Update From Kathmandu

Here's an update from Noelle Wenceslao

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Dear Vince,

Ikaw nalang kulang. We're reunited with Leo and PALMC sa ilalim ng puno sa breakfast buffet ng Hotel Marshyangdi. They're Island Peak climb went well -- Dami nilang news on the recession of the glaciers and the glacial lake outburst stuff. Washed out daw ilang bridges, but we have yet to see that.

Peter Negrido and party are in Lukla already, but we're flying there on Tuesday pa.

Demolished na Sherpa Guesthouse, so tiis nalang ng sikip sa Marshyangdi.We're meeting with the Filipino community and other friends here in KTM today. Tapos groceries, etc. Wala pa naman kwento worth telling, but definitely this trip is a lot less stressful than last year.

Yours,

Everyone

Touchdown In Hongkong

Here's an earlier e-mail from Teqm Leader Art Valdez who wrote fron Hong kong. The Pinoy contingent consists of Sir Art, Leo Oracion, Erwin 'Pastor' Emata, Carina Dayondon, Noelle Wenceslao, Dr. Ted Esguerra and Fred Jamili.

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Hi Vince,

We are taking it easy here in HK for our early evening flight to KTM. We are all excited and really enjoying ourselves because for the first time, no pressure, nor life threatening challenges ahead for us.

The Everest Marathon is tough but not as dangerous compared to the climb to the summit which we did for the last two years.Anyway, we are sending our warmest hello from Hongkong. Wish you're here to enjoy this new exciting adventure.

Art

Ooops.. They're At It Again!

My apologies to the Britney fans, but I just wanted to get this out quickly and let all of you know about the new adventure of the Pinoy Everest Team.

They are now back in Kathmandu preparing to join the Everest Marathon.

Yes, it is a Marathon in Mt. Everest. No, it is not a race up the mountain, but will start at the Everest Base Camp and go down to the village of Lukla. It will be a real marathon distance 42+ kilometer race, and the Pinoy and Pinay Everesters are guning for the record of placing in the top 5.

It's a record for them already though as the first Filipinos to join the race. Let's hope they do well and that nobody gets hit with altitude sickness.

Letter to the Family of Sir Edmund Hillary

Everest Conqueror Edmund Hillary Dies

Everest conquerer Edmund Hillary dies
By Kazunori Takada

WELLINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary, who along with Nepal's Tenzing Norgay Sherpa became the first to conquer Mount Everest, has died. He was 88.

"The legendary mountaineer, adventurer, and philanthropist is the best-known New Zealander ever to have lived. But most of all he was a quintessential Kiwi," New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Friday in announcing Hillary's death.

Hillary scaled the world's highest mountain in 1953, telling companions after the climb: "We knocked the bastard off".

The cause of Hillary's death was not announced, but he had been ill for some time and local media reported he had been suffering pneumonia. Radio New Zealand said he died at Auckland
City Hospital on Friday morning.

"He was a colossus. He was an heroic figure who not only knocked off Everest but lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity," said Clark.

Born in Auckland on July 20, 1919, Hillary led an uneventful life until he achieved his Everest triumph at the age of 33.

Then a beekeeper from near Auckland, the strapping six foot (1.83 metre) Hillary was chosen by British expedition leader John Hunt to make the final assault on Everest because of his experience in the Himalayas and immense energy and strength.

Sherpa Tenzing was chosen as his climbing partner.

Hillary and Tenzing set off on a cloudless morning after spending a night at high altitude on the south peak of the infamous South Col. Encumbered by clothing and oxygen equipment that modern climbers would deem museum pieces, they inched ahead until they reached the most formidable problem on the final ridge, a 40 foot (13 metre) rock now known as the Hillary Step.

Hillary "jammed" his way up a narrow crack running vertically up the rock using all his strength and determination and then hauled Tenzing up and they moved on with little to impede them.

At 11.30 a.m. they became the first to step onto the summit of the highest mountain on earth.

For years neither would say who stepped foot on the summit first, but after Tenzing's death in 1986, Hillary revealed it was him.

By late afternoon they were back at the South Col camp and on June 2 word of the conquest was broken by the London Times. The news won huge media coverage, with the "British" triumph coinciding with the coronation day of Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Hillary was knighted even before he descended from Everest.

"It was ground-breaking stuff, trying to find out if the human body could even survive those altitudes in those days," said two-time Everest summit veteran Andrew Lock, Australia's top
high altitude mountaineer.

"He was just the sort of climber that all other climbers looked up to as the absolute pinnacle of appropriate and ethical climbing," said Lock.

After Everest, Hillary led a number of expeditions. In 1958, he and four companions travelled overland in three modified tractors to become the first to reach the South Pole by vehicle.

In the 1960s he returned to the Himalayas in search of the elusive Yeti and in 1975 he led a jetboat expedition to the source of the Ganges.

But most of his energy was devoted to helping Nepal's Sherpa people who live in the shadow of Everest. His Himalaya Trust raised about US$250,000 a year and he personally helped build
schools, hospitals, bridges, pipelines and even an airfield.

"To me he was the greatest adventurer of the 20th Century," millionaire Australian adventurer and philanthropist Dick Smith, who flew solo around the world by helicopter, told Reuters.

Smith, who funds scores of global expeditions, said Hillary's greatest legacy would be the dozens of schools he built and charity work he spearheaded for Nepal.

"Where Ed is different is that his whole life was completely devoted to the people of the Himalayas. He was the bloke who inspired us all," he said.

Last Camp Before Summit

I was digging through the tons of tapes of this year's Kaya ng Pinay Everest coverge when I noticed a tape I hadn't watched before. Lucky that I did. It contained video the girls took at the last camp -- at 8,300 meters -- before they went for the summit of Mt. Everest.

It's amazing seeing Noelle, Carina and Janet looking so strong in the death zone, as if they were just at base camp. I've uploaded the video so you can see the (rare) footage of the girls shortly before the summit. They spent too little time at the summit to take out a video camera and were only able to take photos. Still.. grabe ang lakas ng mga 'to.

Everest Wallpaper

Finally had time to look at some pictures from the trip. Here's my desktop with a view of the north face of Everest.

I'm not sure if it will fit your screen resolution, but you can get a copy here.

Kaya Ng Pinay Theme Song

The team doctor, Ted Esguarra composed the song "Kaya Ng Pinay" before they left for Everest in March. His band is hoping to release a full album by September. We've uploaded a low-fi version of the song here. Let us know what you think.

Busy Week for the Team

The past few days have been hectic for the the Everest Team who had just gotten back Thursday night.

Their flight got delayed, then they immediately had a presscon at the airport when they arrived.

Then.. they were whisked off to ABS-CBN for live interviews on DZMM, Studio 23's News Central and ANC's Hardball, a taped interview for The Correspondents and another interview for Marie Claire.

Friday was their motorcade around Manila and a courtesy call at the Manila City Hall. Then an awarding ceremony at the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters were the girls got a much deserved promotion. They were able to rest for a few hours -- and Noelle was able to sneak in a haircut -- then dinner with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Malacanan Palace.

Saturday, they were on DZMM again on the program of Former Senator Freddie Webb and Gretchen Fullido, then more interviews in the afternoon.

I think they were able to spend some much needed time with their families today (I hope!).

Tomorrow, they will be on Mornings @ ANC at about 9:00 a.m. Then they'll be on Wowowee. Sana manalo sila. More interviews in the afternoon, including one for Chalk Magazine.

Tuesday, they will be on Breakfast on Studio 23. Dami pang naka-schedule, sana huwag silang magsawa sa interviews.

Pinays On The Summit

Kaya ng Pinay Everest Team with their Sherpas at Camp 2 Tibet side.

Noelle Wenceslao on the summit with Mt. Makalu in the background.

Noelle with Philippine flag.

Carina Dayondon on the summit.

Carina with a big smile on the summit.

Carina with High Altitude Guide Lakhpa Geljen Sherpa.

Janet Belarmino posing with another climber and High Altitude Guide Pasang Nuru Sherpa.

Janet with the Philippine Flag.

Sun Star Cebu: A Wenceslao Atop Mt. Everest

reprinted from Sun Star Cebu

Friday, May 18, 2007
Wenceslao: A Wenceslao atop Mt. Everest
By Bong O. Wenceslao
Candid Thoughts

THE more popular Wenceslao when we were younger was director Jose "Pepe" Wenceslao. We didn't know who this man was and whether or not Wenceslao was but his showbiz name. But we joked about him often, especially because a cousin was called Pepe. In Tudela, Camotes meanwhile, Wenceslao, to some relatives was "Big W."

There's a certain pride in seeing one's family name linked to big achievements, more so with Wenceslao. No problem with my mother's maiden name Ortega, which is Spanish-sounding and common. But Wenceslao? That's why I would have wanted my cousin, long-time Sambag 2 Barangay Captain Noel Wenceslao to become city councilor.

I remember asking my father Tiyong what our relation was with the Wenceslaos of Santander. That was when the Abineses still ruled Santander town's politics and the Wenceslaos were content merely doing business there.

My father told me the Wenceslao patriarch was Chinese and only borrowed the family name Wenceslao. What a choice.

I am talking Wenceslao because a Wenceslao was one of three Filipinas who reached the Mt. Everest peak Wednesday morning. Noelle Wenceslao, Karina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino will now be referred to as the "first women of Southeast Asia to summit Mt. Everest." Did Noelle plant a flag with the Wenceslao name at the summit?

I actually don't know who Noelle is. My father is dead and the other Wenceslao elders are either in Mindanao or in Camotes. And I am no expert in tracing the family tree. I once jogged around the new Talisay City Hall and a policeman there introduced himself as a Wenceslao. He was from Luzon. Another Wenceslao is a politician in Leyte.

An Inquirer report said Noelle's father is Peewee Wenceslao. Don't know him, but that "Peewee" name sounds interesting. A controversial Metro Manila mayor is nicknamed Peewee. His first name? Wenceslao. I said first name, not family name. So is Peewee Wenceslao actually Wenceslao Wenceslao. Oops, that's the name of my brother.

Anyway, drama was not absent in Noelle's feat. Reports say she earlier suffered from AMS or acute mountain sickness and expedition team doctor Ted Esguerra had to take care of her every step of the way. What courage.

But that is what mountain climbing is all about, you don't just give up. You push the limits of your endurance to make it.

It's unfortunate that Wenceslao, Dayondon and Belarmino reached the summit of Mt. Everest at a time when this country is holding a political exercise whose practice we can never be proud of. And because we tend to gloss over real achievement for scandals and controversies (which incidentally our elections have a lot of), the feat got buried.

Of course, we have heard of people downplaying the achievement of reaching Mt. Everest's summit. The argument is that the climb is no longer challenging, like what Mt. Manunggal has become with a road traversing its peak. These critics are no trekkers. They are ignorant of the dangers posed by Mt. Everest, especially to those Pinays.

Between the three Pinays who reached Mt. Everest's summit and most winners in the last polls, I would pay homage to the former. Those Pinays showed us what the Filipinos can achieve, while many politicians can only show us how deep we can plunge into the muck. Besides, a Wenceslao atop Mt. Everest? Come on.

(khanwens@yahoo.com/ 0915-9228651/my blog: cebuano.wordpress.com)

Senate President Villar Commends Team

May 17, 2007

VILLAR FILES SENATE RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE KAYA NG PINAY EVEREST TEAM

Senate President Manny Villar filed Senate Resolution No. 629 commending the three women of the “Kaya ng Pinay” Everest Team for their historic feat of being the first ASEAN women to reach the Mount Everest summit.

The first Filipina to reach the summit of the world’s tallest mountain was Noelle Wenceslao, followed by Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino.

Villar said, “We celebrate and take pride in the audacity of our women who have conquered Mount Everest, marking another milestone in our accomplishments as a nation and race.”

“This feat clearly demonstrates the outstanding skill and strength of our Filipino women in the face of the fiercest adversities as they reach their goal. Likewise, it upholds the importance of women empowerment in our country,” he said.

“We congratulate Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino and the entire “Kaya ng Pinay” Everest Team for this record-setting achievement which elevates the distinct qualities of the women of our country,” said Villar.

Sen. Pangilinan Lauds Kaya Ng Pinay Everest Team

May 16, 2007

KIKO LAUDS KAYA NG PINAY EVEREST TEAM

Senate Majority Leader and Independent re-electionist Kiko Pangilinan commended the achievement of Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino for being the first ASEAN women to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

"I laud the efforts of the Kaya ng Pinay Everest Team in marking another glorious record for the Filipino people, for all Pinays and for all member countries of the ASEAN region," expressed Kiko.

"Lahat ng Pilipino ay humahanga at ipinagmamalaki ang kabayanihan ng tatlong dakilang Pilipina na nakaabot sa tuktok ng mundo. Ikinalulugod nating lahat ang kanilang nagawa at nagpapasalamat sa kanilang kabayanihan para sa sambayanang Pilipino," stressed Kiko.

"When the Philippine Senate resumes its session on June 4, I plan to file a resolution commending their bravery, will and resilience for victoriously making another historical record for our country and for the ASEAN region, as reaching the top of the world is no small feat," ended Kiko.

The Kathmandu Post: Mom of 5-month-old atop Everest

reprinted from The Kathmandu Post

Mom of 5-month-old atop Everest

BY KRISHNA REGMI

KATHMANDU, May 24 - Just three months after giving birth to her first child she set off to scale Mt Everest. Five months later and yet to fully recover from childbearing, Janet Belarmino, 28, has already conquered the world's highest mountain.

Not only did she emerge triumphant from her mission, she along with other two Filipinas-- Noelle Wenceslao, and Carina Dayondon-- set a record in Everest history last Wednesday, becoming the first ever women to cross over the peak of Mt Everest. They made it to the top from the north side and descended from the south.

Besides, the three Filipinas also set the record as the first Southeast Asian women to conquer the world's highest peak.

"It was an awesome experience. I got an immense amount of pleasure," said a visibly elated Belarmino on arrival at the capital.

Commenting on the ordeal of leaving her small son at home with her husband, she said it was emotionally a very difficult time, having to miss her baby.

"I decided to leave him, as I was too focused on the mountain. I believed there was a greater cause behind my decision," she said. She said determination, unity and team work were what made her succeed in her endeavor.

Crossing the mountain from Tibet to Nepal has been done only by a handful of mountaineers. The traverse posed a bigger challenge for the women as they passed an unfamiliar route during the descent. The other two Filipino women also could not hide their excitement. "Definitely, the climbing was tough. But getting success is an enthralling experience," said Wenceslao.

When asked how it felt while tackling the ascent, Dayondon said they were mentally and physically prepared to climb the tallest peak. "We have great respect for mountains. So, we believed that the mountain would allow us to climb it as well," she said.

Prior to her attempt this season, Belarmino had received mountaineering training in Nepal since 2004. She had climbed a few mountains, below 8,000 meters, like (Island) Peak.

She was so much enamored with mountains that she named her five-month old baby Himalaya. "Himalaya is deep-rooted in my mind. So I chose this name for my son," said she.

Sharing her experience, she said the journey was physically challenging. "We are not super-women. All we had was strong determination, and motivation," she said. She said the three years training helped in her success.

Over 200 climbers have reached the world's highest peak this spring season from the south col. The month of May is the best season for climbing. A total of 23 climbing expeditions are expecting to scale Mt Everest this season.

Hello from Noelle

Hello! We're back in Katmandu. I'll write more next time, ha, because I haven't quite gained back my original vocabulary.

I just want to take this chance na magpasalamat sa sambayanang Pilipino for all their prayers and support. Para sa inyo 'to! We ALL did it together.

We're all okay -- no damage whatsoever. We killed a few million brain cells, but we don't use those anyway.

Next time mas mahaba ang kuwento ko. Kitakits sa Pinas!

Press Conference in Kathmandu

The Kaya ng Pinay Everest Team had a press conference at Hotel Marshyangdi today to formally announce the women's achievement of traversing Mt. Everest from Tibet to Nepal.

Climbers Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino faced the media together with Expedition Leader Art Valdez, Mr. Sonam Sherpa of Thamserku Trekking and Mr. Henry Pariyar of International Adventure Treks and Expeditions.

Members of the Kathmandu Press asked the climbers what they saw on top of the world's highest mountain and what they were thinking about when they were on the summit.

Noelle with Tibet Base Camp Cook Gokul

We're hoping the girls will answer those questions and recount their experiences when they blog here tomorrow. We also hope to post some summit pictures of the girls soon.

Team Back In Kathmandu

The Pinay Everest Team is Back in Kathmandu. The flights from Lukla to the capital yesterday left later than usual because the weather wasn't so good, so the team arrived at about 2 in the afternoon.

The team was welcomed at the hotel by Mr Sonam Sherpa of Thamserku Trekking Agency. After a welcome ceremony at the hotel, they were brought to the residence of Mr. Baija, the Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Nepal, for an early dinner.

Then.. more (Filipino) food after that at another dinner hosted by Henry and emma Pariyar of International Adventure Treks and Expeditions with the Filipino community.

Early this morning, the women were already busy sorting their gear for their trip home. They are scheduled to arrive in Manila on May 31st.

MountEverest.net: Everest Traverses

From MountEverest.net

David Tait and Phurba Sherpa reached the summit on May 15 from Tibet, and traversed down to Nepal, reaching C2 that same day. Tait has decided not to retrace his steps back to the summit and down the north side. “There might be some supermen in this world, but I discovered that I am frankly not one of them,” he wrote on Friday.

All three Filipinas of the Pinay Mount Everest Expedition Team reached the summit on Wednesday from Tibet, and descended down the Nepal side. No female climber had traversed Everest before.

Gavin Bate hoped to attempt the summit of Everest from Tibet on Saturday and descend via Nepal.

ABS-CBNNews.com: Filipinas reach Nepal base camp, set world record

reprinted from ABS-CBNNews.com

The first Filipino women to reach the summit of Mount Everest set another world record Friday by becoming the first women to traverse the two main routes to the world's highest mountain.

Noelle Wenceslao, Carina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino reached Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Nepal before 6 p.m. Manila time where they were welcomed by the Philippine support group.

Belarmino sobbed as she recounted the ordeal of climbing the mountain months after she gave birth to her first baby.

"Napakahirap kaya masaya ako na makakabalik na kami…. medyo pagod lang kasi mahaba ang trek namin pero OK lang kami. [Wala kaming] sakit. Wala namang problema (It was very difficult that is why I'm glad that we can now come back… it was tiring because the trail was quite long but we’re OK. We are not sick. There have been no problems)," she told radio DZMM.

Belarmino said that her feat also showed that motherhood does not prevent anyone from pursuing her dreams.

"Iyon din mensahe ko sa mga ina na tulad ko. Ang mga pangarap namin ay hindi natutulog sa apat na sulok ng kwarto. Iyong mga panaginip natin bilang ina, kailangan natin ipakita sa buong mundo na kaya din natin (It's also my message to mothers like me. Our dreams are not confined in four corners of the room. Let’s show the whole world that we can also do it)," she added.

For Dayondon, the support of fellow Filipinos inspired them even more to reach the top of the world’s tallest mountain. She added that she missed her family back in the Philippines but the other climbers and the support of the Filipinos there helped her.

Team leader Art Valdez said the three set two world records in Everest history. They are the first Filipinas and first ASEAN women to reach the summit of Mount Everest and the first women to cross the mountain from the north route in Tibet to the south route in Nepal.

Crossing the mountain from Tibet to Nepal has only been done by a handful of mountaineers – all of them men. The traverse posed a bigger challenge for the women as they passed an unfamiliar route to come down the mountain.

ABS-CBN Correspondent Abner Mercado said the Everest team will rest at EBC before they proceed to Kathmandu, Nepal.

Wenceslao was the first to reach the summit at 6:10 a.m. Nepal time (8:10 a.m. in Manila) on Wednesday followed by Carina Dayondon at 6:20 a.m. (8:20 a.m. in Manila). Belarmino reached the summit three hours later after she had to fall in line because a lot of people wanted to reach the summit.

First scaled in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, the 29,035-foot peak has now been summitted 3,067 times.

This year, around 550 people will be attempting the peak from both Nepal - where a peace deal signed last year with Maoist rebels has brought an end to a decade of civil war - and via the northern flank in China.

In 2006, 11 people were killed, and already this year one sherpa has died while preparing for commercial expeditions.

Singing On The Summit

Ang lakas talaga ng Pinay!

Two hours before reaching the summit, the team radioed Advance Base Camp to give an update on their location. During that call, Carina Dayondon sang on the radio an excerpt from the song "Kaya Ng Pinay", which was composed by Team Doctor Ted Esguerra.

On hearing her singing, Everest Summiter Pastour Emata, who was at ABC radioed back, "Carina, I bet you're singing because you're scared."

Carina's response.. "Excuse Me!"

Ang taray ng lola mo.

On reaching the summit, Noelle Wenceslao's radio message was, "Naabot na ng Pinay ang tuktok ng Mundo!" (The Filipina has reached the top of the world!)

Her voice was strong and clear, and she wasn't even out of breath.

Carina also radioed to ABC, "I'm so tired, I'm so excited, I don't know what to do! I feel like going to the bathroom!"

Janet Belarmino climbed past the summit and went straight down the Nepal side. Her Sherpa didn't want to stop because there were too many people at the summit and it was getting cold.

On our way back from Tibet to the Nepal border, we were thinking of what other messages the women could have given at the summit. Expedition Leader Art Valdez said, why don't we ask readers of the blog to post what they think would have been a good summit message. You never know, maybe someone could use it next year?