Day first, January 26, Buenos Aires
        

After 13 hours flight from Milan to B.A., where we got very stiffly, summer climate and the prettiest things, merry people and greenery, awaited us. It’s a great event if you're aware that you were saw off by snow and minus temperature from Belgrade, and at the same time you know that snow and winter awaits you in even worst form - on Andes. We're easily getting packed in taxies and leaving towards the second airport, from which we are supposed to fly to Mendoza (the only city in a desert near Aconcagua). I say «supposed to» because naturally, things get complicated. There are no round-trip flights, which mean 12 hours seesaw by bus to B.A. on the way back, because Mendoza is 1200 km away. For all that, flight is at 06:10PM local time (in SCG that is 10:10PM) and of course, we have additional payments for luggage because allowed weight in local traffic is smaller and, expectedly, we have piles of equipment. Dragan is «settling» with Argentineans who are trying to take from us as much money as they can, but that is usual in Argentina, so we weren’t swindled. Now, where are we heading, what are we going to do, well, of course to see B.A., have lunch and talk about Aconcagua in peace after all chasing in Belgrade during preparations and departure for the highest peak of America.
Dragan takes us to the very center of the town, the 9 de Julio street (9th of July), where the town symbol «Obelisk» and street with 24 lanes are situated; the most odd thing is that the city with 7 million citizens is half empty at noon (read «in contrast to our city, where lots of people sit in restaurants and cafes during working hours»). We've arrived to the Riobamba street, that was, by the way, nearby our embassy, and entered the already checked restaurant «Hollyfood», where more than 40 kinds of meals, for 9 pesos per person (3,2$), awaited us, without restriction of our voraciousness that was brought to perfection.
After 2 hours of «munching» and all kinds of stories (in fact, mostly about politics) we decide to come back to the airport and finally check luggage for Mendoza, in order to get some sleep and a good shower at last. Of course, flight is delayed and we have troubles with luggage and always lost-in-space expedition doctor Mr.Celikovic, who from day to day experiences in his head the struggle with the mountain. Of course, this year again Cele had his solo acts, as during all previous trips to Nepal-Himalayas (leaving his passport at home and not going to Himalayas, lost luggage that arrives only at the end of expedition, carrying crampons in the plane, where Italians wanted to «decontaminate» him...). Nevertheless, finally we go aboard to Argentina airlines and off we go. Now, we have the possibility to collect our impressions and understand where we are and what we are doing (the first thing we did in B.A. – bought some peaches and ate them as Nikola Kojo ). Greenery, cheerful people, tanned Argentine women, sweet plump Argentine men, (information for Boskic), sun that burns and, of course, Dzej.
Later, after two hours flight we arrived to Mendoza, uuuuhuuu, lovely city, small at first sight, but with 700.000 citizens. In the moment we had arrived to our hotel, expedition cameraman realized that his backpack was left at the airport and that was «the end of our expedition», because Dragan demonstrated him how attorney Barovic fell, after he stepped on a banana.
Nikola and I moved into the room, turned on the air conditioner that was more than necessary and went straight to the shower. We weren’t radioactive a lot, maybe a little; we unpacked our things and hide «coke in nivea box» (joke). We went to bed at 11:00PM (3:00AM in SCG) and easily floated to dreamland only to be woken up at 2:00AM (by Maradona, who is telling us that he provided for us tickets for “Boka juniors”-“River Plata” ….sorry, I’m not allowed to talk about that, it’s only a dream…to be continued, bre

February, 03 Unpredicted acclimatization


We had a good sleep, then lunch, and actually we were just awoken when Dragan came with suggestion to go to the glacier… and make the first snowboard descent. The glacier is about one and a half hour of easy walk away (except if you drag snowboard like me). I can say it was the right thing to do, not just Dragan’s taking pleasure in walking J; We ”checked the snow” - the impression was very bad, lots of ice tips and rocks located beneath the snow. Anyway, I took off crampons and placed the board on my feet, run a good test having one really nasty fall on left elbow and hip. It was no big deal, but I had to rub some antirheumatic cream into it. It is very dangerous to drive on glacier just as I did; you can fall through the ice and land on rocks beneath it, or even worse – in a little river… We went back to lunch, had a little break, and again run around to fill batteries for camera, computer, etc. After dinner, Nikola and I went to the only “hotel” in the neighborhood for a little walk and additional dinner. J

February, 04 Second time towards Nido (5400m)
        
We left the base camp again at 7.00.A.M. and that morning was full of events. A few people gave up that morning (bronchitis, altitude sickness). Dragan had strong diarrhea and because of that he hadn’t slept half of the night. We were staggering somehow and after tiring “climbing” we arrived at Nido, where our tents awaited us, at about 13.00.P.M. Although second ascent to Nido should’ve been easier, I was carrying my snowboard that day. DevastatedJ, I was trying to drink as much liquid as I could and had some rest in the tent for the first time. That evening, for the first time we were preparing to sleep on 5400m, which wasn’t the small matter for us; nobody except Dragan hadn’t sleep on that altitude before. And the best thing that happened that day was – sunset and orange sky; I can’t even describe what it’s like to stand dead tired by Argentine flag and watch the horizon… pictures will speak for themselves!

February, 05 Acclimatization to camp Berlin (second altitude camp)
     
Dragan let us sleep till 10.00.A.M. Hay! Well, that was a paradise after very cold night. All tents were condensed and the wind was blowing all the time. The only good thing was that I didn’t feel a lack of oxygen and headache. After breakfast we moved towards Berlin for acclimatization. The deal was not to go all way to it, but just to «stretch» ourselves. I think it was the hardest day till then; for the first ten minutes I struggled with my lungs more than with my body. After 30 minutes it was much better but I had to enlist my brain in order to „push” forward. We arrived to 5620m, sat for a half an hour and then headed towards our tents on Nido. As soon as we arrived, we noticed hillside convenient for a ride. I was ready at once, cameraman was there, Dragan was taking pictures; it was beautiful and very strenuous. I drove on 5500m and that was my training J I was in a mess. After 2 hours we went back to the camp; of course, my lazy and dazed roommate Ljuba didn’t cook anything (not even a soup). He was just lying all like «having a heart attack» and puffed – he was running across the mountain without drinking enough water. I sat fulfilled because I was feeling good and the ride was enjoyable. I sat beside the tent and turned on the primus in order to cook some soup. The wind was blowing, it was unlikely that my water was going to boil; I sat and watched the branch of Extreme Summit Team, Dragan and Nikola, who were absolutely with me, each one in his own way - Dragan by scolding and swinging with pointing finger J and Nikola by helping and reminding me to drink some water whenever I make a pause. I thought that things were getting better for me (if that was possible in these inhuman conditions). Samsung snowboard expedition 2005 was making progress, definitely. Finally, soup was ready after an hour. I packed my sleeping bag and air-bed for returning to the base camp, left snowboard in the altitude camp, and was the last one who parted Nido (5400m) towards the base camp (4400m). It makes me want to cry because I know that I will again, for the third time climb this “fucking” hill, but I know how much it will mean for conquering of cruel Aconcagua. After two and half hours of descent, I sat in front of the tent; I took off my Northwave boots and put DC snickers, yea, finally. I poured down my throat half a liter of soup at once and went to Nikola’s tent in order to make some Multivitamin drink. He’s such a king; he brought it to the base. I drank it and watched the summit of Andes... if it just let us climb... I went back to my tent happy, because for the next three days we’d have to be in the base, for we’ve received the news that the terrible storm and bad weather was coming. If only our tents would survive next 3 days on Nido. Till then, we’ll sit, stroll around and wait for good weather.

February 06, 2005 Resting

 

Hmmm, time didn’t get worse, so we checked the broadcast from Chilean site on the internet. The things they told us in the camp Inca were a mistake. Weather will be nice for a next few days, which means that we are going to final action tomorrow and there will be no descending to the base until we conquer the peak (I guess so)…
The rest of the day we spent talking about things that awaited us during following days and who had a possibility to send e-mails to their families back home.

February 07, 2005 Nido (Altitude Camp 1) – for the third time

As usual we left the base at 7.00.P.M. according the plan - after we ascend for the third time, there’s no way down, just up. I am feeling great, acclimatization was more than successful. I breed perfectly, have strength in my legs. Go, Marko, go! In average, we walked 6-7 hours to Nido and now we were faster for an hour or two. Our tents awaited us; we melted snow and collected water for tomorrow – for the second altitude camp Berlin. Day passed in snow melting and in the evening we packed ourselves in sleeping bags because the night that awaited us wasn’t warm at least. Bottles are placed in the sleeping bags (very uncomfortable, chilly!) in order not to get frozen water… and we go straight to a dreamland.


February 08, 2005 Berlin – Altitude Camp 2

Tea, breakfast… Very relaxed we packed only necessary things and went straight to Berlin. For the first 30 minutes I “died”, but afterwards I caught the rhythm. It was a warm day, we arrived pretty quickly, (3 hours of trudging), we pitched tents, drank water. From now on we only drink liquids, no more food. The deal is to leave at one’ o’clock after midnight to the peak. We guzzled ourselves with liquid; I even managed to get some sleep, because I’d slept poorly the previous night, just a little. It was very cold and I drank so much liquid that I had to leave my tent and go to the toilette 3 times during the night. I was frozen. In the evening, we all got packed in tents and melted snow, drank tea and prepared water supplies for the ascent. Every moment in the tent was great for me, talks, jokes, Jacim’s experiences. At about midnight we got up and got packed easily. It was cold outside, about -15°C, but there was no wind and the sky was clear. I packed bottles with water, snowboard, helmet, Samsung snowboard expedition flag… We started precisely at 1.00.A.M.

February 09, 2005 Aconcagua
     
Dragan says that we have about 9 hours of climbing to the top, that it will be pretty chilly and that we have to drink water all the time. Oh, it’s not really nice to describe what the ascend to Aconcagua was like - it was getting colder and colder, in one moment -28°C, and if you add wind inch factor on Traverse, you had a feeling that it was near
-40°C. At start, my hands were becoming numb and I frequently stopped in order to warm them up, and that wasn’t allowed (Jacim’s advice). I didn’t pay attention to my feet, because my snowboard boots were always just right and my legs were getting a little numb (and that’s really bad when you are in the mountain). I drank water and at the same time got severely strong spasms in my belly. What’s next? Why now? Soon I got the answer – Nikola was also nauseous because of water we’d been melting together. Is it possible we poisoned ourselves before the peak itself? I approached to Dragan, because he drank the same water, and he was feeling bad, too! Mashala! The advice was to keep quiet and endure… Slowly it was beginning to dawn, and I was dying with pains. I begged Nikola to “cover for me” and wait until I finish with “necessary things” at 6300m at 7.00.A.M. on minus endless temperature. I barely survived, but I regained my strength, just before entering the Canaleta, last obstacle before the peak. Horror, it was all covered with tiny stones that makes you go back every now and then, and snowboard on my back was getting heavier and heavier. Peak seemed so close but there was no ending... For the last half an hour I felt as I’d ran a marathon, five steps and then pause… Finally I was at the peak. Haaaayy, I couldn’t believe it, Aconcagua, 7000m, I managed to carry my board. Dragan was welcoming me with stretched arms as well as Nikola. I could feel how they were sincerely happy because I maid it. I never doubted in the Extreme Summit Team. I know Dragan very well, but Nikola left an outstanding impression on me. I found a great buddy and even a better man.
I took out the flag, we took our pictures, congratulated each other and enjoyed the view. Once again the lack of snow (Kalapathar 2003, Himalayas) didn’t disrupt us a lot, because after all, on some sections there was some snow, as well as on peak itself, where we could take pictures and film material for Samsung snowboard expedition 05. I still can’t believe that for the second time (Mont Blanc 2001) we managed to make a record, after thighbone break, rush. Again, I carried my snowboard, this time to the highest peak of America (6962m) and drove it. For the second time I had the honor to feel something similar with the help of my Extreme Summit Team friends. It was a great deal to become first Serbian in history who skied at that altitude and carried his board by himself.
Driving down the mountain wasn’t really driving; it was a struggle for life!! I was more falling then driving my board. But, those who don’t believe me can try it out by themselves! On seven thousand meters you can hardly breed, and muscles won’t listen to you. Pretty tired I descended towards Nido and Dragan was watching me, my falls and staggering along – I was completely exhausted. He approached me and asked how much water had I drunk. I said only half a liter, because the water was contaminated... He wanted to strangle me. The truth was that I had to drink at least 2 liters of water before the top, although I hadn’t drink more than a half because of a problem I already mentioned. Dragan took my board away and sent Nikola to guzzle me up with water and take care of me, because I staggered and hardly walked. I asked Nikola if he also had only a little water and he said that he drank the same as I, but he was feeling better at that moment… Serbia.
           

Hmm, to drive a snowboard on 6962 m, well, just think of how much air and strength you need to accomplish that, and then, near the summit, one little, bold, middle-aged, low-mountains climber comes to me and asks: “Man, is this alpinism, mountaineering, Argentina? I think this is the hell itself!”
I must admit I burst into laughter, (not because I freaked out, too), well, of course it’s hell if you don’t listen to the leader of the expedition. It is crucial to drink at least 4 liters of water before ascent, not to take off your gloves, to wear boots one or two size bigger because of blood circulation… Now, Marko awfully messed up with the last item - snowboard descent means snowboard boots, and they have to be just right, in order to have maximum possible control of the board (as if I really had any control over it on 6962 m). If I only bought bigger boots, I could drive in them from the summit as well as with tight ones. But, this way I ended up with frostbitten feet, Trental, Aspirin, antibiotics and creams.
When did I feel all of these? Well, that’s the crazy head that sees only the goal, and during ascent does not care about chill, wind, foot pain... Instead – I placed the board on my back and climbed up the Canaleta to the highest summit on south hemisphere. I have thoughts in my head (although they aren’t very smartly organized) – “nothing can happen to you, there’s no reason for such thing”. After scaling of summit and snowboard drive, first 50m of walk I was staggering like a “drunken chicken”. Jacim helped me with the snowboard. At 6000m I looked at people around me, they were in similar condition. …Nikola was by my side in case I needed a waiter to serve some drink. What a misfortune - I got the belly ache just before the summit itself and wasn’t able to drink water from my own bottle when I needed it the most, because it poisoned me. Lucky me, I was one of the most obedient ones, because I guzzled myself with water all the time in previous days, so I gathered my thoughts very quickly.
Somewhere around Berlin, at about 5900 m, where the tent awaited us, Nikola and I laid down and watched the sky, enjoyed, listened attentively… and nothing was hard, ugly or horrible anymore … it’s so fine when you scale the summit…you just know how much it means to you and you are simply happy. Of course, life isn’t a fairytale, as we all know, so Jacim comes to us and it starts! What are you doing there? I thought you already packed the tent and descended to Nido (5450m).

What can you do… except to get up and start to pack things, the tent… We were sleepy; I even fell asleep on the sun after 10 minutes of lying down, but decided to start descending because Jacim with Nikola already left. I descended really slowly and I felt exhausted. I was sleepy, but I shouldn’t sleep – because Jacim said so (but he slept about 14 hours and wasn’t feeling all right).
I walked and felt that my feet were a bit itchy, but I kept my mouth shut and ignored it. Finally, I arrived to the tent, took off the boots and the view was incredible – my feet looked like my favorite meal. Frostbites between 1 and 2 degree… I took Trental, drank as much water as I could, and tucked myself into the sleeping bag, especially my feet. In the morning my feet were in even worse condition, but what could I do, we were leaving the Nido, raised tents and headed straight to the base camp Plaza de Mulas (4340m). I was staggering with Nikola, who again was by my side if something goes wrong. After 3 hours of descending (usually it took me an hour and a half), we arrived to the base. We went straight to an ambulance where they measured my saturation, stung my blisters to “squeeze out the lymph”, and heated water in order to warm my feet that I couldn’t recognize in that moment. The most interesting thing was that, when they had made hot bath of 37°C, as it had to be, and when I put my feet into it, it cooled in a second… Haayyy, well, goodbye to you, my little feet. But, Radojca (Jacim) was tough when doctor said to him that it was a “small price” – “you got out easily, boy, but tomorrow morning you are going back by a helicopter, there will be no walking for two days, you must drink this and that and there you have it, boy. What could I do, I hopped to the tent, packed my things slowly and went to bed - tomorrow my first helicopter ride awaits me and who knows what else in order to recover my frostbitten feet.
 

February 11, 2005 Puente de Linka

  

I got up and carried little backpack with necessary things, it was 8.00.A.M. The hole base camp was sleeping as well as my team. I would wait for them a hole day till they descend. I didn’t wait long for helicopter to come, and I had the privilege to sit by the pilot, which was a true event for me. Snowboard, backpack, tent… mules carried all those things, and in ten minutes flight I arrived to Horcones, where our agency Lanco waited for me to drive me to the hotel in SPA Puente de Inka.
The thing I must not forget, that made huge impression on me – the moment they put earphones on my ears when I entered the helicopter, the song was playing “Show must go on” from Queen. I bristled to it, that’s life, as the poem nicely says… Again I will go further and higher. While we flew, I watched the desert I ford with my feet and thought of all things man is ready to do for his dreams and a price he is willing to pay……

After landing, rangers immediately welcomed me, made tea and asked what had happened. One of them drives snowboard, and he understood at once what happened. I enjoyed talking to him, as well as in sudden oxygen influx. Jeep came for me and we headed straight to the hotel, where I ate and drank water normally after 2 weeks spent in the tent and on the mountain. At about 12.00 A.M. I lost “consciousness” in bed that doesn’t pinch like snow and ground beneath a tent. I slept four hours and later lay down for a while in bed, went to dinner that was more than plentiful, with ice-cream that was a shock for my organism after soups and some mountaineering recipes… I returned to bed and slept till morning….

February 12, 2005 Mendoza

My feet are a little better, (read I’m trying to comfort myself). I had breakfast and left for a bus station by Lanco jeep, where Dragan and Nikola supposed to wait for me in order to go into bus for Mendoza and finally reach the civilization. Yes, but this is South America, driver, by his own will, left an hour earlier for Mendoza. He can do it, who cares. We waited 4 hours for the next bus, that’s it, what can you do, while Dragan and Nikola had a bath in a nearby SPA. When the bus arrived, we couldn’t believe how much we waited for Godo… nothing special. We stunk and I thought weather the people would survive our mountain smell in following 4 hours of drive? Well, we arrived to Mendoza on 800 m, all stunned. It was a natural hypobaric chamber for my feet fingers; I could already feel them ache (Hurrah! A sign that I still have them). We chased the taxi and headed straight to some stinky hostel but it didn’t matter for the first night, as long as we got some sleep. Tomorrow we will find some place more relaxing and I hope more clean.

February 13, 2005. Transfer

We were little asleep, which was normal, went to breakfast that was rather poor, but enough for me to drink my medicines and not to vomit afterwards. We eagerly waited for our stuff that remained in Mendoza before our departure for Aconcagua, because in there were some clean things, including SLIPPERS, the most important item for my feet at 30°C temperature. We transferred to a real hotel, got our things, and headed straight to the shower. We went out as good as new, and went straight to a restaurant where you could endlessly eat anything (watermelons, peaches, tomatoes - because it’s summer). We overate, although it was difficult for me to reach the restaurant by foot. After eating, we went straight to the hotel, and then rest a while, especially me and my feet. The rest of the afternoon we watched expedition pictures and cheerfully commented every one of them. In the evening we prepared ourselves for a fancy dinner, but it started to rain, and I couldn’t go in slippers, because my feet had to stay dry under any circumstances! Jacim promised to bring me some food, because he knew that I was drinking medicines in the evening, but, alas, they forget you when they think only about themselves. I waited till midnight and went to sleep like disabled person...

February 14, 2005 Hospital

The first checkup in a hospital - they sent me to an X-ray to see if my bones were all right, because they usually start to die out if there’s no circulation. Lucky me, an X-ray was fine, so they changed my therapy. I started to drink stronger antibiotics, Aspirins, but they also gave me a 1000 mg of vitamin E per day, plus 5 mg of Anlodipin, as a replacement for Trental.
It was a general confusion, every day at noon we had to go for skin checkup in order not to get fertilized, and yes, I forgot a very important thing - twice a day I had to wash my feet in Pervinox liquid (1: 10) with water. I won’t be bored until we arrive to Belgrade… From now on, only sleeping and lying, doc said I mustn’t move anymore, amen.

Marko Nikolic