I am a lucky man. I have had a dream and it has come true, and that is not a thing that happens often to men.

I was certainly seriously emotionally affected [ when Louise Hillary and Belinda Hillary died], but we were building the hospital at the time and I decided that the only thing to do was to carry on and complete the hospital - and it was a jolly good hospital too, I might say. So I really did it by working and working on the things that Louise and I had been working on.

Nobody climbs mountains for scientific reasons. Science is used to raise money for the expeditions, but you really climb for the hell of it.

I always, I would say, make sure that in my presentation I'll have what I want to do. I try and make it so interesting to my companions that they want to go, too. I don't have to twist any arms or make - you know - any great challenges available.

I was a dreamer when I was at high school and even primary school. I used to dream about doing adventurous things.

On the summit of Everest, I had a feeling of great satisfaction to be first there.

People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.