Sorry that I could keep you updated through the night. My laptop batteries were flat and i needed to wait until morning sun to charge them.
It was very windy last night when our 2nd wave went up for the summit from South Col. Through the night, the winds got gentler but not at all completely calm.
Walter and Bernice, together with Tenjing Dorje and Young Lhakpa Nuru(18) summited Everest at 7:20 this morning. They had set from off South Col at around 8:30.
The latest radio call from Mingma, who is with Bill and Samde, told us that they were at the hillary step. They should be arriving on the Summit at any moment now. We are all huddled near the radio waiting for that call.
Sadly, Bud Allen who had left an hour later than Bill, at 10pm, decided to turn back at the Balcony due to the winds. In his great spirit of generosity, Bud told Puchhanga to go to the Summit without him and help Bill along the way. Bud then descended together with his second summit Sherpa, Pemba Tenjing. As I write this, they are coming down the Lhotse face, having abandoned camp 4.
Similarly, Felix and Tomsky, who are with Nima Tshering and Phura Jangbu, also decided not to take their chances with the wind and returned to camp soon after leaving the south col for the summit. They too are on their way down with Bud and Pemba Tenjing.
