“I wish Geordie all the success and safety in this epic challenge. It is an endeavour that will take him to the limits and probably beyond, and that sort of commitment is hard not to admire!”

- BEAR GRYLLS

Everest 2010Everest 2010 – a real case of “what might have been.”

In March 2010 I was flying to Kathmandu, and a few weeks later I had the view of Everest that had been a photo on my wall for the past 3 years. That in itself represented a major hurdle that was overcome but it was only the start of an incredible adventure.

I had trained hard; I had prepared myself mentally and physically and felt ready for al

l the obstacles ahead. Overall we spent 7 weeks on the slopes of Everest, much of that spent acclimatising, aka resting, at Base Camp.

Getting to the summit was a three-stage process where we first ascended to Camp 1 at 7000m before retreating to Base Camp at 5300m. Prior to returning to Base Camp again in preparation for our summit attempt, we reached 7500m up the North Ridge. After battling a throat infection and lost voice for three weeks, we all set off from high camp at 8300m in our attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. I had visualised this moment for 3 years and had imagined placing my Lifeboat Tea flag at the highest point on earth.

I got to within 120m from the summit of my dreams before turning around, despite still feeling strong, because time was at a premium. I was heavily delayed on the ascent after helping a Sherpa and two teammates who were all suffering from severe altitude sickness.

As if I hadn’t been completely aware before, human life is far far more important than the summit of any mountain. These delays however, compromised my summit attempt.till feeling strong, because time was at a premium. I was heavily delayed on the ascent after helping a Sherpa and two teammates who were all suffering from severe altitude sickness.

Everest is now unfinished business for me and I intend to go back in 2011 in aid of The RNLI and sponsored by The University of St Andrews & Knight Frank Estate Agents. I should have made the su

mmit this year but sadly it was beyond my control. I am now even more focused and more prepared to make the top than ever before. In any walk of life, things do not always go to plan. It is, however, the way we react to these incidents that matter the most.