October 9, 2007

Jake Norton and I left Denver Saturday afternoon for the first of 3 flights to Nepal. Flight #1 was cancelled, not how we had planned to start our journey. Luckily, with Jake as my fearless leader, we hopped on the next flight out just in time to meet James Chippendale in LA, have a brief meeting with Janice and Johanna of Medicines Global, and jump on flight #2 to Bangkok. I have never been happier to have 17 hours of uninterrupted time to do nothing but catch up on much needed sleep and watch Blades of Glory!

In Bangkok we connected with our second guide, Ade Summers, and were finally off to Kathmandu. We were greeted by Roland and Tulsi of The Mountain Company and whisked off through unbelievably crowded streets to an oasis, Yak and Yeti Hotel, in the middle of Kathmandu. Sadly, without luggage for James and Jake!

The past 24 hours have unfolded as follows:

• Check into Yak and Yeti hotel
• Scramble to locate lost luggage – not easy to climb a mountain without gear! And, not easy to locate it when the airport in Nepal does not have use computers! (Thanks, Janice, for the contact at Thai Airways)
• Source a location for a rehersal for musicians.
• Have a beer! “Everest” brand beer to be exact.
• Head into town for a brief meal with Jakes neighbors from Golden. CO (could the world get smaller)
• Meet with the amazing Deepak Bohara who has made more things happen in 8 hours than I have done in 10 months.
• Meet with Jems Pradham, local musician and concert organizer.
  Locate venue in the center of Kathmandu for a finale concert in the town square. (Thanks, Deepak!) The venue, if we can get it, could not be more amazing. We should have word tomorrow if we can pull it off.
• Find a full fledge recording studio for the musicians to cut a song just hours after they land later this week. Who would have though we would walk down an alley (a car would not fit), step over a stray dog and through iron gates, remove our shoes and walk up a flight of stairs in an old building to find a state of the art recording studio!?!?! Amazing what you can find with the right people leading the way (Thanks Jems!)
• Find a snare drum for Slim Jim Phanton (Again, thanks Jems!)
• Invite 4 local bands to join in our finale celebration (……thanks, Jems!)
• Design a flyer to post in tea houses along the Everest route informing other trekking groups about the concert above Base Camp – Kala Patthar to be exact. We now plan to be there on October 21st.
• Set up the sat phone and started receiving messages of well wishes from around the globe! Keep them coming!
• Test the solar panels
• Locate a car battery and generator which we will pick up along the trek.
• Buy a handbag (yes, I forgot one) from a shop vendor. His place was too small to stand in so we sat with his daughter on the floor and sifted through his handmade goods. I came to learn that his son was once treated at Bahktapur and he even knows Dr. Baral who is the head of the cancer center. Needless to say he gave me a good deal on the bag.
• Finally located James and Jakes bags, thank goodness!! James was getting a bit ripe after 58 hours in the same clothes! He has been a trooper to say the least!
• Video chat with Aden about final preparations for website – it looks amazing!
• Email a music store in Denver, Wegle’s, to source some last minute gear to be colleced by the Denver crew before they leave later today.
• Meet the head of the porters, Sandeep, to coordinate the team of about 40 that will be lugging our very large load of gear up the hill. Sandeep broke his finger yesterday by slamming it in a car door. He is still coming to lead the Sherpa/porter team and will, no doubt, be more productive with 9 fingers than 10 men combined.
• Prepare for the arrival of the remaining 36 trekkers and musicians.
• Have a beer!

Phew, I am tired just thinking about it.

The Nepali people have bent over backwards to make Mike and James’ dream come true here. Hard to believe we are actually getting ready to ascend on Everest to raise money for a much worthy cancer center. The entire community is buzzing about Everest Rocks and we will be making our first visit to Bahktapur Hospital in the morning.

James and I just met for a cup of tea in the garden and reflected upon all that Love Hope Strength has accomplished in our first year.

• The first concert atop the Empire State Building
• A hike and concert atop Snowdon in Wales raising $80,000 for the local cancer centers.
• A walk-a-thon and concert for 40,000 people in Union County raising $100,000 for Coalitions for the Cure and LHS. (George Devanney, you are a saint and I am so proud to say I know you!)
• And now, Everest, raising money to buy much needed screening and treatment equipment for The Nepal Cancer Relief Society at Bahktapur Hospital.

This is only the beginning!

Shannon Foley
October 9, 2007
Kathmandu, Nepal