Greetings from group 4

Greetings from group 4!

Two weeks ago we set of by bus from Kathmandu to Arughat- not the most pleasant of journeys and even worse with a stomach upset!

The trekking started the following day where it was really scorching which wasn't to last as it tipped it down the following day and fully tested our waterproofs. The trek has been wonderful, it started amongst green lush rice paddies and has gone through lots of interesting villages. It then wound its way through the beautiful Buri Gandaki gorge with some very narrow sections and big drops down to the river below (terrifying one or two of the group members, but they managed it).

After a week or so the gorge opened out in to an amazing wooded valley and then culture has become decidedly Tibetan and the weather is now much colder. The mountain scenery is simply stunning and is getting better every day. This area has had a lot more snow than usual so even though we are not far from Base Camp we are having to take extra rest days whilst the Sherpas construct everything ready for the research.

Everybody in group 4 are in good spirits and pretty well apart from the odd cough and cold and we are acclimatising well. We are all being fed like kings, it's quite amazing how the cook team manage a different meal every night with ingredients that have been carried for 12 days. We are all keeping ourselves busy with games, cards and quizzes and we are all getting along well.

Thanks for all your messages from home, it's great to read them all. We will post more soon.

Ben and Martin, group 4

P.S. Please check out Ben (group 4 radio supremo) and Jess' travel blog at bunandben.wordpress.com