On this day in 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to climb to the summit of Mount Everest.
What an achievement it was at the time. Many had tried the same feat and all, until then, had failed; some losing their lives in the attempt.
Once at the top they only got to spend fifteen minutes at the summit as they were low on oxygen. Hillary took some photos and Norgay buried some Buddhist offerings before making the careful climb down.
I wonder if Norgay and Hillary suspected at the time that their names would be inextricably linked with the mountain from then on?

Advocate 30 June 1953 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69478725
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