Camp2 7800m.Melted snow, got 1 ltr. Was in sleeping back,half unconscious,going to drink water and sleep.But then I dropped the water!Crying with frustration,went back out in gales to collect more snow and start process again. v low point in my life

Summit Day. Back at Camp 3, 8300m.Still in the Death Zone and needed to get down asap. slid on backside for last 100m. Completely dehydrated, no energy, hypoxic. Had a sip of water, forced some flapjack down, rested for half hour, then carried on to 7800

A look back at the summit pyramid (with three guys going up it) and third step (in the foreground) on the way down. You can see how tricky parts of the route were. On the way up, it was sunrise when we got to this point, with lightning storms in the far

Summit - I couldn't get myself to open my eyes without my goggles on, for fear of my retinal haemorrhage getting worse. Many stories of people going blind on way down, some because they took their goggles off for the summit photo!

Summit - [scratching head] "which way down???!!"

Summit - trying to warm up and breathe after all the photos with flags. Everything is hard work up there and it was very cold. The descent, when most accidents happen, was on my mind. I had to remain focussed on getting down alive and safely

Summit - preparing for a very proud moment in my life.....

Summit - view of the south side with Ama Dablaam (i think) in the distance and Nupste (again I think) on the right and the Khumbu valley in the background

View from Summit - Nepal under the clouds with another two 8000m+ beasts, Makalu, rising in the foreground just behind the summit and Kanchengjunga in the distance. Amazing.

View from Summit - the Tibet/Nepal border stretches to the horizon

View from Summit - Base camp is in the valley slightly to the right of the picture, past the snow caped mountains. The route to the summit passes to the right of the bunch of mountains in the middle, through the glacier.

You can see the ice on my downsuit. The moisture released by the oxygen mask, drips and freezes. Potentially fatal if your zips freeze shut and you can't access your meds in event of illness. Bottle on right stores unused oxygen for next breath.

May 26th - Summit Day. The last half hour to the summit. All of a sudden, it struck me that I was going to be the first of my country to stand on the highest point in the world. I'd dreamt of this moment for many many years. Months of hard work lead to t

The Cause, My Charity - Breast Cancer Care UK (and Link-to-Life in Mauritius). 7500 raised so far. The work doesn't stop here. Sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed - very much appreciated and I am sure it will make a great difference.

May 26 6.35 am - SICOM on the Top of the World - my proud sponsors State Insurance Company of Mauritius SICOM. It's great to have partnered with a truly Mauritian company.

First photo of me at the summit!

4 of team evac'd to KTM. Photo of Ben's frostbitten fingers. 1 HAPE case.1 peeing blood. Other not passed urine 6 days and severely sunburnt. I got off lightly. Possible minor retinal haemorrhaging. Only minor cuts and bruises. Little frostnip on fingers.

635am 26th May. View of Nepal from summit. Left Camp 3 at 1015pm 25th. 8.5hrs climbing in freezing cold and in Death Zone. Passed 7 bodies, one Irish guy from this year. Very graphic n scary both in dark and one way down. 4 deaths on south side this year.

26 May,way down. Smashed at Camp 3 8300m after 30 hrs of no sleep. Severely dehydrated (lost water bottle on summit!) and lacking energy (couldn't eat with no water!). Extreme fatigue. Spent 30mins in tent then another 4hrs in snowstorm to Camp 2 7800m.

My proud sponsors: State Insurance Company Of Mauritius SICOM. Great to have been able to partner with a truly Mauritian company.