So now it starts to get a whole lot more serious as we begin our rotation climb up the mountain hopefully to reach as high as Camp 3 before returning to base camp, this will take 4 to 5 days to accomplish all being well so I’ll not be posting on here for a few days until I return from the rotation - if I don’t  post again you can assume I’ve f**cked  it up!

Today is a rest day in camp after our trek into the Icefall yesterday and we await an update from Mingma David as to whether we start our rotation tomorrow or the day after, this depends on how far the rope fixing team has got as we wont go until they have at least fixed the rope to Camp 3.

5am alarm this morning to get everything ready to head back into the icefall, wow it was cold! Breakfast was a variation of a ‘fry up’ I think - potatoes, curried egg, beans, bread and some chopped sausage and veg. It was still early so I wasn’t that bothered and just needed some fuel for the day so ate it down and then tried to work out what to wear for the current freezing temperature, how hot I’ll feel once we start trekking and then once the sun comes out what I’ll need to strip off so I don’t bake, temperature control is really important when trekking up high in the mountains, you don't want to sweat and  then freeze when you are out of the sun but it’s difficult not to put on extra layers when its so cold.

Today is a full rest day which I think everyone in camp is grateful for, its been fairly non stop since leaving the UK and I’m grateful to have a day completely free of training, hiking or equipment checks and to be able to chill out and firstly have a shower (my last  was in Dingboche 6 days ago and there’s only so much you can do with a few wet wipes!) and then sort out some laundry which I’m pleased to find out can be done for me for a few dollars so I take advantage of that rather than trying myself with a bucket - I’m not that domesticated. 

An earlier start today for breakfast so we can get into the Khumbu Icefall and practice our skills on part of the route up to Camp 1 before the sun becomes too strong and the ice becomes too unstable and unsafe to be in it - that was the plan anyway!

Getting into the swing of things now in base camp and slept really well last night and feeling as if my body is adjusting to the altitude and climate well now.

An average night’s sleep last night but not so bad given the altitude and speed we came up, I effectively did York to Everest Base Camp in seven days and am feeling good, strong and none of usual symptoms associated with altitude sickness or several days on the trek route.

Everyone is up early to get moving this morning and the dining room is a hectic scene as everyone tries to grab breakfast, beds are cleared away and teams of tired slept trekkers try to get mobilised.

Today started with breakfast at 8am and then a dash down to

After the best nights sleep I’ve had on expedition so far, we have breakfast of cheese omelette, boiled vegetables and toast and then grab our backpacks and head off for another day trekking in yet again another glorious sunshine day to Dingboche at an altitude of 4,410m.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!