This year our Himalaya Day event is a very special affair. We’re honouring the 70th anniversary of the first Mt Everest Summit in 1953.

When it comes to legends, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay spring to mind. But there are so many other legends walking among us.

One such person is Aileen Davis (OAM) who met Edmund Hillary and George Lowe in 1952, the year before Ed summited Mt Everest. They forged an extraordinary friendship that spanned many decades.

A keen horse rider and swimmer, Aileen’s chance meeting with the two yet-to-be-known climbing enthusiasts began on a ship set for Sydney. It was 1952 and Mt Everest was yet to be conquered.

As leaders of the ship’s Sports Committee, Aileen (19) and her sister Pat (21) were tasked with entertaining passengers through sport and had to recruit new members.

“When I was young you always travelled by ship,” says Aileen. “They didn’t have things organised like they do on the big liners today.”

“When we reached Bombay, George and Ed came on board and we asked them if they’d like to join the deck sports and have some exercise while they were on board. I didn’t know they were mountaineers. They were just two guys and we had to ask anyone who got on the ship to join.”

Tales from the Inside

Climb every mountain

“Naturally Ed and I have been thrilled with the interest you have taken in our doings. It’s amazing how some travellers on ships become merely passing acquaintances and other firm friends.”

George Lowe, in a letter to Aileen

Today Aileen continues to hold a place in her heart for Sir Ed and George Lowe, two very dear friends whose adventures she followed with avid interest. A friendship that was far from one-sided.

Just after they summited Mt Everest, George and Ed wrote to Aileen describing the event. Sir Ed was due to receive his knighthood and the pair had hired morning suits.

Aileen describes how many laughs they shared. Especially when the two down-to-earth climbers were being flown around in chartered planes to meet the Queen.

In a letter from George describing the moments before Sir Ed’s knighthood, the New Zealand climbers were having fun trying to cope with their newfound fame.

“The waistcoat was miles too big for Ed and so George said he got safety pins and pinned it all up the back. They hoped it didn’t show when he was awarded Sir Edmund!”

To this day, Aileen still keeps a treasure chest of letters, photos and newspaper clippings. A testament of friendship that is also a historical trove.

In honour of her extraordinarily close friendship with Sir Ed and George Lowe, Aileen will be joining us for the Sydney Himalaya Day lunch at the CurryNest Restaurant in Crows Nest on Friday 2 June.

We invite you to join us and hear more of Aileen’s marvellous stories about Sir Ed and George.

You’ll hear about and see some of the personal photos that she has kept from that time.

We would love you to hear Aileen share her fond memories of Sir Ed and George; two kind and ordinary men who did extraordinary things.

Join us for a delicious Nepali & Indian feast and hear more of the inside stories of two of the most iconic and pioneering mountaineers of all time.

Buy your tickets today. Limited tickets are available.

Words by Hannah Hempenstall

Ten years ago, on the 60th Anniversary of the inaugural Everest Summit, AHF supporters Emma Huffam and Trevor Builder embarked on their own expedition.  They decided they would trek to the base camps of the 14 highest mountains in the world. They named their adventure Project Base8000.

Now on the anniversary of #Everest70, Project Base8000 is about to reach its peak.

On April 9, Emma and Trevor will begin their ascent to the 14th (and their final) Base Camp at Annapurna. Almost 70 years to the day after Edmund Hillary achieved his historical climb.

Although they don’t intend to summit Everest as Sir Ed and Tenzing did, their quest marks a huge trekking achievement for the adventurous pair. And, weather permitting, they will soon be celebrating ‘getting to the top’ of their own mountainous goals. After that, they will spend some time reflecting on the journey that has spanned a decade.

Where it all began

Emma and Trevor’s connection to AHF began with an exploration of the Himalaya and now they’ve witnessed first hand the difference the work makes to the people in the region.

During their 10-year Project Base8000 journey, they have witnessed some of the work that AHF has been involved in, in particular the solar lighting that has changed the lives of people in the Lower Solukhumbu.

“We take for granted that when the sun goes down we can still study, but over there, there’s no lighting after dark. Seeing the impact solar lighting has on their lives is amazing.”

“I wish more people could see that and everything that’s being done by NGOs like AHF.”

Always grateful

Climb every mountain

“You don’t have to be a hero to accomplish great things. You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.”

Sir Edmund Hillary

Just like Sir Edmund Hillary those 70 years ago, Emma and Trevor’s journey has involved extreme highs and extraordinary lows. On one occasion in 2014, they had to be evacuated from their trek via helicopter, as altitude sickness got the better of them.

“We were so disappointed with ourselves for not finishing that,” says Emma. “We’ve drawn on that ever since. It taught us to be more prepared next time.”

What they learned from that trip is to incorporate mental training into their plans. As Sir Ed famously said, “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

“We’d left work and flown straight to Kathmandu so our heads weren’t in the right space … we hadn’t really thought about the challenge we were embarking on.”

So, how do they train mentally for a trek to an 8,000 metre base camp? One of the ways is by getting up every Tuesday at 4.30am to do a short local trek.

“If it’s raining we go anyway,” says Emma. “On some of the tougher [Base Camp] treks you might be in the dark or you might be in the wet so this is great preparation.”

It’s incredible to think that with a spark of motivation, and a willingness to go beyond one’s comfort zone, Emma and Trevor, two ordinary people are in the process of achieving something monumental.

As Sir Ed said, “My abilities have not been outstanding, but I have had sufficient strength and determination to meet my challenges and have usually managed to succeed with them.”

Emma and Trevor’s wish through Project Base8000 is that other ordinary folks just like you and I will recognise that each of us has the ability to climb a mountain, whether that be physically or metaphorically.

“These anniversaries are good reminders of how it all started,” says Emma.

If you’re feeling inspired to help the people of the Himalaya, donate now to support the continued work of our local partners in Nepal, Bhutan and India to help improve the quality of life for the people of the Himalaya, and to afford them the ability to set and achieve their own goals.

AHF’s programs in Nepal receive support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

Words by Hannah Hempenstall