Summit...or not

..this being my 7 th volcano..the spectre of altitude sickness is always present...and I've been up to 5300 metres before..with no problems...BUT...this time...the volcano gods finally decided it wasn't my time...the altitude sickness I experienced between 17-18000 ft was such that I had no choice...abandon the summit attempt...you can't even think about this though...one has to descend..I got back to 15800 ft...which is still bloody high...where the thumping headache...cramping..nausea...and a breathlessness bordering on feeling you're suffocating...continued...others in the group also couldn't make it...the disappointment was real...but an acceptance of circumstance is needed...to move on...it wasn't to be this time..Read more