Why, Why, Why

This is usually the first question that I have to answer, when I meet someone new. I can give you a hundred-page essay as to why I climb or I can just quickly tell you this… 

I basically grew up on the hiking trails and in the mountains of South Africa. As a four year old I saw the Drakensberg for the first time – I was hooked. Through out school we did hiking trail upon hiking trail. And I loved it, from the preparation stage all the way through to the last day.

Never, not even during the hardships, have I thought; “Why am I doing this?” It will be like asking Lance Armstrong why he is cycling the Tour de France every year. I climb mountains because I’m alive. I climb mountains because God gave me the talent and it will be a sin not to use it. 

I climb because in the mountains I can be myself one hundred percent. One enjoys an extreme sense of freedom. You realize how fragile you are. You get perspective on life and you realize what is really important.

I climb mountains because it is a suffer-fest. It gives you the infrastructure to push your body to its limits and beyond. I know I have a certain capacity for endurance, but I want to know how far, how much further can I go?

In the mountains you get stripped from all luxury (physical and mental). You have to have a strong personality. A mountaineer needs stamina of the body but even more important, perseverance. You have to be able to make the correct decisions under pressure. You have to be able to handle criticism in the correct manner.

Mountaineering isn’t only a simple pastime; it is a process, a very long process. You have to wear a whole lot of hats; logistic manager, medic, travel agent, public speaker, cameraperson, photographer, accountant, public relations officer and the list carries on.

Mountaineering is an intellectual sport, it tests you on all different levels and I love it, I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Why the 7 Summits specifically?

In Mountaineering it is the equivalent of an Olympic gold medal. It is a brilliant goal to strive for. It is also a challenge. No South African woman has done this before. I would like to rectify the statistics! 

This is the way I express myself, other people paint, and I climb!