This update comes after a crazy couple of days moving from Shishapangma to Annapurna bc.

Following the descent to Shisha bc, I packed all my equipment for subsequent transport to Kathmandu, save for a few essentials needed for Annapurna,including high altitude boots, talisman Tigger and my last tube of vegemite.

These I took on a quick 20 km walk across the Tibetan steppes to chinese bc from which I took a jeep back to the Nepalese border, crossed the border first thing next morning and survived a road (?) trip in what might once have been a vehicle, altough it did at least bear 4 roundish wheels and had me in Kathmandu by early afternoon.

A haircut and shave, food shopping, camera repairs, washing, transportation arrangements finalised and packing of equipment left just enough time for a beer and a bite with friends before a 5am start next morning for a heli flight to Annapurna bc. This we completed with the pilot aided by a 1:near enough scale tourist trekking map, an enthusiastic friend of the pilot who acted as co-pilot and waved even more enthusiastically as mountains impeded our flight parh, and the mountains themselves, which left us no option but to avoid their granduer until a space big enough to be basecamp appeared.

Thus we flopped to the ground gratefully and here I am.