by Ben Fogle
National Geographic 13
nature, connection to 3–5, 37, 44, 45 see also wilderness
Nawang Pal, Lama ix, 70, 71–2
NBC News 184
negativity xviii, 3, 31, 120, 136, 147, 149, 153, 211, 226, 237
Nepal:
BF/VP training expedition in 19, 29–32
earthquake in (2015) 21, 244, 251
Everest expeditions see Everest, Mount
people of 87 see also sherpas
poverty in 86
Red Cross in 34–5, 251–2
New Lives in the Wild (TV series) 113
New York, USA xviii
Nile crocodile 108, 109
Okavango Delta, Botswana 106–10, 134
Okri, Ben: ‘Everest’ 245–50
Outer Hebrides, Scotland xv, 6–7, 44
oxygen 24, 26, 81, 85, 92, 122, 128, 129, 164, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 180, 181, 182, 187, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 200, 205, 207, 210, 216, 221, 225, 235
climbing without 195, 196, 200
deprived state 122, 173
flow rate of 129, 190
saturation 129, 130
starvation 26, 164, 194, 235
supplementary 126, 129, 130, 141, 170, 195
Pangboche, Nepal ix, 67, 70–2
Pembrokeshire coast, Wales 104–5
Pendleton, Victoria:
acute altitude sickness 126, 128, 129–30, 140, 141, 155, 156–8, 225
altitude, emotions and 92
avalanche on Everest and 143, 156
clinical depression, diagnosed with 235–7
cycling career 1–2, 29, 54, 154, 155
drive/ambition behind Everest climb 153–6
Everest Base Camp, descent to due to acute altitude sickness 141, 143
Everest Base Camp, time at 79, 88, 92, 94, 117
failure of Everest climb, reaction to 153–4, 155–6, 206, 235–7, 239
fame, Everest expedition and 68, 69
father-in-law of BF inclusion in Everest expedition, reaction to 33, 50, 94
hypothermia, shows signs of 125, 126
Kenton Cool and 28, 29
kit for Everest expedition 53–4, 56, 58
leaves Mount Everest x, 160–1
media reports of relationship between BF and 94–7
memorials on Everest, reaction to 74
Nepal, arrival in 56, 58
pessimism/self-criticism 28, 154, 155
plan to scale Everest with BF, birth of 1–2
quits Everest expedition 153–61, 206
Red Cross projects in Nepal, visits 34–5, 251–2
spirituality of Everest and 64, 72
supplementary oxygen, given 126, 129, 141
training for Everest expedition 19, 20, 23–4, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30–2, 34
vegan 24, 25, 54
perceived risk 134–5
Perth, Australia 105–6
PHD 53–4
Pheriche, Nepal 72–3, 94
Portugal xv
positive thinking 146–7
‘reality’ TV 57
Red Cross 20–1, 34–5, 251–2, 253
responsibility 11, 12, 24, 29, 33, 40, 134, 155
risk, nature of xiii, 2, 10, 15, 16, 18, 43–4, 130–40, 178, 185, 240, 250
Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) 244–5
Scandinavia 45
Scott, Captain 207, 211
Serengeti, Africa 32
Shackleton, Sir Ernest 58, 207, 211
Sherpa Culture Museum, Namche Bazaar, Nepal 61
sherpas v, 13, 30, 52, 61, 63, 70, 73, 74, 79, 81, 85, 86–7, 93, 112, 117, 121, 128, 142, 153, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, 175, 176, 177, 181, 191, 195, 196, 207, 219, 244–5
Shrosbree, Bernie 104–5
Siddhi (Sherpa) 30
Simpson, Joe 16
Skaug, Randi 170
sleep apnoea, altitude-induced 126–7, 128–9, 130
‘snowflake’ generation 146
social media xviii, 52, 68, 80, 82, 146, 209, 212, 238
South America 25, 46–7, 100–1, 147–8, 232
South Pacific 81
South Pole 17, 41, 53, 62, 185, 207, 211
Sri Lanka 38–9, 41–2, 54, 62, 66, 134, 211
Storm (Labrador) 214, 224, 225, 243
Tanzania, Africa 32
Taransay, Scotland 6–7
technology 2, 130, 215, 233, 241
Tenzing, Sherpa 86
Thailand 192–3, 194
Thukla Pass, Nepal 73
Ulan Bator, Mongolia 68
United Nations: Environment Programme 243–4, 252–3
University of Central England, Birmingham 47
University of Costa Rica 102
Up, looking xiii, xvii–xviii, 3, 65, 147, 150, 171, 186, 197, 241, 250
Vendée Globe 16
vertigo 99–106, 173, 198
Wales 99–100, 104
Ward, William Arthur 139
Wardle, Ed 58, 81, 82, 83, 124, 125, 128, 129, 165, 166, 168, 169, 172, 173–4, 175, 176, 177, 181, 182
Where the Wild Men Are (TV series) 233
Who Dares Wins (TV series) 81
wilderness, connection to 2, 3–5, 6, 15, 20, 32, 37, 44–5, 166, 183, 233
William, Prince 106, 107
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 59
Xia Boyu 213
Xtreme Everest expedition 158
Yeti 70–1, 221, 222–3
Yeti Air 53, 59
Acknowledgements
Climbing a mountain is a solitary challenge but a team exercise. Writing a book is the same. Thanks to everyone who helped create this very personal account of my journey.
Thanks to Iswari Paudel, Garrett Madison and Bhola Paudel.
Thanks to our Climbing Sirdar, Ang Phurba Sherpa.
Thanks to the rope-fixing team: Dendi Sherpa, Pasang Tenjing Sherpa, Siddhi Tamang, Jenjen Lama, Datuk Bhote, Pasdawa Sherpa, Pemba Sherpa, Tenjing Gyalgen Sherpa, Phree Chombi.
Thanks to Deepak Ghimire, Durja Gurung, Lalu Gurung, Bhupal Thapamagar, Khampa Thapamagar and Anish Rai.
Thanks to Kam Dorjee Sherpa who summited with us and to Ang Thindu Sherpa and Ming Dorjee Sherpa for your selfless heroism at giving us your bottles and regulators at one of the most dangerous moments in the whole expedition.
Thanks to my dear friend Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein who helped make this whole adventure possible through the Anything is Possible movement. She has a vision to continue her late father’s work to inspire people to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.
Thanks to Richard Johnson and Nadia Taylor for helping with logistics and to Mark Lucas for your artwork.
Thanks to Myles Archibald, Hazel Eriksson and Alison Menzies at William Collins for believing in my passion and dream and taking a risk on this book. To Martin Toseland, Tom Whiting and Anne Rieley for their keen editorial eyes.
Thanks to Victoria for sharing an incredible journey together. One of the toughest, bravest, boldest people I know. No failures, just different endings.
Thanks to Kenton Cool for guiding Victoria and me through the beautiful world of mountaineering and sharing with us the wonders of the Andes, the Alps and the Himalayas.
Thanks to Mark Fisher for your unwavering happiness. The smile on your face, even through adversity, was inspiring and empowering. Thanks for your beautiful photographs and film-making.
Thanks to Ben Okri for your powerful poem, ‘Everest’, and for letting us publish it.
Thanks to Jonathan for your companionship (and your daughter) and for keeping us fit and healthy.
Thanks to Neil, Matt and everyone at CNN for sharing our journey from afar.
Thanks to Charlie Morison and Jo Calam at Campbell Bell Communications for all your help.
Thanks to Dr Sundeep Dhillon and the team at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health for all your help and advice.
Thanks to Philippa and Jacqui for logistics and packing, and to Alex and Derek Adams for being my bigg
est supporters and looking after Mum when she was ill.
Thanks to Marina, my heroine. While I am away, Marina is the one who runs the family. You are the glue that keeps us together when we are apart. My rock, without you I would be half the person I am. While adventure might be in my blood, it is you that makes me, me. You complete me. You have always allowed me to be the person I am. I may have been the one to stand on the roof of the world but it was a true team effort and you were there too.
Finally, this book is dedicated to Ludo and Iona. You are my world. My life. My everything. This book is for you. I hope you will both grow up with no ceilings or boundaries. I hope that you have the curiosity and determination to pursue your own adventures and dreams.
Also by Ben Fogle
English
Land Rover
Labrador
The Accidental Naturalist
The Accidental Adventurer
About the Authors
BEN FOGLE is a broadcaster and traveller. A modern-day nomad and journeyman, he has travelled to more than 100 countries and accomplished amazing feats from swimming with crocodiles to rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean; from crossing Antarctica on foot to surviving a year as a castaway on a remote Hebridean Island. Ben is the adventurer next door, an everyday guy who hopes to inspire the ordinary to pursue the extraordinary.
MARINA FOGLE is a writer and broadcaster. She produces a weekly podcast, The Parent Hood, has a monthly column in the Mail on Sunday and has written a bestselling book, The Bump Class.
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