A message from Sarah

28th March - Kathmandu

I really didn't know what to expect from this trip, and it was kind of funny to think that I was off on an expedition. To me an expedition conjures up images of fighting through dense jungle into totally unexplored regions, or sweating under the heat of a midday sun while struggling through a vast desert. Somehow a cycle ride through the Middle East and Asia to Everest sounded too much fun to be a ‘proper' expedition. I figured that it'd sink in once I was cycling and having a horrible time.

However, the past three months have been absolutely awesome and there hasn't been a single moment when I wished I was at home instead. It would not be everyone's cup of tea. In fact my sister said “I would rather cut of my arm with a blunt spoon than do what you are doing” but perhaps that's why the team have bonded so well – we're all as mad as each other!

The past three months have passed amazingly quickly and it might not be until I'm back at home sorting out my photos that the enormity of the trip actually sinks in. A month ago I was in a chain next to Nic flinging kit out of a tent flooded with sewage. The week before I was being bowled out by Jamie while playing cricket with the Pakistani border guards. Two weeks before that I was watching how strongly Pauline was affected by hearing personal accounts of the earthquake at Bam. Go back another couple of weeks and it was so cold that Dom ran a couple of km of the route to warm up a bit. It has been a massive 3 months.

The joy of cycling through a place is that you have time to soak in the sights and smells (quite literally sometimes!) and people seem to find you less intimidating. Traveling by car it is a bit like being in your own world and looking out, but on a bike you really are in the thick of it whether you like it or not. Cycling also has massive advantages at the borders – 44 hour border crossing because of issues with the vehicle, no thanks!! Huge credit must be given to Ro and Dickie who have laughed even in the face of ridiculous bureaucracy .

A highlight of the cycling has been visiting projects supported by our three charities. There are so many horror stories about money being drained away into the administration of a charity but the projects we have visited have had a really positive, dynamic feel about them. They are using local people, local skills and local resources and I have been really impressed. I found the SOS Children's Village particularly inspiring; they have managed to make it feel like a home rather than an orphanage and children come back to visit – these people are their family.

I've just had a lovely 5 days with my parents trekking in the Annapurna region feeling nicely within my comfort zone. Now it's time to step out of it again! The next 10 days cycling will probably be the most difficult so far and then Everest presents a whole new set of challenges. The next two months will probably hold some of the biggest tests of my life to date. I will have problems thrown at me that I haven't even thought of yet but I know that I am with a team of people who face challenges square on, who don't panic, who are proactive and who look out for each other. Part of me is nervous and my head is full of questions but really I am just very excited and itching to get going.

Posted by Sarah

A message from Nic

27th March - Kathmandu

Where does one start in trying to sum up 3 months of an expedition in one page?! There have been so many wonderful and memorable moments of the trip that will stay with me forever, but to me, the most striking area of the trip has been the local people we have met and the countries we have travelled through.

I first heard about the EverestMax trip in June 2004 and I can honestly say that the excitement of the build up has been matched by the trip itself. Many people were quite worried for us travelling through some politically “sensitive” countries, but we have been met by continuous smiles, fantastic hospitality and above all genuine friendship. The worst experience we had was when a group of children decided to stone us on the very first day of our trip – if people had of known this prior to our departure I think there would have been far less worrying back home!

Personally, Iran and Pakistan are the 2 countries which have struck me as being the countries where people will go out of their way to help you the most. Most people had expressed concern to us cycling through Iran, but given the alternative option of Iraq, they quickly decided that we were doing the safer option! At no point throughout Iran did I ever feel in any danger, which is quite surprising given the picture which is portrayed back home of Iran . Hopefully our daily entries have managed to change the thoughts of some people since Iran is a wonderful country. The scenery is very beautiful, dramatic and diverse, and the people are so friendly and accommodating, prepared to do anything to help us foreigners. I hope that we can do similar when people visit the UK.

Pakistan is a country where if you talk the language of cricket, you will have a great time! Playing cricket with the border officials and then having a meal with them on our first day in Pakistan was a fantastic welcome to the country. We found the same level of hospitality from the army and police as they ensured our journey through their country was a safe one.

There are too many things to mention in this short entry but it needs to be said that I hope our expedition has increased people's awareness of the charities we are supporting. Having visited the 3 charities in different countries and seen the wonderful work they do, it is impossible not to be touched by their efforts. I hope we can continue to raise money for them through our efforts and through your generosity.

The final mention must go to the team and Dom. Seven people who hardly knew each other set off on this trip, and we have had a wonderful experience to date. The bonds that have been created will be vital on the mountain as we all try to reach our ultimate goal. Dom has been a superb group leader bonding the team together and has got us here in one piece. This is on top of trying to keep his bike as clean as mine and trying to match my bike fall count. Fair play to the guy! Thanks must go to Dom for giving us the opportunity to experience EverestMax and we hope we can repay his faith by summitting on Mt Everest and living our dream.

Posted by Nic

A message from Jamie

26th March - Kathmandu

The build up to this expedition was a real battle for me. After falling off my bike and breaking my wrist in early September, I then suffered a knee injury after running a half marathon in October. I was doubtful whether or not I would be able to start the cycling phase. Luckily some good physiotherapy saw me fit again and now I find myself in Kathmandu , 7,800km from the start of the expedition, and about to begin the biggest challenge of my life so far! It is almost impossible to sum up the past 3 months in one go. It feels like only yesterday we were pushing off from the Dead Sea , yet when I look back through my diary I remind myself just how much we have been through. It has been an incredible journey right from the word go. Cycling through a country is such a wonderful way to experience cultures and absorb the passing scenery, even if it is much harder then catching the bus!

Looking back at the conditions and traffic we have cycled through, it is an amazing achievement to have got this far and I must give full credit to the bikes. They have even coped with Nic's over cleaning, Sarah's bizarre bouncy cycling technique, Pauline's attempts at 180 degree skids, Dom's ability to break spokes every 500 yards and my brute force! In Turkey and Iran we resorted to urinating on the gear systems to remove the ice, in Pakistan we had to physically remove the thick mud from the chain in order to carry on cycling, and in India the roads were so bad that it was more of a challenge to hold onto the handle bars then it was to actually peddle! Most importantly for me, phase one of the expedition has been great fun, and for that I have to thank the team. When times were hard there was always laughter. Even when we were flooded with Pakistani sewage, faced with 140km of freezing snow and ice, hit by a freak sand storm or told that the Maoist strikes might not allow us to get to Kathmandu, we still always found the funny side and worked seamlessly together to overcome any potential obstacles. Dickie and Ro even started to find the gruelling border crossing fun towards the end, ensuring that all the gear got to Kathmandu in one piece. I would also like to thank Dom for leading the expedition so professionally. We wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for his enthusiasm and belief in EverestMax, and throughout 3 months we have only heard panic in his voice once as we were swarmed by demonstrating crowds in Pakistan.

Our time in Kathmandu has and will be spent preparing for the mountain. With a lot of kit to buy and sort through before we depart on April 1st we will be very busy. I am looking forward to the next phase of the expedition with enthusiasm and much excitement. It is a new experience for me going to altitude but I feel physically and mentally ready for the challenge and am looking forward to the climbers coming out to join us so that the hard bit can really begin.

Posted by Jamie

A message from Pauline

25th March - Kathmandu

I am known as a general optimist, but people really thought I was naïve going on a six month trip with six other people I didn't know, doing an 8000km long bike ride, and the biggest mountain in the world! Two days before I left I remember one friend asking me what I would do if I didn't like the team after a month of living on top of each other. My answer was that I hadn't really thought of that as an issue. I naturally presumed that if you wanted to be on such a trip at all you must have something in common even if it was only having a screw loose! I can't always claim to be right, but in this case I really was. Spending 24/7 with people could be hard once you get to know their quirky little habits. I can't deny there have been a few occasions of needing to have my own space on the bike, but I can honestly say that 95% of the trip so far has been in perfect harmony. I can't speak for the rest as I may have been the source of great irritation but they were too nice to tell me! The banter has been endless and we would rarely be awake for more than a few minutes before you heard the first sound of laughter, especially when we were camping or using a garage, shop or jail to sleep in. Friendships are built on this but it still amazes me how much complete rubbish we talked about. Most of the time we managed to avoid politics and religion and any deep conversations, to an almost embarrassing level considering where we were travelling. I loved it!

As for the biking …. What a ride! We have had every condition known to man. Rain, snow, ice, sand, heat, congestion, wilderness, flat desert, mountain passes, highways and off road and nearly enjoyed every minute. The harder the day the more we seemed to rise to the challenge as being fun. I was definitely the slowest cyclist but never once felt like a burden and in fact was almost made to feel a threat to the front position on a few occasions. Now that is called friendship being able to fake that so well!

The other big thing that has come from the trip is the amount of misperception I had over the Middle East and Pakistan in particular. The whole Islamic issue along with female suppression. I will not go on a major commentary now, suffice to say that I was so pleased to feel safe in areas that had previously seen like the ‘danger zone'. We could not have been made more welcome and funnily enough the women were not running up to us with tales of woe at all. Having said that I have also confirmed that I feel privileged and lucky to be a western woman living in the UK for all sorts of reasons.

Last but not least I think it is a great time to say what a great team leader Dom is. This is almost cringe worthy as you have probably gathered from the daily news he is normally the victim of our ‘humour'. I have worked in the team development world for a few years and it is a well established fact that the team harmony and productivity has a lot to do with the boss. The next phase may prove more challenging with 8 new team members joining for the most physically painful part of the journey. Rather him than me!!!!!

Posted by Pauline

Nic And Dom Go Bartering

24th March - Kathmandu

Last night saw Nic and Dom meet up with Russell Bryce and Henry Todd. These are two key players and characters on both sides of the mountain and their help and advice was greatly appreciated.

Jamie, Pauline and her husband Phil all headed off to the airport this morning, whilst Rowena and Dickie left Kathmandu in search of the village where Dickie sponsors a local child. This left Nic and Dom to barter over the price of gas and gas stoves with the local shop keepers as we do the last minute shopping that us boys leave to the last minute.

With the team leaving the hotel, it has been necessary to move all kit to the hotel organised by Thamserku, and there was a slightly alarmed look on their faces when we turned up with all our kit - don't think they are too sure that we still have more freight arriving in a few days from the UK.

Dom has an early meeting tomorrow with a journalist as we continue in our attempts to raise awareness about the expedition and what we are trying to achieve. We are trying to give our charities as much publicity as possible, and if you can assist in anyway in raising the profile of the expedition and the charities please contact dom@everestmax.com.

Posted by Nic

Friends and Family Arrive In Kathmandu

23rd March - Kathmandu

I would love to say that today was a great day of rest and recuperation for EverestMax but no. The team spread out from 0700 this morning and were only reunited for dinner at 2000 as Dom our astute leader has noticed all our underhand escape plans.

The highlight of the day was the arrival of family and friends. Sarah has been like tigger for the last few days waiting for ma and pa to arrive from Cheltenham, so, accompanied by Ro armed with camera, they set off for the airport before most civilised people stir from their beds. Jamie knowing that Chris and Chris which is not a new department store for reliable underwear, but rather his father and best friend, acted like a real man and stayed in bed trusting in their navigation skills.

Essentially, today was dedicated to achieving as much admin as possible. Dom, Nic and Pauline visited Thamserku, our Everest support company, whilst Jamie sourced gas cylinders and I prepared our very reliable Honda generator for altitude. I just hope that after my tinkering it still works. In between power cuts we checked emails and purchased essential kit.

Pauline was last seen sprinting towards the city whistling a John Denver tune but I was not sure what was on her mind but we think that Phil, her husband has arrived in town and after 3 months they have a little catching up to do.

Tomorrow we spread to the four winds as Chris, Chris, Jamie, Pauline and Phil head to Lukla, Ro and I head for Besisahar to film some children I have sponsored for a few years. Sarah and parents David and Diane prepare for Pokhara, leaving Dom and Nic to clean their bikes, talk finances, oxygen and mountain routines before their girlfriends arrive in a few days time.

Posted by Dickie

Support stuff

22nd March - Kathmandu

Hello again… Support team here...!

I thought it was time we filled you in as to what we have been up to…

In the time warp that this expedition seems to be it feels like ages ago that the cyclists left Dickie and me at the India/Nepal border town of Barahauwa...

With the Maoist strike in full swing there really wasn't a single car, van, bus or lorry on the roads - very peaceful but hopeless. Even ambulances were being turned back. So with this in mind we were left with the task of getting ourselves, and more importantly the kit, to Pokhara or, failing that, to Kathmandu. The cyclists had to crack on – we had to come up with a cunning plan.

Every day we asked at the hotel if the strike was finishing and were told maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe indefinite. It wasn't promising. The town was lovely but small, the Internet cafés were slow, we had mended everything we could lay our hands on and reorganised the kit again and again. In between power cuts and bad reception we watched films on television and ate our way through the menu! It was time to leave. At least in Kathmandu we could be more productive.

We knew we were missing and excellent part of the expedition. After miles and miles of flat cycling in India and Pakistan we had been looking forward to finally arriving at the foot of the Himalaya. All reports from the team members who had been before were that the mountains were stunning, Pokhara was beautiful, the day off would be amazing and the cycling would be a serious uphill challenge (strangely we were actually looking forward to that bit!). In the end all we could do was read about it.

We went to the travel agents and booked all the kit onto four different flights to Kathmandu. Then arranged for ourselves to follow after. The next day at 10am we loaded fifteen bags, ten boxes and two bikes onto six rickshaws and travelled, very slowly, four kilometres to the airport.

All day we put bags onto flights just praying that our experience with the airlines would be more organised than the border crossings we had enjoyed so much. We eventually left in a tiny plane at 7.00pm (in the dark) and without seeing one single mountain we flew to Kathmandu. All the luggage we had put onto Buddah Airlines was waiting for us. Incredible. The bags that had gone with Ghorka Airlines (the ones that we could collect from the 24 hour desk) were stuck as it was shut but we went back the next day and there was no problem. Again - incredible. We were in Kathmandu and it had been long winded but relatively trouble free.

Settled into a hotel we took a couple of days off. We explored the Thamel area of town. A maze of tiny streets, with even tinier shops selling the most fantastic collection of clothes, hats, rugs, mountaineering equipment (real and fake) local trinkets and tiger balm. We took a guide to the Boudanath Temple, covered in prayer flags and the Monkey Temple, covered in.. monkeys. He explained the differences between Bhuddists and Hindus (sex and drugs seem to sum it up!!) We went to Pushintipath where the Locals burn their dead – a fascinating and peaceful hour. We fed monkeys and ate momos. We were tourists and Kathmandu is great.

Before the cyclists arrived (a very welcome sight) we shopped till we dropped – down jackets, down trousers, boots, crampons, down gloves, plastic mugs, bottles and spoons (your lips stick to metal in the extreme cold!) poles, sunglasses – serious ones, mountain stuff. We are finally off to Everest and I think it is going to be incredibly tough.

Posted by Ro