TRAVEL’ALHOLIC # 1: Sir Edmund Hillary
A little on his family and the famous climb to the summit of Mt. Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary was born on July 20th 1919 in Auckland, New Zealand. Soon after his birth his family moved 40 miles away to Tuakau. His grand father had left England for India before settling down in New Zealand. His grand mother was an Irish governess who to came to New Zealand with a wealthy British family. His father was the Managing Editor of a news paper and a great believer in self reliance and grew most of their food in the family farm and bee keeping was his hobby. His maternal grand father had raised race horses and was killed when one of the horses kicked him in his head,
Sir Edmund Hilary reached the summit of Mt Everest on May 29th 1953. At 11:30 am he realized that he had reached the top of the world and could not climb any further. Tenzing Norgay a Sherpa climber was with him. He was awarded the “ Star of Nepal” and was Hillary’s friend until his death in 1986.
Four Flags- India, Nepal, United Nations and United Kingdom were flown that morning and Norgay was photographed holding a ice pole with the flags attached. Hillary’s sister made a sun hat out of child’s play suit to protect his face and neck from the sun’s constant reflection of the snow. In 1958 he reached the South Pole with the British Common Wealth Trans Atlantic Expedition. He explored the Ganges with his son in 1977.