Our puja or buddhist ceremony was held today under blue skies. We couldn’t have asked for a more stunning day. The local lama chanted prayers for 4 hrs, he blessed our equipment presented at the alter, and we finished by throwing tsampa into the air as an offering to the spirits who watch over this land. This ceremony requests protection and success. It’s an essential ritual we follow on all major expeditions.
Due to the unfortunate accident yesterday where a Sherpa (part of the route setting team) fell to his death into a crevasse, today’s ceremony was subdued. Our guides were particularly touched by the ceremony. In a few hours they will begin their climb straight to Camp 2 (6600m) to begin setting up advanced base camp. They have been acclimatizing at base camp for the last few weeks, and they are keen to begin climbing. Lakpa is also stretching his legs in the ice fall up to Camp 1 with the Canadian Lhotse group tomorrow.