I have climbed a few mountains, mostly hiking. Some of them included rock climbing and ice climbing as part of the summit attempt (in the mountains in Nepal, Peru and Bolivia). I find it hard to give reasons for my interest in mountaineering, but certainly while on the mountains, I do feel a sense of ‘freedom’ – the natural state of human being (?).

The mountains I have climbed so far: Aconcagua (Argentina, 6962 metres), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, 5892 metres), Meera peak (Nepal, 6476 metres), Huayana Potosi (Bolivia, 6088 metres), Mt Rwenzori (Uganda, 5109 metres), Jebel Toubkal (Morocco, 4167 metres), Ras Deshen (Ethiopia, 4620 metres), Mulhacen (Spain, 3482 metres), Vallunaraju (Peru, 5686 metres), Chopicalqui (Peru, 6345 metres), Yanapaccha (Peru, 5460 metres), Everest base camp (Nepal, 5545metres), Island peak (Nepal, 6189metres).

Adventure sports
Sometimes, I do let go the fear. I highly recommend downhill cycling in Bolivia – ‘The Worlds Most Dangerous Road’ ( downhill cycling starting from 4600metres dropping to 1500metres over 64kms).

I can’t swim to this day, yet I braved white water rafting in Blue Nile, Uganda, the boat flipped twice on some of those grade 4 and 5 rapids. I remember vividly when I felt my life is over when I was under the water and the waves kept pushing me below the surface, but here I am, living still!

There are some activities, which almost everyone who goes to Victoria falls in Zambia do – Gorge Swing (jumping off the edge of the cliff attached and free falling for 173.8 feet before being swung out into the middle of the gorge), imagine the pull of the harness on those crucial parts of your body!