It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. God it's great to be alive! Thank you. Thank you.

I'm going to paraphrase Thoreau here... rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth.

But now that I was finally here, standing on the summit of Mount Everest, I just couldn't summon the energy to care.

This forms the nub of a dilemna that every Everest climber eventually comes up against: in order to succeed you must be exceedingly driven, but if you're too driven you're likely to die.

But somethings in life are more important than being happy. Like being free to think for yourself.

Children can be harsh judges when it comes to their parents, disinclined to grant clemency.

Everest has always been a magnet for kooks, publicity seekers, hopeless romantics and others with a shaky hold on reality.