Interview: Ranulph Fiennes

Kobold brand ambassador-in-chief Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the world-renowned adventurer, recently scaled Mount Everest via the South Side. His expedition partner, Michael Kobold, caught up with the intrepid explorer at Base Camp after their successful climb.

Michael Kobold: It's a little hard to believe that we're already back down at Base Camp. Just two days ago, we stood near the summit while you did a live BBC Radio interview. How did you feel?

Ranulph Fiennes: The view was amazing and it felt great to finally, after three attempts, have made it to the top. But I got pretty cold while waiting for you, Kenton and Anita for half an hour.

MK: You virtually flew up the mountain Ran, it was very impressive to watch you and Thundu from below the South Summit. Where did you get all that energy from?

RF: Resting at Camp 4 for a night was a good decision. I think if I had done that last year, I could have reached the summit then, but there's no use crying over spilled milk. But you did quite well, too, young Mike. Coming through the Ice Fall alone. Trust you to do it in an unconventional way.

MK: That wasn't by design, but I'm glad we're home now. Do you think you'll climb other mountains after this?

RF: No chance, Mike, I am happy that my mountain climbing days are over. I still suffer from vertigo.

MK: To whom do you attribute our success?

RF: Well, Henry Todd and Kenton Cool played a big role, but Thundu my Sherpa stands out for having been by my side since this whole thing started. Of course, credit goes to you for organizing the expedition and keeping it secret that I was climbing this year. If we hadn't made it to the top, I dread to think what the news media would have done after three failed attempts.

MK: You once told me that most of your expeditions were unsuccessful in some way or another. How do you deal with failure and what drives you to keep going? Most people would be too embarrassed or shy and give up after one or two attempts, but not you.

RF: Well, I think it's bad form to simply give up. Think about marriage. You can't just divorce each other just because you encountered a setback, you have to keep going and you have to keep working at it. Of course, with a divorce rate of over 50%, it seems most people choose to have a fresh start. I think in some way, it helps to be thick-headed. Expeditions are very similar that way, you can't let negative thoughts creep into your head; not during and not after the expedition, especially if the expedition was a failure. You just have to keep on going.

MK: Do you think that society has a love-hate relationship with perfection? That we love perfection when things are going our way, and that we hate it and quickly bail out once things turn negative?

RF: Yes, I suppose you could say that. Especially the young generation that has had it easier and grew up in greater prosperity seems to have a problem with imperfection and discomfort.

MK: Discomfort! You seem perfectly content in discomfort, I've seen you smile in the worst conditions. Remember when you began dancing around me in New York's Central Park as you were finishing your 7th consecutive marathon and I was barely able to complete my first? You were singing "happy-happy, happy-happy" and tried to get me to keep moving my legs. Do you think that's genetic or do you force yourself to be happy and content?

RF: In the SAS [Special Air Service; UK special forces] we learned how to deal with pain and discomfort and not to complain. Of course, you had no choice. If you winged, you got tossed out.

MK: Tomorrow, we're going to fly back to Kathmandu by helicopter. What is the first thing you want to do when we arrive?

RF: I want to call my wife, Louise. Then I'd like to take a shower.

MK: You should screw down the crown on your watch, otherwise it might fog up. No surprise you broke so many of the first generation Kobold watches, back when we started working together.

RF: [Laughs.] No, it was you who made them too complicated. This one here, the [squints to read the name] Soarway Diver, is nice and simple, so nothing can go wrong with it.

MK: Ran, thank you for helping me raise the money for the Navy SEALs and their Warrior Fund. It's always fun to do these little trips with you and I hope there'll be more in the future.

RF: You're always good company, Mike, not least because of the mountain of chocolate you always bring with you. And helping the SEALs in some small measure is a favor I'm very happy to do for you.