Today has been a day of much activity on the mountain and much speculation about the weather. At Base Camp it stopped snowing at about 1700 yesterday . The temperature dropped and it was a cold, clear, starlit night. However, up at Camp 3 it was very windy and snow was being blown all around. The noise of the wind and of the snow being blown against the tents prevented any attempt at sleep for the British and Indian occupants of Camp 3.

At 0600 this morning John Doyle reported from Camp 3 that Ian Venables, Dan Carroll, Pema and Da Phuri were returning to Base Camp (they got back safely at about 1300). John, Ady Cole, Nima Dhorje and Pemba Norbu will remain at Camp 3 for a further day in the hope that, however unlikely, conditions will improve and allow them to move up to Camp 4 for a summit bid tomorrow. Andy Hughes, Colin Scott and Dave Pearce will therefore move up to Camp 2 to support that summit bid and possibly make a second attempt the following day. If the summit attempt is not on then everyone will return to Base Camp tomorrow.

The Indians at Camp 3 withdrew from the mountain this morning and have apparently teamed up with the Koreans to make a summit bid on the 18th May. We will probably do the same and go back up the mountain next Monday (weather permitting of course). Talking to the Swiss they will probably do the same.

Back at Base Camp "George", who we now think is a Himalayan Mouse Hare, made a long awaited appearance and was even brave enough to venture into the Mess Tent.

Today's pictures, in the absence of anything new from the mountain, show the expedition leader advertising the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Sports Lottery, one of our major sponsors, whilst ice climbing yesterday; and the second is of Mingma our assistant cook wearing a 203 (TA) Field Ambulance woolly hat!