Heading down

It was nice heading down knowing that the summit was in the bag but we made sure our concentration didn't falter on the descent. We bumped into a few climbers we had befriended in the tete rousse the day before as they made their way up. Over the dinner table the previous night a german had enquired if I was british. When I told him I was scottish he beamed widely and shook my hand. A long conversation about whiskies followed. I spotted him working hard as we made our way down. I slapped him on the back and offered some verbal encouragement. I told him the whisky would be waiting for him in chamonix after he returned from the summit. Julie also chatted to folk as we went down. We were cheery and buoyant and the air was getting thicker with oxygen as we dropped. At points we were almost running down the snow. I had long since run out of water so I was keen to get back to the gouter hut to stock up on fluids. The photo shows folk still making their way up.