I’ve still to reach my peak!

By Mai Al Khatib-Camille

mai.alkhatib@gulfweekly.com

Bahrain-based adventurer Nabil ‘Nabs’ Al Busaidi has begun preparing for his biggest feat yet … climbing Mount Everest!

The 40-year-old ‘Sultan of Snow’, who was the first Omani and Arab to walk to the magnetic North Pole, is now taking on the world’s highest peak and in doing so he hopes to raise $1 million for charity.

Al Busaidi, who lives in Manama, admitted that originally Everest was meant to be his first adventure but he ended up facing the blistering cold of the North Pole instead.

He said: “After the North Pole, the idea of conquering Mount Everest was born again. I began to consider it once more keeping in mind the obstacles that will be in my way such as the cold weather, the hard trail and the financing of it.

 “I decided the best way to prepare was to target some of the other ‘seven summits’ first and gain as much training and experience as possible.”

The ‘seven summits’ are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a climber’s ultimate mountaineering challenge.

Al Busaidi added: “I had already trained in the Alps on Mont Blanc with a professional mountaineer and gained a certificate to prove my ability to take on the other mountains. Mont Blanc is 4,810 metres high.

“I also recently reached the top of Kilimanjaro on December 23 with my brother Muneer. Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa at 5,895m. Climbing prepared me for the altitude and acclimatisation.

“Later this month I will climb Mount Vinson which is the highest mountain of Antarctica, located about 1,200km from the South Pole. The highest point of Mount Vinson is at 4,892m.

“But, after all the training is done, perhaps none of these achievements will fully prepare me for what is to come. Everest will be my Everest!”

He is also planning to climb Mount Aconcagua in February and Mount Carstensz Pyramid in March.

Al Busaidi believes the best time to conquer Everest will be in May. He said: “I hope that through this expedition I will be able to raise $1 million that can be donated to a number of charities.

“There are a few reasons why I want to do this. Like the North Pole, I want to be the first Omani and Arab to climb Everest as well as to set a good example for young Arabs. I want to inspire them and show them that they can do whatever they set their minds to.

“Also, I hope my endeavours will present a positive image of Arabs and Muslims to the rest of the world.”

Al Busaidi’s efforts have already received accolades across the region including the Ministry of Sport in Oman which recently recognised the sporting achievements of       athletes, footballers, bodybuilders alongside Ahmad Al Harthy, the Renault race car driver.