Welcome ladies and gentlemen boys and girls Thank you for coming tonight. Name: Grant Rawlinson, everyone calls me Axe Tonight I will be telling you a story – a story without an ending. It’s a story about a very ordinary bloke – with no superhuman physical strength, maybe a little shorter and a little balder than the average man, who loves climbing mountains. And a dream to climb the highest mountain in the world.

How to climb this kind of ground when you cant see.. Remember the getting down is the hardpart… 80% of people die on descent….. Wearing mittens, down suits, oxygen masks, goggles Thinking at the pace of a 5 year old child Everything feels 4 times heavier – 4kg oxy bottle – feels like 16… Minus 40 degrees You cant see your feet Only clipped in by your caraba not yout jumar so can fall along way How to descend without fingers? Made the decision – was actually very easy…… So painful I knew it was turning really bad.

From Kathmandu most climbers then approach the mountain from the south side. From the Nepalese side. This involves a plane flight to a mountain airfield called Lukla in Nepal. I decided to attempt everest from the north side – located in Tibet in China This involves a 6 day drive up into the Tibetan plateau and around to the basecamp on the north side.

No doctor and no support with me Decision time - only way to get better is to descend. :Leave in the dark by myself OR Wait for morning and speak to Jamie for help…. Decided to wait – hoped it was the right decision……… Morning came – got Jamie on radio – immediately told me there was a sherpa coming down fro n col. Set off at 7am heading down. Immediately knew I was in even more trouble that I thought. Exhausted and no strength No breath – any slight uphill I could not mange it walk for 200m – fall over – Nima strap oxygen on and I go to doze. Horrible gurgling sleep. He would wake me and we continue

Welcome ladies and gentlemen boys and girls Thank you for coming tonight. Name: Grant Rawlinson, everyone calls me Axe Tonight I will be telling you a story – a story without an ending. It’s a story about a very ordinary bloke – with no superhuman physical strength, maybe a little shorter and a little balder than the average man, who loves climbing mountains. And a dream to climb the highest mountain in the world.

By enter name here John Foord

The DESCENT

Everest Nepal Tibet India Butan The JOURNEY

The CHALLENGES

Singapore