Many people have been getting too casual about climbing Everest. I forecast a disaster many times.

My mother really was the strength in our family. She would sort of keep us in line and I admired her very much .

Challenge is what makes men. It will be the end when men stop looking for new challenges.

I have been seriously afraid at times but have used my fear as a stimulating factor rather than allowing it to paralyse me. My abilities have not been outstanding, but I have had sufficient strength and determination to meet my challenges and have usually managed to succeed with them.

Motivation is the single most important factor in any sort of success.

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.

It's not a real adventure when you have to pay for it.