Scott Hamilton Monday, April 26 Katmandu, Nepal

The final countdown continues with less than 24 hours remaining before the E-3 expedition team departs for Lukla Village, our gateway to Mt. Everest. Yesterday was a near madhouse of activity. Expedition members Dan Biondi - Digital Imagery Specialist, Nick Craig MD - Physician & Surgeon, Javier Davila MD- Chief Medical Researcher, Jennifer Grin MD - Chief Opthomological Researcher, all arrived at Katmandu's airport around noon, on flights from Singapore and Bangkok. The expedition is pleased to report that they are safely in Katmandu and that all expedition equipment successfully cleared the complex Nepal customs system and is now in our expedition warehouse. Our sole remaining member, Grant Goldin - Psychometric Researcher, missed his connecting flight from Houston due to weather, and has succeeded in rerouting himself literally around the world via Los Angeles and Bangkok and is expected in Katmandu at noon today. Rick Sativa - Base Camp Manager has assumed an additional role as interim Expedition Photographer.

Jim Bruton - Telecommunications Technician, and Scott Hamilton - Expedition Leader, successfully met with officials of Nepal's Ministry of Communications to provide a live demonstration of the satellite communications equipment, radio transmission and global positioning devices to the government officials. Considerable discussions took place, but the good news is that they have agreed to issue the final communications permits to the expedition today.

The Katmandu Valley continues to suffer from one of the most severe droughts in history. Water supplies are severely depleted and many household taps are dry. Yesterday, The highest recorded temperature for April in Katmandu is 34.8 centigrade, yesterday reached 34.5 c. Local weathermen say that if the heat continues April of 1999 could be the hottest in 30 years. This situation creates a local weather phenomenon known as "loo", where huge gusts of high winds roar across the plains during the afternoon, sweeping through the Katmandu Valley. The expedition members are looking forward to the higher cooler, drier air of the Himalayas!

Once the expedition is in the field there may be some gaps in our ability to report our progress on a daily basis. We will only be able to communicate when our generator is running and our satellite phones are operational. The next couple of days will be a massive undertaking. We have 14 expedition members, 15 expedition and trekking staff, and are expecting to require the services of over 100 porters to help transport the expedition gear and scientific research equipment. Our total entourage will total over 150 person and will stretch our to cover more than a linear mile of trail. It may take us a day or two to get the whole operation sorted out.

Tomorrow: wake up call at 5:00am, depart for the airport at 6:00am, fly to Lukla Village in the Solu Khumbu region at 7:00am via two chartered twin otter STOL aircraft, from there...on to Mt. Everest!

Scott Hamilton