In four years, I progressed from being a hotel worker in Edinburgh to climbing the highest points in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Antarctica. I have climbed Mont Blanc, Mera Peak – Nepal (21247 feet), Shishamapnagma – Tibet (26289 feet), Lahkpa Ri – Tibet ( 23114), Zermat and all the 4,000 meter in Switzerland , Chou you – Tibet (26906 feet), plus climbing in Patagonia ,Peru, India, Pakistan, Iran, Jordan Wadi Rum and Lebanon. However, my determination did come at a cost.

I learned a lot but I had some accidents which could have cost me my life,I fell down about 100 feet in a crevasse on Shishapangma [in Tibet] and seriously damaged my neck and back and I got frostbite once or twice.”

My greatest challenge however came when I contemplated the highest mountain on Earth in 2005. I reached 24,000 feet on Mount Everest and had to make the tough decision to turn back due to a stomach ulcer . In 2007, I returned, only to turn back due to a chest infection I had contracted . In 2008, I wasn’t going to return without having summited.

I couldn’t afford to pay for a guided company this time to support me on my climb so I took every opportunity to support myself. I sold my flat and car, used all of my savings, and went to Nepal with the knowledge and belief that this was my time (third time lucky), and was going to reach the summit of the highest mountain on Earth.

I also searched for advice from the best in the business, who gave me an insight into the extreme stresses Everest inflicts on the body. “I found that the only things I actually lacked was the understanding, mostly medically, about my body. I met Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Mike Straut and they explained everything to me, I got all the injections I needed and I started to understand it.

I hired a Sherpa and took to the mountain. En route I saw the stark reality of the danger of Mount Everest. Upon arrival at the south summit,I came across a Swiss climber who had summited the day before.

He went up without oxygen and climbed it, he had no Sherpa with him or anything, and then came down, sat on the south summit and never stood up. We went to help him, put some oxygen in his mouth but he was gone. With only the light of my head lamp all I could see were the dead bodies that lay on my way. I had heard the names of some of these lost souls in books and passing stories but their loss to this mountain had never quite struck me before, God bless their soul.

I admit that this was a blow but I was “so strong” on this attempt. That forced me through the psychological hurdle and eventually summited on May 25th, Jordanian Independence day.

It was amazing. I can’t explain it really, Something out of this world, standing at the summit. The weather was absolutely fantastic. My Sherpa and I sat there for 45 minutes talking, it was incredible then I thought how the feck i am going to go all the way down .

Although I did experience the physical strains of climbing,I admits that the challenges I faced were mostly mental. You need to be fit, of course, and I did lots of training and stuff. But if you don’t have it in your head, it doesn’t matter what muscle you have, it’s not going to make you good. You need to concentrate 100% and also you need to have it in your heart.

After summiting i was knighted by the king of Jordan for becoming the first Jordanian to climb Mount Everest.

This year, I hopes to complete the highest point in Oceania,in the Sudirman Range of the western central highlands of Papua province, Indonesia Carstensz Pyramid (16023), completing my dream of reaching the seven highest summits in the world. I also plan to reach both the North and South Poles, which will be perhaps my greatest challenge yet, but I believe I can do it, and that almost confirms that I will be successful.

Everest Summit

My story is one which took me from the lowest point on earth in Jordan, to the highest point on earth, at the summit of Mount Everest. I have gone from from working in a stressful job at a hotel to completing one of the most physically and psychologically grueling challenges known to man .

I’d been working in a hotel for 10 years until I just had enough and I think it just came from nowhere, I just woke up one morning and I thought ‘I want to do something substantial.’

I wasn’t a fit guy, I was clubbing at the weekend, smoking cigarettes a lot and working in a responsible and exhausting job. I didn’t even know the seven summits existed, I knew Everest was the highest point but I had no idea about its height, who or when it’s been climbed first.

One night in 2004, I invited my friends to the Sheraton Hotel Edinburgh were I was working as a Food Manager .I told them my dream to reach the top of the seven highest mountains in the world. Knowing that I had absolutely no experience or background in mountain climbing, my friends welcomed this announcement with laughter.

I changed my ways and decided to research mountain climbing, having never set foot on a mountain. I was entering unknown territory, and it showed when I began to publicise my dream to reach the highest point on earth.

The local newspaper took me to Arthur’s Seat, a hill in the center of Edinburgh. The photographer asked me to climb a small ridge, less then ten feet off the ground but I (off course) was unable to do it. I was standing there with absolutely no idea how to climb it, the photographer must have thought I was joking,

I began my journey by searching for sponsorship and funding for his arduous challenge.I went back to Jordan to try to secure sponsorship. Everyone laughed in my face, nobody was interested, they thought I was mental. Nonetheless, after writing letters to the Jordanian royal family, I received an answer. There were one catch here, I had to climb the highest point in North America, Mount McKinley, and then the King of Jordan would support me and take my dream seriously.

Immediately, I went to an outdoor shop in Glasgow with a big list, the guy in the shop was telling me about which Carabiner and Ice axes I’d prefer or which base layer I like to wear, I had no idea what he was talking about. I told him then to give me the best he had and left with two duffel bags and two rucksacks. The next day, I flew out to Nepal to begin a long and strenuous learning curve which taught me the dangers of the mountains. I took four years out, climbing mountains, getting to grips with the challenges I faced and learning to take my body and mind to the limits.

To Be Continued . . .

Just a wee shout out to any of our customers who haven’t been over to the Gravity Climbing Wall to get yourselves over there and have some fun! Since opening in November the bouldering wall in Inchicore has already become well established and developed a huge following among the Dublin climbing community. Located at the Blackhorse stop just a short direct hop from us here on Abbey Street via the Luas Red Line, Gravity has  definitely become a second home for Basecamp staff, and you’ll see at least one of us there most nights (in case you were wondering why we’ve all been limping and grimacing around the shop lately!). They’re also running coaching courses including free drop in coaching on Monday evenings, so if you’re just starting out or interested in starting out climbing check out gravityclimbing.ie for more details. And don’t forget to swing by us here at Basecamp on your way over for all your Prana clothing, 5.10, Evolv and Mammut shoes, many types of chalk, fingertape etc…

Our climbing range.