October 10, 2011
Ang Jangbu reports from Kathmandu that most of the team members for our EBC Trek/Lobuche/Ama Dablam and also the Annapurna/Chulu groups have now arrived to Kathmandu. Tomorrow, both teams will have their official “Welcome Dinnerâ€, the traditional kickoff for our IMG Nepal trips. In the meantime, the guides are doing equipment checks and making sure everyone is all set for the beginning of the trips.
Today, Justin Merle and Peter Anderson (IMG guides for the EBC/Lobuche/Ama Dablam trip) did their briefing at the Ministry of Tourism this afternoon and got our Ama Dablam climbing permit. Â The team also has their Lobuche Peak climbing permit and trek permits, so they are all ready to fly to Lukla early morning on October 13th.
IMG guides Eben Reckord (just off Kilimanjaro, via a few days on the beach in Zanzibar!) and Charlotte Austin have also arrived to Kathmandu and are getting their team all set for the Annapurna Trek and Chulu Peak climb. We have also procured the Chulu and Annapurna trek permits today, and the Chulu/Annapurna sherpas will leave tomorrow morning for Bulbule, one day ahead of the group. We also have porters coming from Pokhara tomorrow to meet the sherpas at Besisahar.  The sherpas will have camp set up and ready when the group arrives next day.
Eric Simonson