Mount Everest South Side Expedition
Sean Burch: Dispatch 19

Kathmandu, Nepal: Well, I've been keeping busy here in Kathmandu resting and healing. I've finally been able to unwind and savor the satisfaction of having scaled the world's tallest mountain.

The frostbite on my fingertips is healing up nicely. However, my toes are still pretty bad. Gabrielle has been a great help and has taken on the task of changing my bandages and cleaning my toes with out once complaining. The doctors have still not been able to give me a good answer on whether I'll lose part of my toes. My guess is that I'll lose part of both big toes. The right one is the worst. Dead skin and flesh are continually sloughing off. The question is how much will grow back. Right now, they're holding their own, but they sure look bad. It'll be some weeks before it's clear how much I'll have left. Maybe my streamlined feet will make me more graceful. Ha!

In addition to the treatments on my feet, I spend the day running errands and paying bills associated with the expedition. I had to just drop lots of unfinished business to concentrate on the climb, and now it's all come back to demand my attention.

Of course, the Nepali government regulates access to Everest pretty tightly, and they keep pretty accurate track of everybody on the mountain, so they know who summitted and who did not. Since I'm still here, I've received lots of both official and unofficial recognition for having reached the top of the country's biggest tourist attraction. The most impressive has been the official Everest Jubilee celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first successful Everest climb. I was presented a medal and got to shake the King of Nepal's hand. Very cool. Hillary was there and was given honorary Nepali citizenship by the King, not only for his great climb, but also for his continuing humanitarian work for the Sherpas. I didn't get to talk to Hillary, but I listened as he told reporters that it was the greatest honor he'd ever received. Greater even than being knighted by Queen Elizabeth?

It's funny; when I was here in Kathmandu on the way to Everest, the town seemed a shabby backwater. Now, after two months of living in a tent, it doesn't look bad at all. It has a charm that grows on you. Of course, being able to sleep in a bed, take hot showers, and eat a variety of foods helps quite a lot. Being a mini celebrity helps. What helps the most, though, is having Gabrielle here and being able to spend time with great friends that we met on Everest. When you share great hardships with other people, the friendships become very close. It's been great to meet with these wonderful people over a meal and beers and relive shared experiences.

It seems that I've been discovered by a German film company. They keep calling me back for more interviews. I don't know yet what will become of that.

I've been overwhelmed with the ton of warm, supportive e-mails that I've received from all over the world. I know that I've been slow to respond. I guess I'm intimidated by the sheer volume of them. So I've been reading my e-mail, savoring it, and trying to clear out the important business I need to take care of before sitting down to answer it all. I will, though. Thank you, everyone.

I'm working on trying to set up return flights back home. Nothing has been finalized yet, though. I'll let you know. Sean

Dispatches

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