I did have my moments of despair. It was certainly not - it's not an experience I would like to have again. And then June came along.

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

I still think have this deep desire for our Himalayan Trust - that we raise the necessary funds, that we do all the things that the Sherpas want us to do, and I would like to see us working together with them on these projects. Even though I'm old and decrepit I still have this strong feeling that I would like to carry these things out if it were still possible.

I was not a beater of children and as a consequence I've always been, I think, very agreeable and co-operative.

I'm definitely a Queen supporter. She was great.

June [Hillary] had been doing all these things - the Himalayas and all the rest of it - so we had done things together for a long time, and, particularly as far as our Sherpas were concerned, we had a very sound, I think, philosophy. So that made it very easy for us to agree on what should be done.

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