Lhasa - day two
- 31 Aug 06, 05:07 AM
After a pleasant night in the Himalaya Hotel, the group has had a certain amount of down time. In the morning many visited the Jhokang Buddhist temple in the centre of Lhasa. Visit . Many of the group were blown away by the beauty and mystical atmosphere of the place. It was thronged with pilgrims and thick with the smoke from yak butter candles. In the afternoon many members of the group also visited the Potala Palace, in which the Dalai Lama had lived up until his exile. Visit to find out more. This palace was incredible but did not have the atmosphere of the temple, as it is set up as a museum rather than a place of pilgimmage and worship.
Recreating conditions at altitude
without going to Everest
- 30 Aug 06, 03:25 AM
We have been asked whether it is possible to recreate the conditions of altitude without going to Everest. It is possible to put people into pressure chambers and take the pressure down to the equivalent on Everest. It is also possible to bring the temperature down to those that would be experienced whilst on Everest. There are a number of reasons why we are not using chambers for this study.
Continue reading "Recreating conditions at altitude
without going to Everest"
Lhasa
- 30 Aug 06, 03:16 AM
Well, we have arrived safe in Lhasa, but not all the group are totally sound. We have gained 2250m in altitude and this has caused some altitude symptoms within the group. We measured ozygen saturations of the group on arrival at the hotel in Lhasa, and some had saturations in the mid 70's, (normal is above 95%). I have a mild frontal headache, and the brain is definitely not as sharp as it ususally is. Typing this blog is taking quite a long time. Despite all of this the group is in high spirits, and really enjoying being in Lhasa.
Kathmandu
- 28 Aug 06, 03:51 PM
Kathmandu
Well we arrived safe and sound in Kathmandu, and amazingly, all the kit arrived as well. Well apart from my Leatherman which disappeared out of the top of my rucksack en route! Our airline was great, as we had a few too many kilos with so much science kit, and limits to hand luggage. We are extremely grateful to them for their tolerance. The checking in was a nightmare. We arrived four hours early, and by the time we had sorted all the luggage it was time to board. No one even got a look in at duty free.
Archway panic stations
- 26 Aug 06, 03:04 PM
Archway – 60m above sea level?
Help. We are leaving in about 5 minutes. I feel sick with nerves. I have had the world and his wife ringing me and saying goodbye. This is nice, but also unnerving. I feel quite tearful today. People are running up and down the corridor, shouting at each other, trying to make sure that we have got everything. Mac and I are off to Heathrow in a van with all the personal kit, so if we go missing the rest of the team will be somewhat naked for the trip. Speak to you in Kathmandu!
Hello. My name is Kay!
- 25 Aug 06, 12:02 PM
My name is Kay Mitchell and I am the Project Manager for this enterprise. Dr Mike Grocott is our illustrious leader, Hugh Montgomery is our Research Leader, and Mac Mackenney is our Expedition Manager. I will introduce you to my role, my background, and why I got involved in this unique experience, and leave the others to do the same in their own words.
I am a rock climbing intensive care nurse, who got involved in this crazy plan back in March 2004. Nineteen of us are flying to Tibet tomorrow evening via Kathmandu to climb Cho Oyu. This is a complete dress rehearsal for the trip next year. Disasters that have increased the blood pressure in the last two weeks include the whole hand baggage thing – we had planned to take a fridge with blood testing cartridges as hand luggage, and this is now not allowed. We shipped 150+ items of kit two weeks ago, including exercise bikes in pieces, and the handlebars have gone missing en route. If anyone has seen them please send them back! I cannot find a pair of glacier glasses that fit me, and I do not want to go snowblind. I hope I can get some in Kathmandu.
I am nervous, and excited at the same time. I am not looking forward to not being able to wash properly for weeks, which sounds trivial in the great scheme of things, but concentrating on the little things stops me worrying about the big things. I have a ‘to do’ list as long as my arm. I could be in the office for another two days and not achieve what I need to achieve before we leave, but if I do not get home this evening to spend some time with my flatmate (we are going to watch Lock, stock and two smoking barrels) I may not have a house to come back to. (Only joking, Debbie.) Packing is a nightmare as I am only allowed 10kg. We have sent some stuff on ahead, but need to use the luggage allowance for scientific kit. Where will I fit my straighteners? Ha Ha!
Write again tomorrow? Possibly before we leave for Heathrow. If we try to do it at the airport, we will probably get arrested.
Welcome to the Xtreme Everest blog
- 25 Aug 06, 11:58 AM
Welcome to our Xtreme Everest weblog. We are off to climb the sixth highest mountain in the world (Cho Oyu in Tibet) tomorrow. This is a dress rehearsal for our scientific expedition to climb Everest next March. We are planning to blog repeatedly as we make our way up Cho Oyu. Who knows what the decreasing levels of oxygen will do to the quality of our blogging!
Xtreme Everest is a research project coordinated by the UCL Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme (CASE) environment medicine - doctors and scientists studying human systems stretched to breaking point in extreme environments to increase our understanding of critically ill patients. The goal is to place a research team on the summit of Mount Everest in 2007 and make the first ever measurement of the level of oxygen in human blood at this altitude. This is the centrepiece of an extensive programme of research into hypoxia (low oxygen levels) and human performance at extreme altitude aimed at improving the care of the critically ill and other patients where hypoxia is a fundamental problem.
If that does not sound complicated enough, we are also aiming to test adaptation to altitude in 208 healthy volunteers, who will trek to Everest Base Camp.
You can find more by visiting our website at .
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