Isla and Ben spent much of the weekend meticulously packing the 5 group medical barrels and the other medical barrel to go direct base camp.
We have freighted £2,000 worth of medical supplies which will be donated to a hospital in Pokhara at the end of the expedition. In addition we are sending out 2 Gammow Bags. We will be hiring medical oxygen sets in Kathmandu.
Denzil had already packed the equipment he needs to produce power at Base Camp for the research. Each of the "power barrels" weigh in at 25kg and contain batteries that will ultimately be donated to charities in Nepal that can make use of them. The system will be completely driven by solar panels so we are hoping for much sunshine!
Tony Davies came up with the brilliant idea of recycling out of date syringes left over from the last expedition. With a pair of pliers (probably made in Sheffield) he converted them into individual glass ampoule holders. The barrels themselves are already recycled and, no doubt, will have long lives as grain stores in mountain villages in the years to come.
This was the first time the Porter Welfare Project team came together to finalise their plans and pack their research barrels. Mary Morrell came with the news that the project had, at the last minute, gained approval by the Nepalese Ethics Committee.
Dinner in the evening was superb at the University's Management Centre. All in all a very sociable weekend
On the Sunday the barrels got weighed and measured for freighting. George's laptop came out and the contents of every freight item went onto a spreadsheet to share with the freight handlers and customs in UK and Nepal. George had hired a long wheel based Enterprise van which got packed to the gunnels. All the freight headed off to Oxford Sunday evening and will, by now, be with the handlers and starting the long journey to Base Camp.
We will be following soon!
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