Manaslu Expedition – Messages to the team
April 10
George,
This looks amazing! Hope all goes well - keep me on the update list - if I can't do these sorts of things myself at least I can get a taste through you.
Cheers... Bruce Buchanan
April 18
Thanks for the info so far George it's great to be keeping in touch.
I'm Andrew's brother and would appreciate if you would pass on birthday wishes next time you're in touch from Tim, Lisa and Daniel.
Thanks, Tim Peacock.
April 24
These updates are eagerly anticipated and gratefully received. If time on the sat. phone link allows, please wish the group success and send my regards to Andrew Peacock.
Thanks
Andrew Jacobs
Hi George
My name is Ally Finnan. Im a friend of Brian (or he may be called Henri) Laursen. If we are able to send messages via email, please let me know, as I may like to do so. Im sure he would love to get a word from home if it were possible.
Talk to you soon.
And thanks for all the good work.
Ally
Thank you George. That's bad news about Andrew Lock. If there was a God Andrew would have broken his leg or something.....just a few metres short of the summit. It must be heart-breaking for our boys.
Michael Coyle
April 28
George,
Thanks so much for bringing me current. I look forward to
further reports and cheering the team on from afar (Chicago
& Boulder, Colorado.)
Gail Loveman
April 29
Hi there George,
If an opportunity arises, I would very much appreciate if you could pass my message on to Henri, for me.
**************************************
Dearest Henri, I hope that you have recovered from your stomach bug, and have good reserves of energy to tackle the ascent (and descent) of the mountain that lies ahead of you. Remember your mind is the most powerful tool you have and your journey will be enhanced in every way, if only you use it in the right way. So please do so! My thoughts are always with you, and my warmest wishes are always for you.
So take care, Love Ally xo
May 1
Dear George
Not sure if it is at all possible but can you plse forward this note to Henri.
Henri you big spunk I am moving to Africa - I have fallen in love with the mountains, animals and people and have scored a job as an overland courier with Bukiam. My first trip is from Zambia to Cape Town leaving the 6/6/2002.
I will be flying out of Sydney on the 5/6 so hopefully if you conquer and leave Manaslu prior to this date we will be able to catch up as who knows when I will see you again.
DO NOT SEND ANY EMAILS TO WORK AS I HAVE NOT RESIGNED YET, SOMEONE IS CLEARING MY EMAILS SO PLSE SEND TO THIS EMAIL ADDREI hope we can catch up and also huge huge good climbing for the remainder of your trip. As I have driven through Africa I have thought of you so ofthen - the mountains here are awesome and will beckon you for sure.
Love you lots and hope to talk to you soon
Ange
Hello George,
As you would know from my email address, my name is Tim Fuery. I am one of Henri's work colleagues and certainly one of his friends. On behalf of the staff here (Ray, Daz, Carl, Wayne, myself) and our families , could you pass on our best wishes to Henri and the climbing team, if at all possible in your next communique. And thanks for the updates, much appreciated.
Thanks and regards
Hi George,
I'm a friend of Andrew Peacock's and am thrilled to hear that all are well and safe and progress has been fair.
Please give a message of hello and warm as toast wishes from sunny
Melbourne.
Take care,
Bridie O'Donnell
G'day Mr Lloyd.
Thanks for maintaining all the updates. It sounds as though the conditions up on Manaslu are pretty extreme at the moment. Let's hope the conditions clear so that they can get moving to camp 2.
Pass on my support to the team next time you speak to them via satphone. What they are aiming to accomplish is simply incredible.
I can safely say that I wouldn't have traded in my 2 weeks of surfing in Indonesia to be up there with George in those conditions.
Adrian Coates
May 7
George
Thanks so much. If you get to pass the message on, then that will be great.
I know that it would mean the world to Henri to hear from home.
Thanks again,
Ally
May 8
Dear Greg, and Boys on high,
We think of you each day and wonder and wait, and our hearts skip a beat when we see an email which we devour! We pass them onto the usual suspects from my 'husband' Duncan, Garry weare, Peter Thompson, Angus Finney etc and its fantastic following your struggles and progress as we sit smugly in Sydney's Autumn sunshine feeling warm and comfortable but with a tinge of envy from some (guess who!!!) that they are not 'out there' too. Speaking of a tinge of envy, Guy Cotter recently saw a snow leopard at close range somehwere on the track near Pangboche.
Thanks for the Mother's Day greetings as breakfast in bed approaches!
Stay well and safe and may your soals continue to soar embracing natures magic, so bravely and brilliantly.
Much love from
Christine Gee & Duncan
Dear George,
Congratulate George on his efforts which he should be very proud of given his inexperience on a peak of Manaslau's difficulty and wish the rest of the team good luck on their push to the summit. Regards Tony Burchill.
George,
The updates get more interesting every episode. Please keep them up.
I suppose the parents have conflicting feelings about George not going for the peak. Good luck to him. His moment will come.
Regards,
Phil Winn
Hi George –
Elizabeth Edmonds here, friend of Geoff Robb’s from back in the banking days when he was my boss (never imagined then that the “corporate” ladder I thought he was climbing then was actually a mountain!”. Anyway…we really appreciate you passing on these emails. I think of Geoff and the team often and am eager for the reports.
If it is a bother, please don’t worry…but if you have time to pass on stories when you are talking to the guys…here’s one I’d love to pass on to Geoff.
Roger and I are just back from a skiing holiday in Canada. At one point, we had our kids up on a rather steep slope in the Canadian rockies – estimated elevation of a wopping 2,000 meters. Roger was down hill a ways with the two boys and I had our 7 year-old daughter, Pascalle, with me. The slope we hit was cold, icy and steep and Pascalle decided that she was incapable of skiing down. No matter what I did, she was convinced she couldn’t get down the slope so she basically sat down and started crying. Roger realised what was happening and began the hike up the hill. Slow but steady…he made the climb up the hill to rescue his daughter. Now, having just finished the ironman, Roger and I were under the impression that we were fit. HA! Roger said he couldn’t believe how tough that short climb up the hill was. And that was only at 2,000 meters and with no pack on the back! So…our hats are off to Geoff and the team! Real admiration!!
Of course…shorten as need be!
Thanks again for the reports! – Elizabeth
George,
Please send regards to Andrew from Nathanael and Stacy. Tell him that if he wants an easy climb to meet me at Kilimanjaro Sept. 14-21 for a full moon summit. Stay healthy and cheers
Thanks
Nathanael
George,
We have been reading every e-mail with interest here at the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu and can only admire the guys on Manaslu. I get cold just reading their e-mails!!!
Please pass on the best wishes of the Embassy team (Henry knows who we all are) and say that we are thinking of them up there. Tell them to keep safe "above all".
Regards,
Lyall Crawford
First Secretary
Australian Embassy
Kathmandu
Dear George,
Can you please pass on my best wishes to the team for their attempt to summit. In particular to Henri Laursen - All the best, I am thinking of you.
Love Jodie
P.S. The house is doing great and I am looking forward to seeing you.
May 9
Go for it. The thoughts of the team at the embassy in Kathmandu are with
you!
Crispin Conroy.
Thanks, George. Sounds snowy up there. When you are passing on e-mails could you just tell Andrew that Bob and Gail wish him dry weather and better food than Karma's. And that Boulder climbing is a lot warmer.
Gail Loveman
Dear Greg and team
Go for it boys! and we will pray for the mountain Gods to be smiling.
Our love and hugs
Christine Gee and Duncan
XX
George, if you get the chance to send an email pls wish Geoff and team the best from the Wiadrowski's
Thanks for keeping us informed of the success of the whole summit!!! Push on Andrew, we are with you!!!
Teri and Fitz
Mr Lloyd, thank you so much for the updates. How is George doing? Is he happy and healthy? Will he remain at ABC?
Alison Laurie
Best wishes will be fine…and words of TRUE admiration. That was the short point of the long story!
And thanks for the continuing updates. We’ll be thinking of them on Sunday!
Cheers – Elizabeth (Edmonds)
Hey George, please say hello to Henri from Rob Prior and the Bogong crew .We wish them all "God speed" , for Sundays push. Stay alert you guys.
Regards Rob
George,
Thank you. It seems now that the weather has eased George is a little more confident. “Demons more visible”. I was up there at 21000 ft in ’81 and a minor shift in those conditions was the difference between being bullish and just giving up. I wasn’t technically climbing either; no more than a 45 deg slope and two narrow crevasses. These guys have balls and if they move quickly will get a great result.
Is Geordie going for the summit?
He should. In ’79 the bloody yanks got 19 out of a team of 23 on top of Everest. Even the camp photographer. All because the weather smiled. Four days without a puff of wind; 1000 to 1 chance.
Please wish him good luck. I want a drink with him when he gets back. Don’t forget to thank Geordie for the updates which I’m sure stretch an already stretched system.
Brian
George, thanks for your efforts in keeping us informed. If you have a chance, please tell Andrew and the team we will be constantly thinking of them during the next few days.
'Mum' and 'Dad'.
George could please pass the following on, and firstly, thanks for keeping us informed.
To Henri and the team, best of luck, tread carefully and thoughtfully, thinking of you with great envy
Brother Rob
May 10
G'day George
I read in the paper this morning that the first Australians to walk unaided to the North Pole forgot to take an Australian flag with them. I hope our guys aren't in the same predicament.
Thanks for your emails. I am really enjoying following the progress of my intrepid cousin and his buddies.
I trust the Lloyds are all well and still full of the excitement of Katherine's news.
Cheers
Nick
Thanks George, What an adventure! and so interesting to actually hear a little of their daily plans. Jay told us of ice walls and avalanches yesterday - not for the faint hearted.
Thanks for the 'golden window', or whatever, too. Being a barrister, DGN had not heard of it, like his wife! Don't know that it has actually helped me solve my problem. Thankfully, I at least realise that I have one! Have a great weekend. Liz Nock
May 11
Dear George Snr, It seems you are not giving us updates on
your darling son anymore!! Just cause George jnr has
realised his limitations doesn't mean we have to forget
about him does it?? he must be running out of books to read
and snowflakes to count surely! What is he doing with
himself all alone?? what is he eating every day? mars bars
supplemented by hot vege-meat stuff too i hope! he probably
has his own sherpas waiting on him hand and foot come to
think of it!! Anyway, give us some real news soon
pllleeeeeaaaaaaassssssseeeeee!
Oh, ...and can U pat the pooch for me too?! Ta!
LuvGav (Gavin Hughes)
George,
Could you please pass on the following message to the team from Zac
Zaharias.
"Great to hear the reports of challenge, adventure, squalid camp living, deep snow, destroyed tents and the single-minded pursuit of a goal. I am there with you in spirit even though I piked out. Keep the stories coming as I am on the edge of my comfortable lounge chair. I spoke to Ralph the other day and was able to fill me in with the tremendous camaraderie and energy that exists within the team. I wish you all the best for your summit push and safe return.
I have just spent a week at Arapiles with 20 Defence Academy cadets. A consolation prize for not going to the Himalayas! Sabina came over and introduced herself. It was great to meet her after I had heard so much about her from Andrew."
Safe climbing
Zac
For George. Thanks for all the good work in passing on all the news.
May 12
George, Please pass on the best wishes from all of us at Odyssey House to all in the expedition. We thank them all for their help.
Regards, James Pitts
May 13
A big howdy and all the best for the summit bid to Andy P and Greg
from scotty flower in new zealand...Go hard boys...
PS.. thanks for all the updates.
ciao
scotty
good luck for tomorrow to the team (Simon Mordant)
Good luck to the team. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Malcolm McComas
Our thoughts are with them all...wish 'em well and a safe return
Regards
Roger Davis
well its good that he is at least thinking about girls,
mirage or not it's a healthy sign!!
ta for the speedy reply service, who says we should always
try to cut out teh middle man??!!, gavin hughes
George,
You are doing a great job communicating the progress of the team. I find it fascinating to be an insider as they combat the elements and plan their way ahead.
I have my fingers crossed for a successful outcome - hopefully today.
Cheers
David Smart
Thanks again for all your reports George.....I smiled (Not unkindly !!) at your earlier references about Geoff R. who is my friend on the project. He will have much to say when he gets back to Sydney....I will be thinking about them all during this afternoon !! Rgds...
Geoff Dunstan.
We are thinking of them and praying for them
Kind Regards,
George Harris
George - Sue Werner has been passing on the mountain updates and I wanted to wish the team well on the summit bid and a safe exit from the mountain. Special hello to Greg from Al Bakker in Fiji. It is a tad warmer here. Thinking of him and the rest of the climbers. Good effort.
Kind Regards,
Al Bakker
Thinking of the team, and fingers crossed, Crispin Conroy.
A bit later on May 13
Great news, please send congratulations from all of us. Crispin.
George,
Great news! Congratulations to the team and all those who supported them.
David Smart
Dear George,
Can you please forward this along to Greg M for me? Thanks.
===========
Grigor,
Onya, blue!
Pete Krill
Whoopeeeeeee!!!!! Yuz did it!!!!
We are ecstatic and did little work today waiting and wondering and sending you all the still clear sky we could find.
Have just let the gang of usual suspects know (Chris Bongington, Graham Taylor, Peter Thompson, Angus, John Atkin, Garry etc), and I can already feel their relief and thrill for you.
Well done, its "fan f...... tastic"!!!
Savour the moment and we are so proud of you!!
Be safe ALL the way down.
With much love and Big Himalayan Hugs straight off Bronte Beach
Christine & Duncan
XXX
Hi George,
Thanks for all your up-dates over the last week - you've done a great job. I'm typing this with sweat trickling down my back in Singapore. As soon as I read your lates update I had to reply. Please pass on my congratulations to everyone - especially to the oldest buggers. It's absolutely fantastic news!!
best wishes
Lincoln Hall
OOOHHH
Thank GOD
Thankyou for telling us
OHH Thankyou
Thanks to all. They are ok.
Many thanks
June Southwell and Vicki Mortimer
Thanks George, we have been waiting with baited breath. Your reports have been great. Please send our congratulations to the team and especially Andrew.
Looking forward to more news.
Tim, Lisa and Daniel Peacock.
George...If possible could you pass on my congratulations (and feeling of relief) to those blokes.
Thanks,
Michael Coyle
WOW-CONGRATS TO ALL (Simon Mordant)
Congratulations from Mackay Queensland Australia.
Tell Brian I did not think he would make it without my support at ABC.
Best to all for a safe return.
Frank Marchetti
AAA Member
Avid mountain climber watcher!
May 14
George,
Please pass congratulations on to Brian (Henri) & the team.
WOOOT!!!
Dave, Lynne & Emily.
How fantastic and thrilling! Great news Thank you for your updates. Lee Leibenson
CONGRATULATIONS!! Thrilled to hear of your successful summit with all well and still in tact.
A toast to your achievement and your efforts! with much admiration from
Bill and Jeannie Joselin J
Hi
Was there an update No :9 ?? If there was I must have missed it! what a fantastic effort. Congratulations to expedition and to George for making such a brave decision . I hope he is still feeling OK with it now?
love Sue (Thomas)
Great to hear the news... Congratulations to all in the expedition.. they are all amazing...a wonderful achievement. talk soon. LOL K and C (Murchison)
Dear Mr Lloyd,
Bruce has been sending me each of your updates. I have been following their progress with interest and are thrilled to hear that the expedition has been successful. I'm even more pleased to hear that everyone is well and intact - our thoughts have been with the team since hearing that they were setting off.
Congratulations to them all. I am currently in Sydney, staying until 28th May when I return to Boston via Phuket. Bruce will also be here from 26th - 28th May. If George is home before we leave and is feeling up to visitors we'd love to see him before we go.
Regards,
Victoria Buchanan
Please pass on my best wishes to Both Andrew and Henri
I hope they go well and safely
Thanks
Duncan Chessell
Congratulations to the whole crew from the staff and residents of Odyssey House!
James Pitts, General Manager
Great news, great success and great personal courage. .well done
Regards Roger Davis
George,
If you get the opportunity, please pass on my hearty congratulations to Geoff and all team members!
A fairly swift climax following a steady build up. Enjoyed the regular email updates.
Thanks.
Regards,
Dori (Doriano Meta)
Congratulations to all, and best wishes to George for a job well done. Have a safe trip home. Malcolm McComas
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are legends in their own lifetimes
Kind Regards,
George Harris
Message to the team from Chris Bongington. via Christine Gee
“Delighted to hear it - give them my warmest congratulations”.
Sir Christian Bonington CBE
Badger Hill
Hesket Newmarket
Wigton
Cumbria
CA7 8LA
Phone: +44 (0)16974 78286
Fax: +44 (0)16974 78238
Mobile: 07802 211 211
Web site: http://www.bonington.com
Message to team from Graham Taylor - Karakorum Expeditions Mongolia via Christine Gee
Wow - that's great! Well done team, experience, planning, and skill
made it sound straightforward.
Dreaming of climbing mountains!
Gra Gras (Khan)
Well done to the team!
Tony Burchill
HI George.
Thank you again for keeping us all informed. This is just fantastic news. I’ve been thinking about Geoff and the team all day yesterday and last night. Please pass on congratulations from the Caseys.
Cheers – Elizabeth
Lloyd,
If the opportunity presents itself: congratulations to all, particularly Andrew and Henri, from all in the Army Alpine Association.
Thanks
------------------
Carl Johnson
Major
Expedition Member
Army Alpine Association (AAA)
George - sensational news, the guys must be over the moon! If you get a chance pls pass on Congrats and safe trip back to Geoff from the Wiadrowski's.
Thanks Simon
Go you good things!!!
Congratulations to all including those who didn't summit but were
instrumental in helping the othres achieve their goal and of course
special thanks goes to those back home, namely, the news bearers.
Thanks George.
See you soon.
Pip
Philippa Moore
Andrew, A job well done. It's been facinating to follow your feat. Glad to hear everything went so well and am anticipating your safe return.We'll talk to you when you get back to Oz.
Teri & Fitz
Please pass on the congratulations from all at MIA
Cheers
Peter Macintosh
George
I've been following your updates with great interest - thank you for your time and effort in providing them.
I'm a business associate of Geoff Robb - please pass on to him my very best wishes and congratulations on a job obviously well done. I'm looking forward to congratulating him in person on his return.
Regards
Greg Dyer
George
What exciting news!!!
There is always a feeling of relief to know that Henri (and team) have sumitted and are on their way back down the mountain.
Now I can relax a little!
If you get chance, please pass on my love to Henri. And a thousand
congratulations to both Henri and the team for a job well done.
Thanks again George,
Ally Finnan
Dear George,
Congratulations to all! What wonderful news, most importantly that all are alive, well, bearded and looking forward to beautiful Autumnal weather in Australia. Thankyou George for the concise updates and great weather descriptions. I can't wait to hear Andrew's account. Please say give him a huge hug and smooch (optional) and best wishes from me, the others just get hugs - I wouldn't want to get taken away in the excitement.
Take care,
Bridie O'Donnell
George
Please convey my congratulations to the Manaslu team for their great effort. I have very much enjoyed the progress reports and hope we will get to hear the story on their return.
If they would like a fund raising dinner for friends and supporters for their charity - or for their own expenses - I would be happy to see if I can do something. Greg will know what I have in mind from K2. The team would, of course, have to sing for their supper.
Best to all
Jock and Margaret Gilfillan
George,
lease pass on a congratulations and well done to the team from the members of the Army Alpine Association. Absolutely fantastic success. A special well done to Henri Laursen, a member of the AAA. Well done, Henri, only ten to go now for you!
Best wishes for a safe return,
Peter Lambert
President AAA
great news! congratulations, and looking forward to seeing them at the embassy for a beer. Crispin.
May 15
Please send a hearty congratulations to Andrew Peacock for his effort to reach the summit of Manaslu.
Regards,
Nathanael Singer
Heartiest congratulations to those tenacious climbers. What a great feat!. I feel so earthbound here in my office in San Diego, California! Lee Leibenson
Hi George,
Thanks for all the updates throughout George Jnr's expedition. Fantastic news about the successful, and safe, summit. I look forward to catching up with George over a few glasses of Yak's milk - actually, make that beer.
Cheers,
Chris Smyth
Dear George,
Congratulations. A wonderful achievement. The determination and strength of character displayed by you all is just fantastic. Well done.
We wish you well for a safe descent.
Kindest regards
Lyn & Pont
Please pass on to Geoff Robb - from John Southwood
Congratulations and really well done - you guys are truly amazing! Have a safe trip home.
Best wishes
John Southwood
Dear Jay and George, Thank you for involving me in all those amazing emails. What a great achievement and such a fantastic experience. The timing does sound perfect just reading the last email. You must be very proud and relieved for them all. What a feat after all that planning and effort on everyone's part.........now the homecoming......!!!!!How men start life follows...... it is priceless....thinking of you two and your excitement...love Jo Millyard
George & George,
Congratulations to you both.
What an experience for George junior and what a find in George senior - the correspondent.
It's been a thrill being a spectator to the event and happy reunion to you all.
Cheers/Pont
Well done guys
cheers
Bob Killip
Hey Greg, Congratulations to the team for reaching the top and returning safely. I hope that the upper reaches of the mountain have provided the necessary buzz to flush the adrenal glands, the views to inspire you for when you return to "the foetid air and gritty of the dusty, dirty city" and enough freeze-dried to make you dream of fish and chips on the esplanade.
And to think you did it without Bukowski! What an accomplishment. See you soon, lots of love, Howard
Congratulations, Greg and team! We are thrilled and relieved to hear the fantastic news. Love and hugs, Rosy (Whelan)
George
Please pass on congratulations from everyone at Grant Samuel to the team on their outstanding achievement. We look forward to seeing the photos.
Regards
Doug Bartlett
Dear George,
Tonight received updates 11, 12 - whether from you or Margaret I am not sure, but it is fantastic news. If my child achieves anything so special when she is George's age I shall be very, very proud.
With Best Wishes,
Rhod Cook
May 17
George thanks so much for all the reports which I have just caught up with in sunny Spain about 100 kms out of Santiago. Please give my congratulations to all concerned. What a fantastic achievement. It will be good to have them all back home safely, love from 2 tired but happy pilgrims George & Penny (Palmer)
Hi to all - But especially Andrew & Greg
Hey guys - congrats. But hill and big lungs - superb effort!
Followed the trip while I was in the US and UK which felt weird - very Voyeur!!
Now back in Chch and am packing for Almaty departing on June 7th.
Monsterteeth and company I guess are now on Denali so will be good to
catch up when we all get back.
Great climb guys!
Cheers
Geoff (Gabites)
Hi George,
Thanks for the continuous updates. Please pass on my congratulations to the entire team for the outstanding success of the expedition. I know that George in particular may feel a little disappointed but he should be proud of his efforts which were invaluable in getting the team to the top.
I look forward to their safe return.
Regards
Zac Zaharias
May 19
George,
What a buzz, so many try and fail because of weather.
Please tell George we are all very proud of the team.
BC (Brian Clarke)
May 20
Thank you for sending 12 reports of the progress of this expedition. I'm glad it was them and not me struggling up and down those slopes.
I have passed copies of each report to our friend, Dorothy Robbb, who is Geoffrey Robb's mother.
Regards
Tom Marish.
Hi George,
Thanks for the updates... good to hear it all went well.
Do you have an idea when George Jr will arrive back in Sydney?
Cheers... Bruce (Buchanan)
May 21
Please pass on my best reagards to the whole team good effort
Duncan Chessell.
May 22
We returned from a week in Mexico and were delighted to learn that the group was successful and back in KTM. Actually, the only thing we check on the net from the resort we were at was your e-mails and the website for Everest, because a friend of ours, Al Hanna, is trying to be the oldest summiter (and 7 summiter) at 72. What great news.
And thank you for trying to resend when "we" bounced the e-mail back to you. The ethernet remains incomprehensible, but it was very kind of you to try my other addresses, and to have transmitted all through the trip.
It you come to Chicago or Boulder, Andrew knows how to get a hold of us. We would love to host you to a drink or dinner.
Gail (Loveman)
posted by George at 4:25 PM
