Saturday 5/27/06 

A Kathmandu haircut is Mike Tyson meets Edward Scissorhands. Without electric trimmers, the barbers have learned to click their scissors so fast you'd think they were trimming each hair individually. Then, you get a shocking knock or two to the head in a sort of asian-esgue scalp massage. In the end, it's a work out for a about a buck. The peace and quiet of a remote basecamp have been shattered. Kathmandu is anything but peaceful or quiet. There's so much overload here my senses have gone into shock. Funny how a little time away can change so much. I left the remaining crew from BC on the 23rd. They had summited and were safely tucked away in their sleeping bags at C4. With Apa at the helm, my job was done. Time to walk. Leaving BC was something I had been dreaming about for days. When the time came, it was harder to do than I would have believed. Saying good bye all over camp was a little emotional. I shared a lot with many of those folks. I was fortunate to have so many competent and helpful people during my stay. The hike out was indescribable. It was beautiful and a great way to cap off an incredible trip. I'll sit in Kathmandu for a few days and eat well. I'll get some sleep in a real bed and prepare to return home. My thanks to the rest of the team for their support and confidence in me. Thanks to everyone at home for tracking our climbers. Many, many thanks to Amy for managing our website and tons of email and communications.