadership of Alexander Abramov.

Alexander Abramov reports from Katmandu: Hello everybody. I am reporting directly from our hotel with a splendid view of night Katmandu. We have bought almost all foodstuffs. But it is problematic to find good lighters and matches.

At 12:00 we went to Russian Embassy, where we spent 2 hours in a very pleasant conversation with the Russian ambassador – Valery Nazarov. We were given the symbol of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take it to the summit of Everest. Vasya Elagin has arrived – so were are 11 now. But the entire team will gather only in BC: Volodya Pushkarev arrives tomorrow but two people – Kaimachnikov and Litinskiy – leave tomorrow for Lhasa. Tomorrow is our last day in Katmandu. Visas and permits are ready. Finishing touches and we are off.

4/6/2003

News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition under the leadership of Alexander Abramov. Alexander Abramov reports from Katmandu: “Our running around Katmandu and packing things seems to be an endless process. The corridors in our hotel are crammed with our loads. But finally everything is packed and put on a truck – 4 tongs of food and gear. Today the 12th member of our expedition – Pushkarev – joined us. Nobody knew him before, but he turned out to be a nice guy.

Valentine Bozhukov visited us today – he came to talk us into using his invention – liquid oxygen. It is pored into bottles, evaporated thus creating the pressure of 300 atmospheres. But I consider this to be dangerous and don’t trust it. Kaimachnikov and Litinckiy should be in Lhasa by now, enjoying Chinese cuisine. Igor Tsarev is constantly filming everything and assembles the film on computer then and there. Almost everyone bought a whole howl bag of extra gear.  Tomorrow, April, 7  at 7 a.m. we are leaving for Tibet. Good-bye to everybody and good luck.”

Dispatches