Story by Dawn Yip
Linda Tan has recovered from chest infection, and now that the Olympic torch has cleared the Mount Everest summit, the way is open for the Singaporean to finally make her own attempt on 23 May.
28-year-old Linda is aiming to be Singapore's first woman to summit the world's highest peak. The quest was to have been accomplished mid-May, but China closed off the mountain to climbing groups without prior warning, in order to give the troubled Olympic torch a hassle-free journey to the summit. In the meantime, Linda came down with a chest infection. The Everest closure may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving Linda sufficient time to rest and recover.
On 1 May, Linda was declared free of chest infection and promptly made her way from Pangboche where she was recuperating, to Everest Base Camp (5,000m). She then climbed to Camp 1 (6,100), then to Camp 2 (6,500m) where she rested and acclimatised for 4 nights.
The original plan was to return to Base Camp. "But I pushed myself and went straight to Camp 3," said Linda, speaking to Red Sports via satellite phone earlier this evening. Camp 3 lies at an altitude of 7,300m, with Camp 4 at 8,000m and the Everest summit at 8,850m. "The climb from Camp 2 to Camp 3 was steep – something like 50 or 60 degrees. It was so tough. When I got to Camp 3, I cried."
Linda’s friends and supporters had also not heard from her in over 10 days, and when asked why, the gutsy young woman explained that she knew this was "going to be a stressful period so I shut myself off."
Linda is now back at Base Camp and described her current physical condition as "not fantastic. I'm breathless, coughing. But it's the best I can be at this altitude." Emotionally, Linda said that she now "vacillates between excitement and dread." Dread because she knows what lies ahead is "an extended period" of exhausting climbing. Yet excitement because "after a month at Base Camp, I'm finally doing it."
All weather reports have so far indicated that the summit attempt is good to go – "the weather is perfect," said Linda. She plans to leave Base Camp at 3am tomorrow (19 May), and make her way directly to Camp 2 before proceeding further.
Red Sports wishes Linda Godspeed, and will continue to bring you updates as we receive them.
[…] financial advisor Linda Tan will make her attempt this coming Sunday, 25 May. When Red Sports last spoke to Linda via satellite phone, she was at Everest Base Camp preparing to climb to Camp 2 (6,500m). She has since given an update […]