Life's a bit like mountaineering - never look down.

I think the really good mountaineer is the man with the technical ability of the professional and with the enthusiasm and freshness of approach of the amateur.

I had a very strong desire to carry out adventures, but in those early days I didn't actually do any. I just dreamt about it.

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 get older I get more cantankerous, but June [Hillary] gets a bit more cantankerous, too.

Good planning is important. I've also regarded a sense of humor as one of the most important things on a big expedition. When you're in a difficult or dangerous situation, or when you're depressed about the chances of success, someone who can make you laugh eases the tension.

There are lots and lots of challenges that I wished - at the time - that I had done.There are lots of occasions where there were exciting things to be done but for some reason or another it was physically impossible for us to do them. I still wouldn't mind if I was able to go down into this most impressive valley in the Antarctic, but of course those things are beyond me now.