(1.06.2004) new!
Alexander Abramov reports:
28, May
In the morning Dmitry Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev went out from the camp for the ascent and at 12.00 they reached the altitude 8500m. But storm wind prevented them to summit Everest because such weather does not give a chance to return after the ascent.
So they made the decision with Alexander Abramov to begin descent. Vladimir Gaidamak moved up at 10.00 o.clock in the morning he wants to reach the second camp 7700m today, the camp at 8300 tomorrow and on the 30th of May he will make an attempt to ascend the summit without oxygen. According the forecast the weather will be good in two days.

(28.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
27, May
The weather has suddenly changed today. It is snowing heavily in the ABC and in all other camps. Dima Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev have climbed the camp at 8300m with the main aim to ascend the summit at night today. Unfortunately the bad weather can change the plans of our team but they do not want to descend and will stay another day and night for the good weather.
According the forecast the weather will be good on these days. The humidity will be from 43% till 50% and the wind 6-9m/sec.
Vladimir is going for the ascent tomorrow he is planning to reach at once the second camp then the third and the summit. We have a hope that our sportsmen will meet other ones on the summit.
As far as we know the team under the leadership of Shabalin is at the 8300m now and planning the ascent within the next few days. We have already ordered yaks to descend the ABC on the 31st of May and on the 1st of June we are planning to move down the Base Camp.

(26.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
25, May
In the morning today two American members of our expedition Davide D.Angelo and Marshal Ulrich summited Everest at about 10.00 a.m. of local time in the windy weather. They descended the ABC by 9 o.clock in the evening.
Dmitry Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev are on the North Col now and they are planning to reach the second camp tomorrow. The weather was very bad at the lower camps. There was a heavy fall of snow and Dilmurad spent seven hours to ascend the North Col.
Vladimir Gaidamak have arranged with the Bulgarian climber for the ascent together. They are both planning to summit Everest without oxygen the day after tomorrow.

(25.05.2004)
Alexandor Abramov reported from the ABC at 6400m that another two members of the expedition of Russian Adventure Team had ascended the summit of Everest this day. Davide D Angelo and Marshal Ulrich summited Everest today in the morning on the 25th of May. We are looking foreward to get all detailed information from his evening call today!!!

(24.05.2004)
24, May
Alexander Abramov reports:
Today at 11.15 a.m. (Tibetan time) the leader of the Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Of Alpindustria from Moscow has ascended the summit of Everest today!!! He called today from the summit and reported that he was standing on the summit.
The weather is good and he feels well.
Another two members of the expedition Rozhkov and Ryzhenko have not stepped up to him yet. As Abramov informed there were a lot of members from different expeditions from the South and North on the summit today (24, May).
In this season it is the first Russin who has conquered the summit of Everest today. We are looking forward to get all detailed information from his evening call today!!!

Alexander Abramov reports:
21, May
Our group of Abramov, Ryzhenko, Rozhkov is on the North Col at the altitude 7000m. We are planning to ascend at 7700-7800m we have a tent there. In one day it will be the third camp at 8300m and on the 24th of May we are going to storm the summit. I hope you will know about our further adventures. We have prepared food and we are all feel good. Nobody has aversion to food and drink because if the acclimatization is not enough there will organism response. We are going to go out from the camp as early as possible for the ascent to the camp 7700m. The weather is bad. It is snowing all the time.

22, May
17.00 I am in the camp 7700m. Ryzhenko and Rozhkov are stepping up to the camp. We are ascending. The weather is bad it is snowing. The ropes are fixed badly at 8300m.

23, May
Abramov, Ryzhenko and Rozhkov have gone up to the camp at 8300m today. We will have a chance to ascend the summit tomorrow. All the members feel good.

(20.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
19, May
The forecast is good for this week and there is no wind so the weather gives us a chance. Abramov, Marshal and Davide moved up to the ABC today and tomorrow Abramov, Rozhkov and Ruzhenko will ascend the North Col 7000m the next day it will be the second camp then third and etc.
Vladimir reported form the third camp that the weather was fine and he was going to ascend the summit at night. I only asked him not to ascend the summit in the bad weather.

(19.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
18, May
Vladimir went up to the ABC yesterday he wants to ascend without oxygen. The storm of the summit has been proceeding for two days. The Austrians were the first who ascended 8700m and then the Italians repeated this success. The main problem is that over the third camp the ropes are old and it is very dangerous for ascent. So it will be better to wait when the ropes will be fixed.
Our sherps have installed all the camps so we can climb up. Besides the weather forecast for week is fantastic the wind in the first top 6m/sec. We worry about humidity of 100% in this forecast because it is the probability of snow. In the morning Rozhkov and Ryzhenko went up to the ABC today. They will have the rest day tomorrow and the day after tomorrow they will ascend the North Col.
Vladimir Gaidamak reported at 10.00 a.m. today he was on the North Col and wanted to climb up the second camp at 7700m. At 15.00 p.m. he informed us that he ascended hardly the second camp because of the strong wind on the ridge and the tent had been fixed well and all needed things were there. If the weather is good he will climb the last storm camp or ascend the summit from the second camp.

(17.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
17, May
All the team descended to have a rest in Shigar and Shizong. We did not go in for sport but enjoyed at the altitude 4000m breathing in the fresh air and eating Tibetan skinny sheep. These wonderful days flied by very quickly. And now we are in the Base Camp again. Through hearsay two teams ascended the summit yesterday from the south one from Greece and another from Chile. From the north we do not know who ascended because of the contradictory information. Maybe tomorrow we will get to know something. Concerning the weather forecast the snow will be tomorrow. Everest is covered with clouds and wind is blowing in the BC at night the lightning is seen. In the third camp at 8300m there are climbers from some expeditions. We are planning to climb the summit from 22nd till 25th of May. We are going to ascend without taking risks. According the weather forecast the snow will be so the weather will not be fine within the next five days.

(13.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
8, May
ABC 6400m. I left the Base Camp at about 12 o.clock. At 10 a.m. Mosakalev reported from ABC that five members and three sherps were ascending the North Col. Probably Vladomir Gaidamak will climb up at 7800m from 6400m for one day. In seven hours I reached the ABC overpassing 18 or 20km of glacier. There was nobody in the ABC except the cook but at 20 p.m. Moskalev reported that Moskalev, Karapetyan, Marshal, Davide and three sherps were spending night on the North Col. Vladimir ascended at 7800m and tried to install the tent there but because of the strong wind he was not able to do this so he returned back. At 21 o.clock we had a dinner we him in the ABC. The four are planning to ascend 7800m, I have a plan to spend night on the North Col and Vladimir is planning to repair a tent-kitchen in the ABC. Tomorrow Rozhkov, Ryzhenko and Tillahodjaev have to leave the BC and reach ABC.
9, May
We congratulate all the climbers with the holiday! While you were enjoying in Crimea improving the tenacity of the fingers and rubbing holes of the mountain shoes the climbers of the Adventure Team were having .good. time at 7000m and 7800m burning lips and noses and frostbiting fingers. The fair and windless weather has come. All the members of our team spent night at 7000m and ascended 7800m. Vladimir is going to ascend the summit without oxygen another are not so enthusiastic the sherps have only promised to bring the oxygen-cylinders at 8300m on the 14th and 15th of May. It is too hard to live there without oxygen. What a disaster our three oxygen-cylinders were disappeared! Three members went to BC today. Abramov, Rozhkov, Ryzhenko and Tillahodjaev are in the ABC. Concerning the weather forecast the weather will be good from the 13th till 17th of May. I am not sure what to do try to ascend on the 15th and 17th or have a rest. What is the better?
10, May
ABC 6400m. All night the strong wind has been blowing. The leader is deep in thought to descend the BC or go down at 4000m or ascend the North Col on the 13th of May, on the 14th at 7700m, at the 15th at 8300m and storm the summit on the 16th of May. Now we will have the connection with BC and Dima will inform us about the weather on the 16th of May and then I will be able to make the decision. I am waiting the time when I can call home my beloved wife returned from Crimea and on the 29th of May she and the team of ten men will set off for Alaska to conquer McKinley. We separated on the 8th of April and will be able to see each other only at the end of June. So you can how the real heroes live. All the persons in our expedition are missing their homes, children and relatives. It is like added strength test.
11, May
We are all in the Base Camp today. Only Murat is in the ABC he is waiting for the weather to have night on the North Col and ascend at 7500m for acclimatization. It is very warm in the Base Camp. The surrounding rivers and streams are melting. Strong wind is blowing at the top so we decided to descend at Shigar 4000m for three or four days. We arranged with the liaison officer about jeep for tomorrow. The famous climber Sergey Ephimov from Yekaterinburg visited us today. I was very pleased to see him. We watched film .Mind Games. on computer today. The perfect film for ascent the summit!
12, May
The wind is blowing strongly on the top. In the morning Moskalev, Luda Koshelenko, Marshal Ulrich and Davide went to Shigar in jeep to have a rest. The liaison officer helped other persons of our team to drive to Shizong. It is very warm there the food is tasty and a lot of air. Tibetans are plowing the wide fields. In whole it is paradise!

(11.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
6 May
One part of our team went up to the ABC today. The strong wind has been blowing from the south all the day and in evening it dropped. According to the weather forecast on the 7th and the 8th of May the wind will subside and the plan of our team is to reach the second camp at 7800m. After that wind will increase again till the 16th of May. Abramov, Rozhkov and Ryzhenko have to ascend the ABC tomorrow. The plan is the same besides we must control the work of sherps they will carry the oxygen cylinders at the second and third camp. The plan of conquest the summit is from the 22nd of May till the 1st of June. I hope we will be successful!!!

(6.05.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
4 May
All the people descended to the BC. In May as usual the stormy winds blow as it was last year. From the 1st May till the 10th there are holidays in China in addition today is the Day of Youth. So there are a lot of tourists in the Base Camp. Two Italians Giorgio and Gianni went home today. There are only few jeeps. The weather is bad. The expeditions are going down. We want to descend at 4200m and have a rest if it will be enough jeeps. We are in good spirits for fighting it will be a work for whole month further.
5 May
The weather is very bad. The wind is blowing strongly. There are no jeeps. We are all staying in the Base Camp. Dima Moskalev is going to ascend the ABC today. Vladimir Gaidamak, Artur Karapetyan, David D’Angelo and Marshal Ulrich will climb up tomorrow. The task is one to install the second camp at 7800m. According to the weather forecast the wind will subside on the 7th and 9th of May and then again from the 9th till the 16th of May it will be stormy wind. We will see. Italians have already arrived in Katmandu and tomorrow they will fly out towards their fatherland.

(30.04.2004)
Expedition Photos

On the road from Nepal to Tibet	Subject of Alexander Abramov's pride - the16 meters long tent from made by "Megatest". It serves as billboard.	Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria at the Base Camp (5100m)
Team's workdays in the Base Camp

"You began to understand, that you have gone to the expedition with Russians when the manager of the hotel in Katmandu asked the expedition head not to dry a fish on a balcony - other guests are dissatisfied. " (Davide D'Angelo says)

Photos by David D'Angelo, http://www.explorersweb.com/ex018/

(28.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
26, April
Base Camp 5100m. It is snowing heavily in the Base Camp like in fairy tales of Gogol. It is night and silence. There are lonely lights on the other side of the field. Today Dima Moskalev and Marshal Ulrich descended from the North Col 7000m. In the morning they had breakfast and in the afternoon they climbed down the Base Camp. At 14.40 I started to climb down too. It is always when a man is descending one idea occurs "Why have I been sitting so long at 6500m" At such altitude all the brain seems to be killed and there are no wishes at all and even the thought about woman is rather sluggish. During my way to the BC it was snowing heavily and I had to descend four hours loosing and finding the path again and again. I could hardly find our camp in the boundless field of the BC. It has been snowing all day in the BC. We heard that it was downpouring all the time in Katmandu. Early monsoon is it possible? I do not believe!!! It was the same in 2000 year but when the full moon appeared in the sky all the climbers were able to ascend the summit. In this year the full moon will be at the turn of May. I hope to God that we will be successful.
27, April
Base Camp 5100m. The morning is crystal-clear everything around us is covered with snow. Everest is snow-white. There is no wind at all as if we are in Antarctica now. Luda Koshelenko has made the massage room from the canteen. She told that she had used to massage boxers and weight-lifters for twelve hours and the skinny bodies of climbers it was not difficult to massage. The barrel of salted cucumbers came in handy. The guys have been ascending the summit by plan. It is a pleasure to communicate with the elite of Russian climbers. Two Italians decided to wait with their departure and make an attempt again. According our plan all the team will ascend the ABC the day after tomorrow.

(27.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
24, April
ABC 6400m. It is snowing all the time. Today is the Happy Birthday of Lenin and Communist Subbotnik. But the Subbotnik became Nepalese. On Saturdays sherps do not work. Today the team was divided. Rozhkov Ilya, Ryzhenko Arkadiy, Profurmo Giorgio, Carbone Gianni descended to the base camp 5100m. Another heroes Abramov Alexander, Moskalev Dmitry, Karapetyan Artur, Gaidamak Vladimir and Marshal Ulrich are staying in ABC for ascending and installing camp at the North Col tomorrow. I do not believe that it will be possible it is 70sm of snow on the North Col. Everest is standing as white as a bride.
25, April
ABC 6400m. Dima Moskalev and Marshal Ulrich went to the North Col accompanied by three sherps. Another persons except Alexander Abramov descended to the BC. I am keeping house here. I have gave sherps the load for the camp 7000m, met the caravan with the load from the BC, equipped the office, solved a problem with generator we conquered each other it is working and I am touching it, installed antenna. Now the connection with the BC is perfect 24 hours because we had brought two accumulators and charge them every day. I am criticizing severely our cook he is cooking the food on the ground again. At that moment when I was nearly ready to have a rest and take a view of my house as it happens usually in classical detective story Gianni reported me that they made the decision to go to Katmandu. The state is critical and the prospects are gloomy. I tried to persuade them but without success. I collected all their things 85kg for two yaks. I have to descend the BC tomorrow and decide the question how to send our Italians to their Fatherland. From evening connection I got to know that Dima is heating water on the North Col 7000m!!!

(26.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
23, April
Camp ABC 6400m. In the morning everything is white, all the surroundings are covered with snow. Today is very important day to install the tents, prepare all the equipment, link up the portable radio transmitters and electricity. In general we have to build the city on the empty place. Sherps are ready to drop and move hardly. Fine fellows they were able to build the toilet and now are making the flat place for our big tent. I have decided that tomorrow the sherps will have day off but all our team will ascend to the North Col for acclimatization. All the members of the team feel good except our generator it has no wish to turn on. We had a dinner with candlelight near fireplace (gas heater). Today was one unpleasant moment. Seven sherps came to say that the results of yesterday meeting concerning fixed ropes were canceled and now the prices were new at about 100$ for one person. I would give them the money with pleasure but I am not sure that tomorrow another sherps will come and ask for 200$. The mathematics is simple but politics is complicated. I am going to sleep.. Bye

(23.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
22, April
It is probably very warm in Moscow but in the ABC it is snowing heavily. Today from the snowing shroud the members of the team jumped and crawled out. The snow-covered yaks threw down the load and went back into the snowing shroud towards the BC. We have installed only five tents for sleeping and one kitchen tent. Tomorrow we will try to deliver the camp.
Today it was the meeting with the leaders of the expeditions and as usual it was the main question "Who would fix the ropes and pay for this work". Last year it was cost 20$ per one person and this year it will be probably cost 200$ per one person. Climbing is very expensive. We are discussing with Dima Moskalev the prospects he is as the second leader in our expedition. He promises to kill me if I will not give up smoking. I hope the sherps will install the toilet, for you it is funny but when the temperature is -15C and the tears are frozen with the wind….

(22.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
20, April
The weather is perfect in the morning. Everest is covered with snow, there is a small cloud on the top and it is not moving. It would be cool to ascend today, but… There are no altitude camps and ropes have fixed only till 7000m. It is very warm in the Base Camp. In the morning lama came to us with two hours of lateness but he is the best, the main teacher in the monastery. Sherps stretched the prayerful flags. Lama read the prayer, beat the drum and rang the bells. At the end of the ceremony he gave all the people flour and we threw it before the wind so I was not lucky to appear before wind. After ceremony we took photos with our flag "Adventure Team of Alpindustria". At 3 o'clock p.m. three high altitude porters and I made the way towards the middle camp 5000m. Our task is to reach the ABC and find the good place for the camp. In one day all our team will be there. In the evening we watched the film "Jurassic Park" in the tent after that at night from the tents man could hear groans and snarl. All the members are healthy and feel good.
21, April
We needed only to burn the gas jet and the life became bright again. It is 15 degrees below zero in the ABC and at night - 25C. Three sherps and I reached the ABC 6400m. The sherps did it for three hours and I for six in principle it changes nothing. We have found the good place for our tent it has the sizes 16X4m. The place is perfect on the edge of the steep. All perfect places have been already occupied with another expeditions. Now at 14 o'clock the cavalcade of nine yaks, ten members of our expedition have made the way from the Base Camp towards the ABC. Luda Koshelenko is staying in the BC she will have to protect our camp from the Tibetans and every day turn on this strange thing for her the generator. At parting this heroic woman asked us to show what should she pull. As a result all the members of the team are in the middle camp and their leader is freezing in the ABC. Only sherps have managed to reach the North Col so our late departure and delays in Katmandu did us good.

(20.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
19, April
The installation of the Base Camp is a titanic work. From morning till night we are not able to have a look round because of the fuss and even we do not pay attention to the weather in spite that it has been snowing all night. We have installed the Base Camp with perfect canteen, two kitchens, shower, toilet, office with four computers, generator and radio station. With the help of the gas heater it is warm all the time in the canteen. We salted cucumbers and cabbage into two barrels. All the members including sherps are like one team. The cooks cook perfectly. I am pleased with everything though I am very tired and there is no time for photos and video. Tomorrow three high altitude porters and I will ascend the ABC 6500m to look for the good place for the camp. All the team will ascend the ABC tomorrow. As people say it is very cold in the ABC and only today the sherps have fixed ropes to the North Col. In five days we will be there. Everything is going according to the plan. Tomorrow the lama will come to our camp to consecrate it and all the sherps are looking forward to this meeting. Concerning independent experts' estimations our camp is the best in the BC.

(19.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
16, April
We got up at 6 o'clock in the morning. It was cold and dark. The moon is turning to the full. We had breakfast with candlelight and began our journey. It took us five hours to get from Old Tingri to the Base Camp. And now we can admire the greatness and of Everest. It is overhanging and it seems to ask: "You are here, for what have you come again?" What can I answer: "I have come to you as old friend". The fortunate was bounded me up with Everest in 1993. We unloaded the lorries near the graveyard not far from the expedition of Russel Brice. Vladimir Gaidamak, five sherps and I have installed the tent "Anaconda" it is 16m longways and 4m in width. Magatest made the tent for us. It is double tent for Antarctica. All the people from nearest expedition came to look at it they have never seen such tent before. Tomorrow another members of our expedition will arrive.

(16.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
13, April
We have broken away from Katmandu!!! But unfortunately the lorry with our baggage was blocked on the road. So we had to wait for this lorry till 2 o'clock. It was late and we hardly managed to pass the border that was closed at 6 o'clock. Now we are having night in Jangmu. One "wise" porter turned over the container; there were two accumulators, and all the hydrochloric acid appeared on the pants of the porter and other things, which were in the container. With difficulty we washed the container, other things and porter's pants. The turmoil aroused around this all the sherps came running. As the result two accumulators are broken and we will have to find service center in Nialam. But now about pleasant things we found in Jangmu where to buy boards. We have decided to build a toilet at the Base Camp. Nobody has done it before. It will be Russian know-how "Toilet with light and heating seat". The person who has visited the Himalayas even one time will understand me. The toilet is the place where people spend the tenth part of their life. So why we should spoil our life with crooked and falling toilet-tents. It is a pity that we are short of time to take photos and video and send them to Moscow.
14, April
I like Tibet more and more. Since 1999 it is the fourth expedition in Tibet. In every settlement I meet the liaison officers from "Tibet Mountaineering Association" and they are glad to see us again. In the morning we arrived in Nialam 3600m it has very changed since last year in the hotels appeared internet-cafes. We found service center and installed the accumulators. Luda Koshelenko controls the work of the kitchen and she bought aprons and over sleeves for the cooks. All the sherps were rolling with laughter. It is snowing and we are happy to be in the warm hotel in such wet and cold weather. All the members of our team feel good only Ilya Rozhkov has a sore throat. Tomorrow we are going to Shigar 4200m.
15, April
It has been snowing all night and now it is melting with first rays of the sun. The team is full of energy and we have decided to go further. It took us two hours on the earth road to get to the pass 5300m. From this place we watched the splendid view of Shisha Pangma 8047m the Baltic expedition is going there. And now we are in the village Old Tingri it is situated between deserted hills and there are no trees. In the afternoon it was the dust storm. We met the expedition from Minsk they were going to ascend Cho Oyu 8201m. Tomorrow Vladimir Gaidamak, five sherps and I will go to the Base Camp with two lorries loaded with the equipment to install the camp. Another part of our team is in Shigar now there are trees and it is not so windy. I hope we will meet the expedition of Kozlov tomorrow. The weather is fine for the moment. Nobody is ill.

(14.04.2004)
Alexander Abramov reports:
9, April
Many events happened after two days of flight so it is very difficult to collect thoughts. Any person arrives in Katmandu dissolves in time and the days are gliding away. On first day of our arrival we were offered to have accommodation instead of hotel Manang in the hotel Thamel as ancient as Katmandu. But we refused from exotics and preferred to be accommodated in hotel Vaishali with swimming pool. Soon disappointment overtook us because of the strike all the roads towards Tibet are blocked. The drivers refuse to work and a lot of expeditions gathered in one place. We meet them everywhere. We had a meeting with Silus from Latvia; he had ascended Everest last year, and now he is going to ascend Shisha Pangma 8047m. Today we have had a dinner with four climbers from Byelorussia they are planning the expedition to Cho Oyu 8201m. According to the plans of Maionists the strike will be finished on the 12th of April and on the 13th of April all the expedition will go towards the board of Tibet. We received the cargo and the customs officers had a great interest in the box of voblas. They have never seen such fish before so we presented one fish to them. At the time of transportation 5 kg of dry sausages disappeared and one reducer for oxygen cylinder. So the life is going on…
10, April
Today is Saturday the Holy Day for all Nepalins. All the shops are closed. We are busy with exploring what we can buy for our expedition. We visited the guys from Petersburg they have been working here for five years and have not visited Russia for nine months. Tomorrow we will have holiday dinner: vobla with beer. Today Vladimir Gaidamak arrived so all the team gathered together.
Russia
Abramov Alexander (the leader), Moscow
Moskalev Dmitry, Moscow
Zadokhin Vladimir, Moscow
Rozhkov Ilya, Ekaterinburg
Ryzhenko Arkadiy, Ekaterinburg
Karapetyan Artur, Perm
Gaidamak Vladimir, Omsk
Uzbekistan
Tillahodjaev Dilmurad, Tashkent
Georgia
Gujabidze Bidzina, Tbilisi
Italy
Profumo Giorgio
Carbone Gianni
USA
D'Angelo Davide, USA / Italy
Ulrich Marshall
We have included in our expedition Luda Koshelenko. She will be responsible for cooking and health of the team. We have bought the food today and tasted it to understand what will be better to take in mountains. It looked like a shoal of polecats in the grocery warehouse. Tomorrow will be the main day of buying all necessary things: food, gas, reducers, petrol and a lot of other things.
11, April
We congratulate all of you with Easter!!! In the morning we were kissing and twisting Easter eggs. We were taking photos and shooting by cameras. After that we set out in search of good reducer Honda. The task turned out to be very difficult. The traders try to overprice, do not give the discounts besides tell that it is made in Japan then they swear that it is from India and at the end admit that it is Chinese production. Today we have been discussing with sherps the conditions of the work and what it will be if they refuse to work or do their work very badly, it seems that such talks do not care them but the talks concerning the bonuses arouse their interests. As the result it was agreed that the bonus would be the same as last year. We signed the contract and went for shopping. We have bought 30 liters of "light" drinks and 120 liters of juice. With all these things we were busy all this Holy Holiday in Katmandu when even work is considered to be a sin. Tomorrow is the last day before our departure from Katmandu and we should prepare a lot.
12, April
All the streets in Katmandu are overcrowded with half-drunk young people. There are a lot of motorcyclists and girls in mini-skirts. And in this complete chaos we are running with wide-open eyes and making the last preparations. Tomorrow is the day of the departure and all the expeditions will go towards the border of Tibet. We have received the last news about the new strike on the 13th of April but it cannot stop us. If we are not able to force our way through the blocked regions we will use the helicopter. The parson came in Katmandu and wished us the good weather and good luck. I think all these messages from Katmandu annoy you. But now the real travel is beginning and as soon as we reach the base camp we will send all the videos to Moscow.

(31.03.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Supported by the Moscow Federation of Mountaineering and RockClimbing
This expedition to Everest, the highest top of the World, is carried out within the framework of the project " 7 summits ". The purpose of the project is the ascents on the highest tops of all continents of the Earth. In the world less than 100 persons have conquered the 7 summits. (Less than has visited space!). The first action became an ascent to Elbrus (5642ì, Caucasus, Europe). Then was a successful ascent to Kilimanjaro (5895ì, Tanzania, Africa). In February 2004 the team successfully ascended to the summit of Aconcagua (6969ì, Argentina, Southern America) And now is the world's highest mountain Everest (8848ì) where the team takes off on the 7th of April

Our Everest Team is international and consists not only of Russian climbers.
Russia
Abramov Alexander (the leader) Moscow
Moskalev Dmitry Moscow
Zadokhin Vladimir Moscow
Rozhkov Ilya Ekaterinburg
Ryzhenko Arkadiy Ekaterinburg
Karapetyan Artur Perm
Gaidamak Vladimir Omsk
Uzbekistan
Tillahodjaev Dilmurad Tashkent
Georgia
Gujabidze Bidzina Tbilisi
Italy
Profumo Giorgio
Carbone Gianni
USA
D'Angelo Davide USA / Italy
Ulrich Marshall
For the first time in history of the conquest of Everest the Russian sportsmen plan the coverage of the expedition in a mode on-line. During expedition the video shooting will be conducted by digital video cameras. Then weekly the video data, with use of the satellite equipment, will be sent to Moscow. As duration of expedition of 10 weeks it is planned to send 8-10 blocks of video information, which will be used by a telechannel "SPORTS".
The evening devoted to the Expedition take place in club-cafe Alpindustria on the 6th of April at 19.00 We invite all of you to our evening!!!
You can receive information by phones: 165-64-38, 165-90-81 e-mail: komanda@alpindustria.ru
The leader of the Expedition Abramov Alexander