Acclimation in Lungdhen — the team frays

Some conflict has developed in the group between Niall (an accountant from Sydney in his 50s) and Dora (a sociology professor from Melbourne, originally from Poland). A combination of ill-fitting personalities and culturally-based misunderstandings boiled over. Kilimanjaro showed me how important group morale is, so hopefully we can help them find middle ground.

Today we hiked one of the flanking peaks to 4,900m to acclimatise to our next camp tomorrow at 5,200m. We are really starting to get into isolated areas now, and the sheer scale of these mountains is beginning to dawn on us. We are well into the minuses overnight, with only colder temperatures expected over the next four days as we head over the Renjo Pass and finally get our first glimpse of the quarry: Abi Himal and its highest peak, Cholo.