Up

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.

  About the Publisher

  Australia

  HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

  Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

  Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

  www.harpercollins.com.au

  Canada

  HarperCollins Canada

  Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower

  22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor

  Toronto, ON, M5H 4E3, Canada

  http://www.harpercollins.ca

  India

  HarperCollins India

  A 75, Sector 57

  Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India

  http://www.harpercollins.co.in

  New Zealand

  HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited

  P.O. Box 1

  Auckland, New Zealand

  www.harpercollins.co.nz

  United Kingdom

  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

  1 London Bridge Street

  London SE1 9GF

  www.harpercollins.co.uk

  United States

  HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

  195 Broadway

  New York, NY 10007

  www.harpercollins.com