Tuesday, January 15, 2008

to infinity... and beyond...

Last week the world bade farwell to a true man of adventure... Sir Edmund Hillary, who summited Mt. Everest before it was littered with spent oxygen bottles and had a bar at base camp. In 1953 it was still unsure if it was even possible to reach the top of the world. In May of that year Hillary and Tenzing Norgay (a native of Nepal) did indeed accomplish what no human being had ever done before. Hillary died last week at the age of 88 in his native New Zealand. He left behind a legacy of adventure, but also a love for the enviroment and a passion for humanitarian work on behalf of the people of his beloved Nepal. Godspeed, Sir Edmund. I hope you are on your greatest expedition somewhere amid the stars.

Norgay and Hillary at base camp after the 1953 summit. http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/hil0bio-1
And for a look at the thriving business and ego trip climbing Mount Everest has become at present, check out... http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/everestbeyond/everestbeyond.html

2 comments:

tricia stirling said...

what a lovely tribute!

Sea Dream Studio said...

Tricia~ I am bit enchanted by explorers. Are you familiar with Ernest Shackleton?
I love that Hillary cared so much for the people of Nepal and for the environment.
Thanks for stopping by.
take care~dale