Up at 7, pack, breakfast at 8 and off at 9.    Another short acclimatization day going from Karanga Camp 4040m (13255ft) to Barafu Camp 4700m (15420ft).  The sign says it is a 3 hour hike, but again I think we took a casual 4 hour pace.  We were out of the Alpine Desert and in the Arctic Zone.  The camp was squeezed in between boulders.

 

The day started with a breakfast and though still sick I was able to eat porridge and hot chocolate and tea.  The guides were not impressed.  The day was all up, up, up, but not anything serious, just beautiful trail up.

 

When we got in we had a hot lunch and I ate soup and a plate of some food.  I was very proud, the guides were not impressed.  We relaxed the afternoon away, knowing that we would be getting up at around 11pm to dress, grab a quick bite and start the long night up to the summit.  We had a bit of a hailstorm in the afternoon, which should keep summit temps warmer.  I even grabbed some snack food in the afternoon.

 

We had dinner a bit earlier and I ate a full bowl of the soup, I think it was tomato based.  The dinner came and it was spaghetti with meat or mushroom sauce.  Now, given that 1 out of 3 people will be throwing up on summit night, I was wondering what they were thinking serving spaghetti.  Anyway I opted for the meat sauce and I believe the meat substance was spam.  I didn’t like it, but was determined to eat it all just like lunch to be strong for summit night.  On the third bite, I almost lost it all.  I sat back, after a few minutes, no good had to bolt out of the mess tent.  Ran to the long drops, but was able to settle things, I kept it down, but there was no attempt to eat more.

 

So now the guides tell us the plan for the night, up 10pm and off by 11pm.  They ask me if I am going.  Yes, of course I’m going.  They tell me I can try, but they don’t think I will make it.  I ask if they ever had someone sick like me make it.......No.  Charlotte says there’s a first time for everything.  Well, maybe they never had someone summit, but in my mind it’s been done many times before with other tour groups.  I’ve been a strong climber and have not held anyone up yet.

 

Will I make it?  I give myself 1:5 odds, but I’m optimistic.