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John Kazanas summits Everest 30-May-2010 At 11:08:05 AM climbingjac

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On 28/05/2010 Duncan wrote:
>If you or I had the money, inclination and were lucky with
>the weather, we could do it, no doubt.

Speaking for myself, nope, I couldn't! It's really freaking cold there. Even if I wanted to go there - and I hear it is really beautiful, and the pride of completing it is insane - even if those things, I wouldn't have a hope in hell. Personally, I, and no doubt hoardes of others, would be stopped in our tracks with frostbite before we even hit base camp (or AMS, or a violent stomach bug or something). Then there'd be the matter of communicating with the support crew that may speak little or no of my language. Stressful in a comfortable situation. On Everest, another thing altogether. There'd be the matter of not knowing the people on your team very well, because your mates from home who you know and trust didn't want to go to Everest or could not stump up the cash. So you're going up against the highest peak on the planet, with people that may well leave you when you really need assistance. There is the matter of not being able to hold food down. There is the matter of there being insufficient oxygen and as such your brain wouldn't work properly and your body wouldn't move quickly enough. There is the matter of praying to god you don't get hurt because you are not familiar with the health care there. There is the matter of knowing that after all the preparation and parting with a giant wad of cash and annual leave time off work, you might not even get a sniff at the summit. It's not like you can just pop back next weekend and have another crack at it when you're feeling a bit fresher. There is the matter of the weather or the mountain itself doing nasty things that were not expected. There is the matter of dealing with a distressed family that cannot understand the sport itself, let alone why you would want to risk dying. Basically it is the matter of knowing there's a really good chance that once you step onto that mountain, you may not return. Shudder.

Nope. I personally couldn't get up that hill, and have no desire to. My idea of putting up with being uncomfortable is having to huddle under a tarp and drink warm tea while it drizzles in the campground. I'd probably get one of those odemas before I left the nearest township. Or someone would pinch my critical chocolate supply and that'd be the end of that. Kudos to people that can remain so mentally focussed for so long, and train their bodies to be in a sufficient condition to go there and have a shot at it.

I've seen John at work focussing on a goal. The man is an unstoppable force. He just keeps going until it's done. I can't imagine the effort he's put into this thing. All his mental and physically energy, and every resource available to him has no doubt gone into this. Well done matie! Bet it feels awesome to be able to sit back and think "Yep, now I know the answer to the question of 'I wonder if i could do it' ".