Remembering Sir Ed
You are probably all aware that Sir Edmond Hilary (know here as Sir Ed) has died. His funeral is today (22nd Jan) in the Auckland Cathedral. Nicky has just left to attend the service. Admission to the cathedral is by invitation only, but big screens have been set up in the Domain (park) for the general public and we are assuming that Nicky's invitation has got lost in the post somewhere....
So, this morning Nicky and I went off to pay our own tribute, along with 45 other men, women and children, two dogs, and a radio car. Nicky had her first day at Te Atatu Peninsula library yesterday, and on my way to pick her up I was listening to Classic Hits FM (one of the top commercial radio stations here) and one of the presenters was organising an attempt on One Tree Hill, emulating Sir Ed's attempt on Everest back in '53. The plan was to meet at base camp (the Cornwall Park Restaurant) at 7am, proceed up the south face (all metalled roads so you have to dodge the occasional car along with the sheep) and then have muffins at the summit. So off Nicky and I went at 6.40am this morning, and met all the other intrepid explorers who had braved the harsh conditions (warm, low cloud, possibility of rain). Things were going OK until we discovered that the radio presenter was also the Health and Safety rep. This meant that at first camp (almost half way up) we were offered isotonic beverages in lurid colours so that we would have the energy to get to the summit. Nicky and I turned down the drinks, preferring to take Sir Ed's "no oxygen" approach.
And so on we strode, the incline steepening as we went, the less hardy stopping to look at the view (through the increasing cloud) and pass comment on the sheep and the the cut of the radio presenters waterproofs. Finally, after an arduous last push into the lowering cloud, we reached the summit and the obelisk. As the radio guy said, Everest can't have been much different - we all knew how Sir Ed must have felt.
Nicky and I stayed for a few minutes, but with no prospect of the promised muffins appearing said our goodbyes and returned to base camp, then to home and breakfast. Claire was still asleep.
So, this morning Nicky and I went off to pay our own tribute, along with 45 other men, women and children, two dogs, and a radio car. Nicky had her first day at Te Atatu Peninsula library yesterday, and on my way to pick her up I was listening to Classic Hits FM (one of the top commercial radio stations here) and one of the presenters was organising an attempt on One Tree Hill, emulating Sir Ed's attempt on Everest back in '53. The plan was to meet at base camp (the Cornwall Park Restaurant) at 7am, proceed up the south face (all metalled roads so you have to dodge the occasional car along with the sheep) and then have muffins at the summit. So off Nicky and I went at 6.40am this morning, and met all the other intrepid explorers who had braved the harsh conditions (warm, low cloud, possibility of rain). Things were going OK until we discovered that the radio presenter was also the Health and Safety rep. This meant that at first camp (almost half way up) we were offered isotonic beverages in lurid colours so that we would have the energy to get to the summit. Nicky and I turned down the drinks, preferring to take Sir Ed's "no oxygen" approach.
And so on we strode, the incline steepening as we went, the less hardy stopping to look at the view (through the increasing cloud) and pass comment on the sheep and the the cut of the radio presenters waterproofs. Finally, after an arduous last push into the lowering cloud, we reached the summit and the obelisk. As the radio guy said, Everest can't have been much different - we all knew how Sir Ed must have felt.
Nicky and I stayed for a few minutes, but with no prospect of the promised muffins appearing said our goodbyes and returned to base camp, then to home and breakfast. Claire was still asleep.
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