Dinner in the Mess Tent last night was a muted affair with the knowledge that Neil Greenwood would be flown by helicopter to Kathmandu this morning for medical treatment and may not rejoin us. Neil phoned his wife to let her know the situation so that she heard it at first hand. We all wish him a speedy recovery and a quick return to the mountains.

Neil leaving us is a big psychological blow to the team which has been together for nearly 2 years and is a very close knit group after some strenuous but highly enjoyable training together in the mountains of Scotland, Wales, Bavaria and Switzerland. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that Neil was the most popular member of the team.

Right from the outset the aim has been to produce a team based around the concept of compatibility; i.e. with people who will work hard for each other in the knowledge that it is the success of the team that is more important than their own success. This is the expedition leader's "Wimbledon Football Club" theory (he and his son are members of the "Crazy Gang").

The bulk of the team left Base Camp after breakfast at 0400 and carried loads up to Camp 1 where we have now amassed an enormous amount of food, gas and equipment for that camp and the higher camps. Times to and from the camp are reducing and the first pair were back at 1030 with the remainder close behind. Neither where they quite as exhausted as they had been on the first forays up to Camp 1.

Dave Pearce and Ady Cole spent today fixing ropes in new places where protection for the team and Sherpas is required and backing-up existing anchors which have been weakened by exposure to the sun or subjected to heavy use. The other thing they have been doing is rejigging existing ropes which were too short to abseil on safely.