Hello Laurel.

I hope you are well.

This is Dan Mazur from SummitClimb.com writing back to you.

I am with our team in Kathmandu, the warm, sunny, and peaceful capital of Nepal.

I just walked and flew back here to Kathmandu from the very beautiful 11,500 foot Namche Bazaar, the airy capital of the Sherpa people. Up there at the base of the Himalayan peaks, just a few miles from Everest, the weather was sparkling clear and cool in the mornings, and cloudy and warm in the afternoons. I was up there with one of our Ama Dablam expeditions. Ama Dablam is 22,500 feet high, located 12 miles from Everest, and known as Asia's most famous rock, ice, and snow climb. I have now returned to Kathmandu and am greeting our Cho Oyu expedition, just returned from Tibet, with 8 on the summit. Next week I will be joining another expedition to Mera Peak and crossing the Amphu Labtsa Pass near to Everest. In the first weeks of November, we will travel to a small hospital we are building, which serves 4000 poor sherpas who live on the wrong side of Everest where tourists never go. I wish you were here with me.

You can follow the progress of our expeditions on EverestNews.com .

After our return in mid November we will begin plans for our 2007 Winter and Spring expeditions to Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Everest, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and the North Col.

I would like to call you, but I am afraid its already 11pm in Texas, so it might be too late to call you as I don't want to be rude.

Perhaps I should try again in the morning.