Nothing can replace courage, a resounding motivation and that little bit of luck.

Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!

I was incredibly stubborn. I mean, I believe that my father was frequently in the right, but I would never admit it, and so we did have a few set-tos on various topics; but on the whole as I got older and my father got more mature we got along reasonably well.

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

I've always hated the danger part of climbing, and it's great to come down again because it's safe.

I think my strengths perhaps are that I'm determined. I may not be the best climber in the world, but I do like to sort of succeed and so that tends to drive me on, as it were, and I don't give up too easily.

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.