Expedition Dispatches
Satellite phone updates from the 1998 American Everest Expedition

Wally Berg

A Drizzly Morning
Sunday, March 29, 1998 — Kathmandu

	Hear Wally Berg's call from Kathmandu
Satellite phones for Everest cybercasts provided by MVS/USA

It's Wally, calling-morning of March 30th [Nepal time.] It's a drizzly, beautiful morning in Kathmandu. Rained all night. I'm looking across from the window on the side of the Hotel Tibet where Charles and I have our rooms. We can look across at Swayabunath Temple, the famous monkey temple. Its a gorgeous morning in Kathmandu, very beautiful.

I'm quite relaxed and happy in that we have ourselves organized and ready to depart. As you might imagine, we're not necessarily going to depart right away with this drizzle.

Gyalzen is helping take care of expedition details in Kathmandu

For all I know, this is local in the valley and our helicopter this morning will be able to break right out of it and fly in clear skies to Lukla. But that's not confirmed yet and we're on standby at the Hotel Tibet. I say I'm relaxed cause we're basically packed and ready to go.

Gyalzen from Above The Clouds went out to the airport before 6am this morning with the bulk of our luggage , everything but our handbags and our satellite phone of course. He is working with getting the cargo loaded, he is monitoring, through the airline, the weather reports in Lukla. We have the luxury of just sort of hanging out at the hotel until we get a phone call and he sends a driver to get us and take us out to the airport. For now, we're pleased to be ready to go, excited to be on our way and also, happy to sit around on a drizzly morning, look out the window and drink coffee and tea.

— Wally Berg, Expedition Leader

DISPATCHES