help of enthusiastic friends，they organized dances，sports and parties.They even sold expedition T­shirts.After many months，and a lot of hard work，they finally had the money they needed.

　　Now at last they were in Kathmandu，the city where their great adventure would begin.Arlene looked round at the women in the airport.They looked tired after the long journey from San Francisco，but happy to be in Nepal at last.There had been so many friends and families at the airport to say goodbye.It had been difficult to leave the people they loved.Irene had looked so sad when she said goodbye to her daughters.Arlene too had found it very difficult to leave her boyfriend，John.For all of them there was the chance that they would never see their families or friends again.

　　All climbing in the Himalayas is dangerous.One in ten of the people who go there do not come back.Annapurna was very dangerous because of its avalanches.Arlene knew the dangers of avalanches very well.On the expedition film she said：

　　"Until a few years ago I thought that mountains were the happiest places in the world.I thought that only good things happened on mountains.Then a very good friend of mine，John Henry Hall，was killed in an avalanche on Mount St Elias in Canada.Since then I have really understood the dangers.With avalanches there's nothing you can do..."

　　It was difficult for Arlene to think about avalanches，but she knew that，as the team leader，she had to accept the dangers.Now，as she led the women into the airport buildings，she tried to forget her own fears.She was the leader of the expedition，and it was her job to get these women to the top of Annapurna safely.She felt responsible for them all.

　　当她离开飞机，走向机场大楼的时候，阿琳回忆起了这一切的来由。1976年在喜马拉雅山的时候，她首次产生了攀登安纳布尔纳峰的念头。尽管这并非易事，然而美丽的安纳布尔纳峰看起来仍是攀登的绝佳之选。曾经有十三支登山队进行过尝试，但只有四支获得了成功。有八名男子到达了顶峰，而另外九人在这座危机暗伏的山上丧生。回到美国之后，阿琳始终无法忘却安纳布尔纳峰。她对旧金山的两个朋友--薇拉·沃森和艾琳·米勒--谈起了这个想法。

薇拉·沃森，46岁，是一名计算机专家，多年来一直从事攀登高峰的运动。她看上去并不壮实，但性格十分刚毅。她曾独自攀登阿根廷的阿空加瓜山，还