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LoveFm.com interview with Walter Santos at upper base camp, 19,000 feet, K2, Himalayas, via Satellite phone, July 17, 05

Sudden cut into programming:

We have been having terrible harsh weather up here for the past week but it is clearing now. There have been many deaths over this season and the past years and we have been working from the upper base came in body recovery and providing medical assistance to the porters and climbers here at base camp for the past week ...

( static interference)
LoveFm: Walter , when do you expect to be back home in Belize? Walter?

( satellite phone call breaks up and disconnects )

15 minutes later..

Walter: It's clearing up a little today. We've been in a very, very harsh storm came in for the last few days with winds up to 50 miles per hour and temperatures down to minus 20 degrees below freezing Fahrenheit at night. It's been a very hard day for us, but we've been managing it.

We're doing some very interesting work for the Pakistani Government, and also for the UN .. ( static interference ) .. government.

There has been a lot of accidents up here this year and for the past 10 years here on the mountain so we've been doing body recovery for the government here. Its been very interesting doing this kind of work, very interesting, but very emotional. Apart from this very harsh, harsh weather that has been affecting us now.

Any questions you want to ask?

Love Fm: Yes Walter, I was asking you the first time you called, when will you guys be back home in Belize?

Uhm, the climbers are having a hard time going up to the summit because of the weather. They have asked us to stay another 3 - 4 days up here at the base camp so we might be staying up here for then, and heading off from Islamabad on the 3rd of August, arriving in London England on the 4th, then I might be leaving London on the 7th, arriving back in Belize on the 9th ( of August).

Love Fm: What has the experience been for you Walter, I mean this is the first time you have experienced something like this, what has the experience been like for you?

Walter: Pardon me?

Love Fm: What has the experience been for you climbing K2?

Walter: Its, ah, you know, for me its been a life changing experience. I have never been in this kind of environment. Its been very, very challenging for me, I can't even start to explain all the different challenges and the stress that we met on this trip as everything has been a challenge and stressful on this trip and a lot of work and environmental challenges and dangers that we have overcome, especially avalanches and rock falls, so its been a very very harsh environment, I don't think I'll ever be in another environment like this. Belize, you know is very mild compared to the cold temperatures, the stress. The other thing is that this has been very harsh for me personally.

LoveFm: Is this something you would want to do again? If another expedition like this comes up again, would you do this again?

Walter: yes I will, definitely I will. It has been very mentally and physically challenging, but Yes, Yes I would want to do it again .. the scenery is very beautiful here, it's ah .. a .. It's a paradise here. It's beautiful here.

Love Fm. O.K. Walter, Is there anything you would like to say, you are live on Love, is there anyone you would like to say hello to?

Walter: Well you know, I am concerned about the hurricane, is everything all right there?

LoveFM: Every thing is good here in Belize, everything is calm here in Belize concerning Hurricane Emily. So you need not to worry.

I just want to say thanks to Ian Anderson and the Caves Branch Adventure Company, and my staff there, I love every one, and my family, the Santos family and the Cabral family in Belize city and Belize Deis ..

)^)&^$#$&^% ( satellite phone is breaking up and signal is lost)

Love Fm: Well, thank you very much Walter and it was nice hearing from you again. Be safe and we look forward to hearing from you again.

That was Walter Santos, keeping us updated on his climb to K2 and all the experiences he is going through, mentioning it is something is a challenge for him to go through. Once again, that was Walter Santos calling from K2, in northern Pakistan

This K2 expedition has been sponsored in part by Ian Anderson, Belize Diesel (Toyota), The Belize Tourist Board, Caves Branch Jungle Lodge, N.A.S.I.G., AdventuresInBelize.com and various individual donors. Additional donations to support our team would be gratefully received. Contact via email: [email protected]