The base camp doctor gave me codeine last night to suppress the coughing reflex which seems to have worked. There was a party last night which I did not attend, preferring to go to bed very early. At the party, they handed out Cauldwell Xtreme Everest medal on a prayer scarf. I got mine at breakfast this morning. After today we only have to do the daily diary at Namche and at Katmandu. The intention today was to start walking at 06:00, having breakfasted and done our daily diaries. We diaried OK, but breakfast was a bit chaotic and the organisation of the group into subgroups, each of which were doing something different caused further chaos so that we did not get up going unti 07:00 amid much grumbling. Fletcher proved incapable of moving at anything other than a snail's pace, and I was not much better - breathlessness and panic attacks, together with coughing fits, all took their toll. We arrived at Lobuche at 15:10 which had intended to be our lunch stop. Fletcher and I are staying here overnight and he is talking about hiring a helicopter out in the morning - a snip at $5500. He has offered me a place, but I feel like it would be wimping out and it is still not clear whether it would be counted as two flights (and two costs). Mungo suggested that the day I might have difficulty would be the last day from Namchee, but that I should be able to do it if prodded with a big enough stick. I am still waiting to find out what is likely to happen. In fact, Fletcher has chartered a helicopter and is going to be flown down to Katmandu tomorrow and I am going with him - freeloading and copping out.
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