9/13/2001: I feel something strange when I wake up: moving my head - I only feel tiny pins. This encourages me: I make several circles with my head then open the door of my tent. Outside - sunshine!!! And really, there is some indeed and behind the mound surrounding our camp appears the Mountain. There is the Kangshung Face of hundreds of meters, snowy terraces, hanging glacier and then the South Col. I dare neither to think nor see any more. Tiny puffs of mist whirl around me and hide among the frozen tufts of grass. My lyrical musing is interrupted by a down-to-earth task next to the WC tent - a couple of drovers wearing sandals or Chinese canvas shoes stand in my way. I must persuade them to set off and carry 400 kilos of gear to the foot of the Kangshung Face, to our Advanced Base Camp (ABC). The negotiations start: yuans and junk sunglasses emerge, grimaces, handshakes, attempts to please or threaten the other. Success. Well in front of the detachment are Konyi and Mező. They mark the route to be followed in the ice-labyrinth with stakes. Leading the drovers there are Miki and Zoli. Around one in the afternoon our gear arrives in ABC. The reward for the operation: shower tent, boiled potato and tinned tuna. (David)

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