h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Sir Edmund Hillary, the lanky New Zealand mountaineer and explorer who with Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa guide, won worldwide acclaim in 1953 by becoming the first to scale the 29,035-foot summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak, has died, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Friday in Wellington."

A great part of the story:

"In 1985, Sir Edmund, accompanied by Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, flew a twin-engine ski plane over the Arctic and landed at the North Pole. He thus became the first to stand at both poles and on the summit of Everest"

As usual, the Americans have to horn in ...

A great man, and a humble man. A rare breed, and one rarely found in today's society.

A man I respect and would have loved to meet.

He respected the Mountain, he respected his Sherpas, but most of all he respected Humanity.

He will be sorely missed, most of all by the Nepalese.



A quiet man who I will miss greatly, even though I never met him.

'You climbed hills,
Touched clouds,
Saw sunrises,
Battled Storms.
Most of all...
You reached Heaven,
Or as close as we can get...
Now you can tell us if it Does exist,
But you are probably enjoying it too much to return!'

You deserve it, and you are a good ambassador for the Human Race...

I salute you...


MMF

A gentleman and a gentle man - the New Zealand Prime Minister called him the greatest New Zealander ever.

My faourite quote from him: "The hardest thing about climbing Everest was trying to pee using a 2 inch penis through 6 inches of clothing".

Yes, that's what I loved about him too - he was always "just an ordinary bloke"

For an "ordinary" bloke he really was extraordinary, and, from the interviews about him that I have heard on the radio today, much loved and deeply respected.

A really inspirational man.

That is a real shame.

It's come as quite a surprise to me that the chap was still alive!

When Everest was first conquered, two members of the Team came to Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia and gave a lecture. I stood in a queue all night in order to get a £10.00 ticket. All I could afford.
However I bought the book and it was signed by one of the members of the team.

As a child I had read the exploits of Mallory and Irvine.

Edmund Hillary epitomised everything that is great and good about the mountaineer.

He had a wonderful family and to them I extend my most sincere condolences. They are indeed privileged to have lived alongside such an extraordinary man.

Rest in Peace

CME

*Removes hat.*

An inspiration to everyone

RIP

There's a wonderful story here about how Sir Ed attended his own wake in 2003. It gives a real insight into how much he meant to his mates

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/the-first-man-on-everest-has-died-at-88/2008/01/11/1199988590405.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1