On 2nd May I'm off to Nepal to take part in a trek to Everest Base Camp as part of the Xtreme Everest expedition. I'm one of the 208 "healthy" volunteers who gets to be a guinea pig in a study investigating hypoxia (low blood oxygen). As such I get to experience two of the things I like least in life: namely being cold and being stabbed with needles and generally prodded by medical people in the name of science.

If you can find it within yourself to sponsor what is likely to be 3 weeks of suffering at altitude then hopefully it will make being trampled to death by a herd of rabid stampeding yaks easier to take. And the bigger the donation, the less chance of me making you sit through the full 3000 pictures I can store on my camera when I get back

For more information. To ask questions or just to set interesting challenges for me to complete for money then feel free to visit Rich's place. Or, as BBC2's Horizon are following the expedition (and already out there) you can follow their blog to see what I'm letting myself in for. You might also want to see the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Launch on YouTube. And for those who are nervous flyers - there's a video of the landing at Lukla.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Friends Of The Earth Trust Limited will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.
Andy Walker