Episode 037 Base Camp Broadcast

I Feel Slightly Used. Today I was a participant in the first live broadcast to China from the Chinese camp. CCTV Channel 1 is just a couple of hundred yards from our Nomad Expedition camp. This morning they kicked off a week of live broadcasts leading up to a potential live summit broadcast with their climbers on the 17th.

The event was a lot like being at the Olympics if the opening ceremonies were held in a gravel pit...lots of energy and people mingling and different languages and team uniforms. I have to admit, though, that a good deal of the excitement was fabricated for the TV audience. I filmed the entire thing and the Chinese filmed me, too. We were broadcast to (apparently) 1 billion viewers.

Personally, I was in my element. There were cameras everywhere and reporters and producers and radios and wires. It was great. They were so nice, let me wander and film wherever I wanted to. I got some great footage. All in all the broadcast went off without a hitch and I guess it was a pretty good time. It gave everyone something to do today.

Jon Miller

Total Running Time: 22:57

From: Jonathan Miller
To: Josh Randall
Subject: Hello!
Date: Thu, 9 May 2003

Dude, I sent this message to everyone but you. I knew I was missing an address but just couldn't figure out who. I had really bad heartburn yesterday so I'll blame it on that. I've been eating this sausage from the russian camp and drinking minute amounts of their V.S.O.P. cognac so what are you going to do? A quarter inch of cognac in a metal cup kicks my ass. It's amazing. They're drinking tequila, whisky, beer and whatever they can get their hands on. "It make you super relaxed!" They always say that. These guys are a riot. When I get home you're going to have to slap me when I start speaking broken english all the time. It's all I ever get to do. Only Ben and I can talk normally together and he spends most of his time up on the Mountain. Anyway I'll show you the really gruesome pictures I got on video when I get home.

Later,
Jon

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