Management consulting and mountaineering: life at PwC > article in The Gateway

A trip down memory lane and reflection on my career through this insightful interview by Hannah Langworth in The Gateway. The article covers an untraditional (and unusual!) career path which started out as a ski-instructor in South Korea and leading, via country-hopping across Asia, to a role as a Consultant in the “People & Change” Consulting team in London at the leading global professional services organisation PwC.

The interview highlights the opportunities that PwC have provided professionally and personally and how PwC has provided the tools to help me to combine work as a management consultant with pursuits (and passions!) outside my job....

Interestingly, it coincides with a recent report released by PwC which has concluded:

 

"Workplaces that view flexibility and a good work/life balance as solely a female or parent demand will fail to attract and retain millennial talent, male or female, who no longer subscribe to outdated gender-based policies.” [Next Generation Diversity, PwC Report, 2014].

 

http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/women-at-pwc/internationalwomensday/next-gen-diversity-publication.jhtml

 

Read the full interview on The Gateway: http://thegatewayonline.com/consulting/doing-the-job/pwc-management-consulting-and-mountaineering-life-at-pwc

 

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100% Summit Success - Kilimanjaro Climb for Wellbeing of Women & Worlds Highest DJ-gig...!

As the dulcet tones and disco beat of the Bee Gee’s track, ‘You Should Be Dancing’ wafted from the 5895m summit of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, I couldn’t help but smile at the words of this iconic Bee Gees song… “You should be dancing. Yeah....”  And dancing we were…  only we were dancing about 5900m higher than normal with significantly less available oxygen to breathe!

The Music and Mountains Kilimanjaro climbing team were tearing up the summit crater with hypoxic-induced dance moves that would have cleared the dance floor in any top club while our guides kicked up the volcanic dust and got into the groove doing an African rendition of Flashdance… DJ Lora was on the decks in an outfit significantly less glam than her usual ballgown… dusty Scarpa boots replaced her usual Louboutins and down replaced diamantes….  But this didn’t stop our internationally acclaimed DJ from working her music-magic as ‘You Should Be Dancing’ was mixed into DJ Lora’s latest chart release from Toolroom Records, “Chinchilla Disco” and the scene was set for our team to complete the ultimate challenge of DJing and raving on the summit of Kilimanjaro in support for our charity cause, Wellbeing of Women. 

Despite our cold fingers, desperate gasps of rarefied air, throbbing heads, and rosy cheeks, we were laughing as the dawn broke over the summit crater in a spectacular sunrise and we celebrated our combined successes. A ‘journey’ that had started over a year ago with a crazy-idea to DJ on the summit of Kilimanjaro led to these happy (tired!) faces, new friendships and memories to last a lifetime. Additionally, we succeeded in our challenge to raise nearly 25,000 GBP for Wellbeing of Women – money that will go toward improving the health of women and babies.

Standing there (or should I say ‘grooving there) on the summit I realized that climbing Kilimanjaro is no different from any other major challenge we want to overcome in our lives.  Whether we want to start a new job, mend a broken relationship or taking on a new challenge, we’re all climbing a mountain of sorts.  These experiences require us to be stronger than we think we are, endure more than we think we can, and become more than we dreamed possible. 

On behalf of the Music and Mountains Team, I’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who made this trip possible and supported us in our charity fundraising efforts. 

Several additional thank you’s to our sponsors and key "Music and Mountains" supporters....

Thank you to Sherpa Adventure Gear for providing us with the fantastic kit that kept us warm and stylish on the mountain.  The primaloft Annapurna jacket is an amazing piece of must-have kit and we have some soft-shell converts! It was fantastic to have  Sherpa branded ‘team kit’ to bring us all together and create our sense of identity on the mountain. 

Thank you to Thalgo UK for the wonderful goodie-bag of beauty products which kept us feeling fabulous throughout both the run-up to the expedition and on the expedition itself. I’m not sure whether there’s ever been a more glamorous, pampered team on Kilimanjaro with our tents looking more like spas..! We especially loved the SPF 50 sun-cream which kept us all protected and moisturised on the mountain. An added bonus was the leg mist which kept us refreshed...!

Thank you to The Jerky Group for fostering and nurturing a taste for beef jerky and biltong. Your very generous donation of beef jerky fed us and fuelled us up to the summit and provided a constant source of protein and snacking pleasure for all times of the day - breakfast, lunch and dinner along the trail and to the summit. HUGE thumbs up for the Honey bbq and also the Peppered Steak flavours...  mouth-wateringly delicious and I am still having massive cravings!

Special thank you’s go out to our climb patrons Sir Ian Botham, Elizabeth Hurley, Piers Morgan, Eve Pollard MBE and Sir Victor Blank.  It was wonderful knowing that we had your support every step of the way…! Thank you for helping to promote our cause.

Thanks also to David English CBE, for his part in setting the world record for the worlds highest DJ gig. David made a very kind donation to Wellbeing of Women during our charity fundraising event to have the soulful Bee Gees track 'You Should be Dancing" played on the summit. An absolute legend, David has not only managed the Bee Gees but he has also done press for the Rolling Stones, Tom Jones and Dionne Warwick. He also founded the Bunbury Charity XI and the Bunbury English School’s Cricket Festival, which discovered many current England players.

Thank you also to Naynesh Desai and the entire team at Wellbeing of Women and BLJ  and DawBell who worked tirelessly over the past few months to make our climb such a success and who helped us to achieve our £25,000 fundraising target. Thank you also for all of your encouraging words and your support. It's through the passion that you put into your work for Wellbeing of Women that we were driven to put one foot in front of the other. We are incredibly happy that our efforts have played a small part in contributing to providing funding and research into many issues which affect and impact millions women and babies around the globe including reproductive or gynecological health problems.

Thank you to our guide Chad Peele from Alpenglow Expeditions and the entire Alpenglow Expeditions team for supporting us and arranging the logistics along with our fabulous, patient local Tanzanian team of guides, porters, and cooks. When you received the call saying you'd been assigned to climb with a team of 9 women you must have known it could have been a nightmare or a dream come true! Your patience, sense of humour and leadership certainly contributed to the success of our climb and positive experiences throughout. We certainly could not have done it without you.

And finally, last but certainly not least, thank you to the amazing team of women – Anna G, Anna V, Alicia, Chloe, Deborah, Helena, Laura, Kirsten… (and of course Chad), for the wonderful trip memories; your humor, honesty, passions, laughter and enthusiasm through thick and thin (air) will never be forgotten and I can't wait to share another mountain with you again soon.

Helena and Alicia - Team Cisco

Deborah, Anna and Bernard

Our incredible team of guides, cooks, porters and climbers

Chloe and Alicia

Kirsten, Anna and Heather - 'Team PwC'

DJ Lora warming up the decks

Helena, Kirsten and Anna... with Laura practising The Plank

Pre-summit gig

Looking back out from the summit over the crater

NOTE: Full DJ-set video to follow soon when we've had the opportunity to compile all of the video footage ;-)

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'Music and Mountains' Kilimanjaro climb in support of Wellbeing of Women - 22 Feb - 2 March 2014

Wellbeing of Women is a charity dedicated to improving the health of women and babies through research, training and education.

My ‘Wellbeing of Women’ ‘journey’ actually started at Lords Cricket Ground in a chance meeting with Sir Victor Blank whose interest in cricket far surpassed mine. My friend Laura, (better known as DJ Lora) was due to dj at a celebrity cricket match hosted by Sir Victor and his wife Sylvia, in support of Wellbeing of Women the following weekend. Sir Victor’s commitment for the charity was apparent and I knew that someone with his life experience would not speak so passionately about a charity unless it was straight ‘from the heart’ so to speak..!

Thinking back to my initial exposure to Wellbeing of Women and some of the issues which fall under the umbrella of “women’s health” I recall struggling to get comfortable in attempting to understand or even talk about female health issues such as problems with fertility, pregnancy, post-natal depression, menopause and gynecological cancers. When these topics came up I’d shift uncomfortably in my seat…

Before I can really relate to something, I have to ‘understand’ it and add my own frame of reference… I guess that seems especially strange in this particular case as I am a woman and by this very nature I should have been able to relate to a charity that is focused on women’s wellbeing...

I decided to look deeper into the charity’s research and I was amazed at what I discovered both about Wellbeing of Women and my own misguided perceptions of ‘taboo’....

I learned that:

• 1 in 2 women in the UK will suffer from some kind of reproductive or gynecological health problem
• 17 babies a day die in the UK at or near birth (they are either stillborn or die shortly after birth)
• 145 women a week in the UK die of a gynecological cancer
• 2 million women suffer the pain of endometriosis
• 1 in 3 women will suffer from urinary incontinence at some point in their lives
• 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage

And, up until that point, a statistic that I could certainly relate to – many women remain embarrassed to talk about these types of health problems, even with their doctors.

I also learned that both funding and research into many of these issues which affect and impact millions women and babies around the globe are often overlooked. Given the statistics I’d just read, I realized that I drastically needed to improve my awareness, education and wellbeing and change my perceptions and misconceptions. I wondered what I could do both at a personal level and on a wider level to ‘do more’ and continued my research into the charity…

Wellbeing of Women encourages women to take more interest in their own health.  From a personal perspective this was something I certainly could relate to. Whilst I generally lead quite an active lifestyle through my passion for high-altitude outdoor pursuits, I must confess that I have been far from an epitome of wellbeing when it has come to taking care of and/or prioritising my own health (my mother and others who know me well will whole heartedly agree!). I’ve since made efforts to improve this through my diet, exercise and seeing specialists on a more regular basis. I’m living proof that the more that women know about their own health, their bodies and the issues that affect women, the more they can do about it.

Amongst other things, Wellbeing of Women has also made me appreciate my mother, my sister and gorgeous baby nieces and nephews even more and the wonderful care that they have received since the day their imminent arrival into the family was announced. They truly are a miracle of life and I feel so tremendously blessed to be able to enjoy them and watch them grow up.

About Wellbeing of Women

Since it was founded 50 years ago, Wellbeing of Women has, through the generous support from its donors, invested in research projects and allocated funds towards the training of doctors and midwives.

I’ve included below a brief overview of just a few of the conditions which Wellbeing of Women has funded through its of research grants. To view more details please refer to the Wellbeing of Women website http://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk

• Preterm birth: We have progressed our understanding of preterm birth and are well on the way to developing innovative new tests and treatments for this often devastating occurrence. We are improving outcomes for babies born preterm (Over £1,797,473 and 50.5 years of research funded in this area)
• Womb cancer: Survival rates for cancer of the womb have improved and we are working towards an effective, simple screening method. We have a better understanding of the causes behind the cancer (Over £920,070 and 16.5 years of research funded in this area)
• Ovarian cancer: Diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer has improved greatly, leading to a doubling of the five-year survival rate since 1970 (Over £2,695,645 and 58 years of research funded in this area)
• Babies: Doctors can now examine and improve the health of babies in the womb by ultrasound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, heart computer analysis and other innovations (Over £935,856 and 43.5 years of research funded in this area)
• IVF: IVF and other treatments mean millions of people in the UK are freed from the misery of infertility (Over £1,078,996 and 61 years of research funded in this area)

Source: http://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk/research/success-stories/?menu=11c

Partnership with PwC

In March 2013, a few months after that meeting at Lords, I learned that Wellbeing of Women had launched a major new partnership with PwC - the company that I have worked for the past 4.5 years. The firm’s message and alignment was clear. Almost half of PwC’s 17,000 people are women and their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families and friends, is very important. The partnership with Wellbeing of Women also supported a number of PwC initiatives including the ‘Zest for Life’ health campaign which covers issues such as healthy eating, living, fitness and work-life balance.  

In 2013 PwC broadened and increased their support of the charity, by supporting two Wellbeing of Women funded researchers – Dr. Vanitha Sivalingam and Dr. Leo Gurney – who are investigating a new treatment for womb cancer and developing new treatments for premature birth respectively.

I'm proud to work for a firm that supports such a worthwhile cause that covers all aspects of a woman's health and wellbeing.

'Music and Mountains' Kilimanjaro Climb in support of Wellbeing of Women

When not working at PwC, I spend a lot of time either on expeditions, training for expeditions or planning expeditions… Until now, these have always been for my own personal climbing projects which have included some of the highest mountains in the world including Everest, Makalu and Lhotse, 3 eight-thousand meter peaks in Nepal.

Interestingly mountaineering, especially 8000m peaks, is a male-dominated pursuit.  There are various reasons for this which fall outside this scope and would, perhaps be the topic of another blog..! Out of the circa 4000people who have summited Everest only circa 335 are women.

Given the amount of time I spend on expeditions dominated by men, I thought that it would be great to organise an expedition for women in support of a cause for women. My thoughts immediately drifted to a mountain that I climbed in 2010 - Kilimanjaro..!

Mount Kilimanjaro is extremely well known for being one of the magnificent mountains in the world. Located in Tanzania, the mountain stands 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level and is the highest in Africa. Due to its stature and design, Kilimanjaro has become a premier hiking destination for athletes, thrill seekers, celebrities and more.

With 'DJ Lora' we came up with a unique, fun approach that combined Laura's passion for music and my passion for mountains. Hence, 'music and mountains' was born...

On March 1st 2014, internationally-renowned show queen, DJ Lora, intends to make history as the first person to play the deks from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Her crowning moment will conclude a challenging six-day ascent of Kilimanjaro in which she will be joined by a team of women, with all funds raised being generously donated to health charity Wellbeing of Women. Lora also plans on playing a host of impromptu parties as she and her climbing team trek through the villages on the mountain's lower plains.

'I wanted to do a climb with a difference that would potentially give our benefitting charity, Wellbeing of Women, a special and different fund-raising event.

I was struggling to think of something truly original when it dawned on me that a fantastic way to celebrate the climb would be to play my decks live - along the route - and arrival at the summit.

To support the ‘Music & Mountains’ climb and Wellbeing of Women please visit http://www.justgiving.com/teams/musicandmountains

Many thanks to our climb patrons for their support:
Sir Victor Blank, Sir Ian Botham, Elizabeth Hurley, Eve Pollard OBE & Piers Morgan

Many thanks to our sponsors for their generous support:

Sherpa Adventure Gear

Crimson Hotels

DDO Solicitors

 

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"Keeping it Real" - Ice Climbing in Cogne, Italy

Every once in a while I have to remind myself to ‘keep it real’. Life is short, it can be tough. There are moments when reaching for a hand-brake to slow things down a notch or two would certainly help provide the life-balance when it flips out of kilter. In the absence of a ‘hand-brake’ I have found the perfect alternative – the great outdoors. For me, there’s something incredibly therapeutic about being outside and ‘feeling’ – feeling cold, hot, happy, scared, tired, hungry in a pure, unadulterated state…. engaging the mind by trying something new and drawing energy from the passion of people you meet along the way. 

I was just coming off of a hectic few weeks at work and was feeling the need to ‘keep it real’. When my climbing guide and friend Isabelle Santoire suggested that I join her for a weekend of at the Ice Climbing Opening in Cogne, Italy I jumped at the opportunity. Having spent an exceptionally cold but fun day learning the basics with Isabelle in Cogne last winter I realized that this was fantastic way to get back into the ‘groove’. What better way to feel alive than to embrace the biting cold in the shade of an icy rock face at the end of a belay or to climb up a frozen waterfall, arms pumped, trying hard not to think about the sheer lunacy of hanging off of a frozen waterfall on ice only a few centimeters thick by only a few sharp metal points. On the flip side, what better way to feel alive than drink hot chocolate so thick you can chew it and laugh so hard with people you’ve just met that it makes your belly ache.

The annual Cogne Ice Festival is organized by hugely talented, hardcore ice climbers, Matthias Scherer and Tanja Schmitt. The festival is a quirky, fun, non-pretentious gathering place which presented an opportunity to learn, to have fun, to meet new people and share experiences. It was sponsored by Arc’teryx, Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Suunto, Sterling Rope, Glorify, and Chimpanzee who were all on-hand to answer kit questions, sharpen tools and ensure that even if you showed up without anything you could be fully kitted out and walking to a frozen headwall in about 5 minutes.  I tried out a new set of Black Diamond Stinger crampons and a new BD  Speed-range climbing pack – both of which exceeded expectations.

It was an absolutely brilliant weekend. A number of clinics were on offer ranging from navigation through to the more hard-core ice-climbing clinics. For both the Saturday and Sunday I joined a women’s clinic with 7 other women of mixed abilities but all sharing common goals – to have fun, to laugh, to learn. And that we did. In spades. We proved that the outdoors can bring together a mix of cultures – in my group alone we were a feisty mix of Brits, Swedes, Italians, Canadians, Norwegians, Germans, French. With a shared passion for the outdoors we proved that this shared passion can transcend language barriers and spent the two days on routes which offered different levels of challenge and opportunity. And learned, amongst other things, one key message – “Don’t let go”. A message which was confirmed during Saturday evening’s programme.

On Saturday evening, we were treated to several presentations from the athletes including Jeff Mercier showed a video on his new route in the Dolomites. Klemen Premrl presented Wolverine, a short clip about his achievements with Tim Emmett, Will Gadd and Raphael Slawinski, on Wolverine, one of the wildest, steepest and most difficult ice climbing in the world located in Helmcken Falls, Canada.  Matthias Scherer and Tanja Schmitt showed their movie on Kjerrskredkvelven, the giant ice line in Norway. Finally, Matteo della Bordella and Luca Schiera talked about their new route on Torre Egger, and Ezio Marlier talked about Repentance, one of the most iconic ice falls in Cogne.

I sometimes find it tedious watching accounts of adventures which focus purely on ‘The Epic’ - the records broken, the near-death experiences, the summits achieved, the testosterone-driven ‘gnarliness’ of it all… especially when the ‘gnarly’ isn’t appropriately balanced with the reality of why these amazing athletes push themselves to these extremes of challenge and discomfort. It’s certainly not about the money or the fame (we’re talking about climbing here!). It’s the buzz. It’s about keeping it real. It's about the thrill of the challenge and the fun. This came through in the videos - especially Tim Emmett's account of how he and his team mates approached Wolverine (I encourage you to boil the kettle, make yourself a brew, and take a few moments out of your life to enjoy it). I absolutely loved it not only for the aesthetic elements but also for the passion and enthusiasm for the project before, during and after the climb. This passion was something that we could relate to as we’d experienced it first-hand on a smaller scale during our own ‘epic’ experiences on routes significantly less gnarly. 

There are few things in life as vicariously satisfying as self-indulgence after a big day outside. On Sunday afternoon we found ourselves back in the pub with rosy cheeks with steaming cups of hot chocolate and mulled wine… and sorting out our next adventures as we flipped through our reams of photos documenting our ‘hero shots’. We agreed to meet again for more shared fun in Norway on 21 Feb for the Rjukan Ice Festival‏..! 

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The People You Meet: Rotary Club of Road Town, British Virgin Islands

Bikinis, sarongs, SPF 20, 30 and 40, shorts, t-shirts, sundresses… a down jacket, spikey sharp crampons and my 8000m boots. Not quite the typical packing-list for a trip to the British Virgin Islands..! As random as the packing was, it did leave me smiling and looking forward to a week of adventures in the sunshine and alongside the crystal clear Caribbean waters. As well as a week of relaxing, there was some work to be done - my brother Ryan had invited me to present at the Road Town Rotary Club, Tortola, BVI where he is an active Rotarian.

I must confess, I was slightly apprehensive about the presentation… My mind boggled with the challenges presented by the contrast between the icy-cold slopes of the highest peaks of the Himalayas and the warm sandy beaches of the British Virgin Islands. I knew it was going to be a ‘tough sell’ to my esteemed Caribbean audience and that I’d really have to present a compelling story to ensure that my audience of Rotarians could (1) relate and (2) enjoy the presentation without thinking that I was completely crazy..! A common thread was desperately required to make this relevant...

About Rotary:
I’ve had the opportunity to work with and present to a number of Rotary clubs in Rotary’s international network and have personally benefited from Rotary’s work in the community – I attended my first ever conference through sponsorship from the Ridgetown Rotary club when I was about 11 years old. Since then I’ve met with and presented to Rotarians in Ridgetown, Malaysia, Kathmandu, Chatham, the UK and now the BVI..!

What struck me about the Road Town Rotary club, as with all other Rotary Clubs that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, is that the Rotary is very much at the heart of the community - members are passionate about the communities in which they live and work. Members of Rotary bring about positive change in their communities locally and overseas; they support those who need help; they strive to improve lives; they stand up against injustice and wrongs within society. A perfect example of this was at the Road Town meeting where a number of initiatives were organised to help those in the Philippines affected by the typhoon which more than 5,200 people lost their lives and displacing 4.4 million people. The club committed to support a Rotary Telethon on the BVI in partnership with other Rotary clubs and looked to leverage the Rotary network to the Philippines clubs to see what other support / help they could provide.. as well as connecting to the Filipino community in the BVI itself.

The other thing that struck me about the Road Town Rotary Club is that they like to have fun. From fines to happy dollars to good food to fellowship among friends it was great to meet such a positive group of people..!

Presenting to the Rotary Club of Road Town, Tortola...

Drawing from my professional background as a management consultant, I focused on management ‘lessons learned’, drawn from my experiences in the mountains – specifically around teamwork, leadership, decision making and risk management. Through mountaineering case studies, I brought to life some of the challenges that are faced on expeditions and not dissimilar to those challenges faced by organisations around the world. For example, managing a diverse team from different backgrounds, with different levels of experience and differing goals. For some people, the primary objective is to reach ‘the top’, whilst for others, it’s to make the decision to come back in one piece with 10 fingers and 10 toes in tact, to live another day.  As a leader, how do you manage these divergent goals and work as one team, functioning effectively to minimise risk and bring out the strengths of all individuals in the team to make the team as strong as it possibly can be? What are the leadership qualities that bring out the best in individuals? Surprisingly, in spite of the contrast between the two environments, the qualities that make a good leader good and a great leader great are not dissimilar… a great leader brings out the very best in individuals, the very best in the team, and achieves the goal.

Whilst in the BVI, preparing for my presentation in the comfort of the lovely Grape Tree villas overlooking the stunning Long Bay, I was able to appreciate other similarities between the Himalayas and the BVI. The views.  The power of nature.  How they made me feel – truly alive. I’m once again reminded that there are few things in the world that are as mesmerising and hypnotic as the sheer power and beauty of nature and our natural environment – the sound of the wind whistling down an icy slope or the crashing of waves over a deserted sandy beach… there are few things that put us, as human beings, so fundamentally in our place.  I’ve sat overlooking the Western Cwm from high up the Lhotse face as the sun bounced off the ice with the shadow of Mt. Everest looming above me… and I’ve sat on the sandy white beaches of the BVI, in the shadow of palm-trees,  watching the clear-blue waves break and crash rhythmically on the shore… never missing a beat. The feeling I have in these two contrasting environments – whether wrapped up in my down suit and 8000m boots or in my bikini and sarong - are the same… so perhaps it won’t be as difficult to convince the Road Town Rotary Club of why I love this ‘vertical world’ as much as I do..! Perhaps I only need to share with them my love of life? 

Many thanks to the Road Town Rotary club of the British Virgin Islands for their hospitality, their interest and fellowship. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to share my experiences with you!

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Sherpa Adventure Gear Lecture Tour: Everest Uncovered - closing thoughts...

When I first started this blog, "The People You Meet Along the Way..." I thought that it would be a good way to document my mountaineering ‘journey’; a way to think through and remind myself of the many lessons that I have learned and the many inspirational people that I have met along the way. By blogging, I’d have the opportunity to share my stories, thoughts, reflections via this online forum as a vehicle to prompt others to reflect on their journeys, their passions, the people that they’ve met and drawn inspiration from… and who, in turn, draws inspiration from them. 

One thing that I’d never (in a million years) expected when I started writing out my thoughts was that I would be taking my humble journey to a whole new level and speaking about it…. In public. To lots of different people. Across the UK. Alongside some of Everests’ most accomplished mountaineers. And representing a brand that I am truly proud to be part of. 

The Sherpa Adventure Gear ‘Everest Uncovered’ lecture tour, held its grand finale to a full house at the Royal Geographical Society, London on Friday, 25 October. This followed two previous lectures in Edinburgh and Manchester and concluded a tremendously successful, fun and action packed whirlwind week which has proven to be one of the highlights of my mountaineering ‘journey’ – to use the cliché, it was ‘my Everest’.  

A journey which led me to share a stage with Kenton Cool and Lakpa Rita Sherpa, and Ian Parnell.  Kenton, Lakpa Rita and Ian are internationally renowned legends in the world of mountaineering – both on and off the mountain. Between them, these men share a total of 29 Everest summits and a unique outlook on the history and future of the world’s highest peak. If, 5 years ago, someone would have said that I’d be speaking alongside these athletes in places as esteemed as the Royal Geographical Society, I’d never have believed them..!

Reflecting on the week that was, ‘Everest Uncovered’ I can’t help but jot-down some of the highlights…

- Spending time with the inspirational and truly humble Lakpa Rita Sherpa and his lovely wife Phurba. As the ‘face’ of the Sherpa Adventure Gear brand, I felt like Lakpa was a long-lost friend - our paths had crossed briefly on a particularly cold morning in the Western Cwm of Everest this past spring but it was hardly the time and place to chat…! So it was truly an honor to be part of Lakpa’s and Phurba’s first visit to the (rather rainy!) UK and share in some of the UK’s culinary delights – which included the biggest naan bread we’d ever seen (at an Indian restaurant in Manchester) and an evening of clubbing in London at the exclusive alpine-themed club, Bodos Schloss (where we drank from a ski boot!).

- Gleaning words of wisdom and engaging in healthy debate and laughter with Kenton Cool. About 5 years ago I attended a lecture at the RGS in which Kenton was on a panel of speakers which included Doug Scott and George Band addressing, the commercialisation of Everest. Kenton’s passion for the mountain and its people, his understanding of the history of the Everest region and his as experience as both a guide and an athlete shone through in spades. I could relate to many aspects of Kenton’s point of view as I rely on people like him to ‘make my dreams come true’. Having said that, as someone with an interest in the ‘geographical tradition’ I could certainly empathise with Doug Scott and George Band who had come to know Everest and the Himalayas in a different time and experienced the mountain in a different, very personal way. Fast forward 5 years and Kenton has, in so many ways, played an instrumental part in my ‘journey’ – even before we became friends and peers through the Sherpa Adventure Gear brand. With our paths crossing in the Himalayas, the Alps and now in the Lakes, I feel truly privileged to continue to draw from his experience and insights and look forward to future adventures both on and off of the mountain. 

- Meeting Ian Parnell. I'd heard amazing things about Ian both as a person and as an alpinist prior to the Everest Uncovered lecture tour and he certainly lived up to his brilliant reputation. Ian, is one of Britain’s leading alpinists and nominated four times for the Piolet D’Or (equivalent of the Oscars for mountaineers), and has made significant ascents in the Himalayas, Alaska, Kyrygyzstan, Greenland and Patagonia. He name is synonymous with 'first ascents', 'epics' and climbing grades that I could only dream of. It was humbling (to put it mildly) to be interviewed on a stage in front of hundreds of people about my experiences by someone quite considerably more accomplished than myself... Meeting Ian was certainly one of the key highlights of the lecture tour and his personal and professional insights, thoughts and feedback certainly has led me to rethink and reflect on many different aspects of my mountaineering journey and ambitions.


- Spending time with the Sherpa Adventure Gear team– the people who, through their passion and belief in the brand, work tirelessly to bring Sherpa Adventure gear to the European market and, in turn, support the Paldorje Education Foundation. Through their efforts and our clients around the world, scholarships and much-needed programs to benefit Sherpa children are awarded through the Foundation. Huge thanks goes out to Julie, Mark and the rest of the team at Bradshaw Taylor for your support, your patience, for bringing everyone together and bringing a vision to a reality..! We most certainly could not have done it without your stellar organisational skills and professionalism..!

- Seeing the look of utter disbelief and sheer joy on the face of a waiter at a great Nepali restaurant, The Gurhka café, in Edinburgh… As soon as Lakpa walked through the door a massive smile of recognition broke out over the waiters face -  he was originally from Namche Bazaar in Nepal and immediately recognised Lakpa and even followed him on Facebook! The food was absolutely fantastic as was the atmosphere and hospitality.

 

- A fantastic day out in the Lake District with competition prize winners courtesy of the BMC. Whilst it was lashing with rain for most of the day it didn’t stop us from having a super fun afternoon, sharing stories and experiences whilst scrambling over rapidly flowing streams, clamouring over wet, steep and slippery rock and enjoying spectacular views characteristic of the Lakes… inadvertently testing the kit..! I can personally attest that it was waterproof and all but my feet remained dry! It was my first trip to the area and it certainly didn’t disappoint. A great experience with friends, old and new with the day ending in a delicious and well deserved pub lunch.

- Raising over £7350.00 through the Everest Uncovered lecture series through the silent auctions of the fantastic signed prints donated from Doug Scott. The proceeds were split between the two tremendously worthwhile causes, the Paldorje Education Fund and Cannepal.

- Brainstorming, dreaming, pondering and reflecting with fellow mountaineering affectionados all of the adventures of the past and the many adventures ahead.... 

- And of course, last but certainly not least, meeting everyone who came to the lecture tour in Edinburgh, Manchester and London..!  Thank you for your interest, your fantastic questions, your shared passion for the mountains, your inspiration, your support for the Sherpa Adventure Gear brand. I hope that our different points of view were able to dispel some of the misconceptions about Everest, shared our personal and professional experiences as guide, Sherpa and commercial client, and brought to life some of the challenges and opportunities which unfold in one of the planet’s most extreme environments. 

Big crowd in Manchester!

Fantastic audience in Edinburgh

Great day out in the Lakes thanks to the BMC. Congrats to the competition winners!

Zoe, Lakpa and Phurba

The Lakpa Rita Jacket kept me dry... if only I could say the same for my shoes

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