After spending six days at Base Camp, it is now time to get on with it and begin the second of three "rotations".  This time we will depart Base Camp with the main goal of reaching Camp 3 and spending a night there with no oxygen to "stress the body" so I am told.  By spending an extended amount of time at such a high altitude where oxygen levels are quite depleted in the atmosphere (23,500 ft), the body will begin to increase the red blood cell count which will speed up the absorption rate of oxygen into the blood stream.  A crucial step I can imagine, but that doesn't make it sound any less daunting. 

The first step is to get from Base Camp to Camp 1 where we will again have to traverse the ever-changing Khumba Ice Fall.  One of my biggest goals along with successfully reaching Camp 3 is to not fall into a crevasse... let's hope for the best considering my current track record.  Beginning Thursday, the group will hike to Camp 1 and spend the night, hike to Camp 2 and spend the night, hike around Camp 2 during the next day and spend another night, hike to Camp 3 where we will spend the night without oxygen. Then hike down to Camp 2, spend the night, then hike to Base Camp for a total of 6 days.  This assumes no delays for weather which is rare so the whole trip could take longer.  I am excited and ready to conquer the next leg of this journey.