Hello from camp at 12,570' high on the Shira Plateau. It's wonderful being here in this large, open camp. The sun is shining and providing a nice contrast to our cloudy, wet and somewhat cramped camp of yesterday. Walking at 8:00 we climbed steeply and steadily for most of the way to camp, taking advantage of key spots to break and enjoy the incredible views of this most interesting world around us. Everyone has adopted the mountain mindset of 'pole pole,' or ' slowly, slowly. ' This allows us to patiently step off to the side whenever another group of the hundreds of porters here need to get past us. We know which side of our bread is buttered. If the porters don't get to camp, we have no camp. More importantly it keeps us from walking too fast and needlessly stressing our bodies, letting us acclimatize to the altitude better. Everyone is doing well. How can they not be when Tosha, our chef, is spoiling us rotten. Today's lunch: fried chicken, French fries, vegetables and watermelon for dessert. Tomorrow brings us our biggest day yet getting to Barranco via the Lava Tower. Bring it on! Until tomorrow, RMI Guide Brent Okita

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