MOUNT EVEREST BASE CAMP, Tibet Autonomous Region, China - Although the Chinese effort to bring an Olympic torch to the summit of Mount Everest is being watched by the world, the trip by journalists to cover the event is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. It has been close to impossible, for example, to find an exact itinerary of our travels. "We will visit some locations that will interest you," is the usual answer to questions where are we going tomorrow.

The press center, near Mount Everest base camp.  No Olympic flame to be seen.

The most puzzling is the faith in the Olympic torch itself. Since landing in Lhasa on Friday, we have been asking about the location of the torch. Is it on the way to the base camp? Is it in the base camp? Is it already being carried up the mountain? When is it supposed to reach the summit? None of these questions have been answered by the organizers of the journalistic delegation. The usual responses have been: "We do not have the information at the moment." "We cannot reach anybody in the base camp, the phones are not working. " "We'll try to get you this information as soon as possible." For two-and-a-half days we have been left in the dark.

Monday is the big day, as we finally arrive at the Mount Everest base camp. The departure for the camp is delayed because some of the Western media are trying to send the stories they could not manage to send the previous night. That annoys our Chinese colleagues, who are waiting for two-and-a-half hours. Before we get to the final approach to the base camp we must cross one more pass. The convoy negotiates a steep climb on a dirt road with 33 sharp curves to the elevation of more than 5,000 meters.

I have been a rock climber and mountaineer for nearly 30 years, but nothing has prepared me for the view from Tsuo La pass. From the fifth tallest mountain in the world Makalu in the west, one can see some of the highest mountains in the world, including Lhotse, Everest, Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma in the east. This must be the most powerful mountain view in the world. The sheer magnitude of the snow- and glacier-covered range is overwhelming. I am standing speechless, staring at this natural wonder, filled with emotions and unable to even think of filming for at least five minutes.

I eventually got the shots I wanted and off we were again. There is another 80 kilometers (50 miles) to go and traveling on the dirt roads will take at least two more hours. Although you do not always see it you can feel the closeness of the biggest mountain in the world. The valleys are narrower, mountain slopes steeper, glacier creeks faster and wilder. With every new view of the giant, Everest is getting closer and closer. Anther curve and the giant north face of Qomolangma displays its might to ooohing and aawing newcomers.

Thirty arriving journalists are greeted by a horde of another group of filming and photographing Chinese journalists who arrived here a few weeks earlier. After filming each other for a few minutes we are given keys to our huts. The media center is located in a small Hotel Qomolangma, but the journalists sleep in 20 small unheated huts made of plywood next to the hotel. Each hut has three beds, a table, a power supply and an Internet connection which is not working at the time of our arrival.

At base camp I am sharing a room with a journalist from a German public television station and Japanese news agency. The 25-square-meter space soon turns into an international newsroom, editing bay and a broadcast center. We share candies, tea and Nescafe.

After lunch in another hut seating 80 people we are off to work. There are a couple of hours of light left and everybody is taking advantage of it. We are filming a press camp, the highest in the world and, of course, Mount Everest towering in near distance. One correspondent from a major international news network falls sick, the first casualty of the high altitude. Although competitors in our jobs we are here on the same boat and all wish him well and quick recovery.

At the news briefing held later in the evening we are finally officially told that the Olympic torch is in the base camp, which is some five kilometers from the press center. But that's all we get. No information if the torchbearers started their ascent or when the torch may reach the summit.

"We do not have that information at the moment" is the official's response. I do not believe that and argue that the torch expedition climbers have radios and walkie-talkies and that they are in constant touch with the expedition leader. All we need is the opening of the information channel between the leadership of the expedition and the media. We were brought here to cover the torch ascent and without reliable information our stay here is useless. China and the rest of the world are watching, so give us the information please. "We will try our best." The discussion is over.

The camp has a limited power supply (most of is solar generated) and the lights go off at 11 p.m. We continue to work at candlelight but there is another problem. The temperature in the hut is now well below freezing, and falling. The only solution to this is to put on even more clothes and climb into a dawn sleeping bag.

Editor’s note: Tomas Etzler is a journalist heading to the Base Camp of Mount Everest to chronicle that leg of the Olympic torch relay.