Shutdown by bad weather

The Primus stove splutters into action with a characteristic put-put put; Buddhi adds his own soundtrack singing happily while fixing our breakfast.

Sleepy climbers wake and are greeted with rain and thick fog – hardly the weather for another day of load hauling to our ABC on the East Ridge.  We cut our losses and make a dash for the snow line to dump some gear, careful not to leave any food – plenty of expeditions have been ruined by pesky birds with sharp beaks stealing what is not theirs.

Back in BC, the sleet tries to soak through the tents and into our bones.  A freshly baked cinnamon swirl is the highlight of lunchtime which stokes the fires and keeps the damp at bay. 

Entertainment is provided by a matinee showing of 'Cash' starring Sean Bean on the latest touch-screen gadget from Samsung.  With no sun to charge batteries we are running on impulse power.  Warning - fifteen percent power splashes across the screen.  External battery located, power rebooted.  Crisis averted.  Then just as the film reaches its finale with several intriguing possibilities for an ending implanted into the grey matter, the show stops.  Panic.  The film has not been downloaded in full.  Woof Woof and Grandpa are grief stricken not because they want to know how the film ends, but because the leading lady is rather foxy.  Grrr.

It would cost the GDP of Ghana and several days of satellite air time to download the film here.   Remind me to go and watch the film when we get back.

And so we wait.  We have food, fuel and patience.  Power and sunlight may be in short supply, but enthusiasm is not.  A quick flick through yesterday's photos reminds us of what beauty towers above us and what we have to do.

Pete

PS, from Nick.

If anyone out there can tell us how the film Cash finishes, it will be most appreciated. Our version ended abruptly at the one and a half hour point, just after they had robbed the bank and the man in the lead roll,(Sam?) who is not Sean Bean, sneaked some bullets from the security guard in the bank...Cheers, it will make me most happy to know and will slightly brighten a very Welsh mingy day.