London [UK], March 25: An eight-year-old mountaineer from Britain said he is "excited" ahead of climbing to Mount Everest base camp with his mother to raise money for charity.
Frankie McMillan has been regularly climbing mountains with mother Basia since he was a toddler, and last year took on his greatest challenge yet - becoming the youngest Briton to climb Mount Olympus in Greece.
Frankie has climbed more than 500 mountains and hills, including summiting Scafell Pike when he was only four years old.
Ahead of his latest adventure, Frankie told the PA news agency his climb to Everest base camp was a step on his journey to scaling the entire mountain.
He said: "I would like to beat the record, to be the youngest person in the world to ever go to the top of Everest.
"It's always been my dream and we want to just at least get to base camp. I know it's not the top, but one day we'll be there." The young mountaineer said he is feeling prepared ahead of his base camp climb. "I am feeling excited but I'm also feeling a bit nervous.
"Our biggest fear is altitude sickness and the four ways to not to get it is to drink a lot, sleep a lot, rest a lot, and walk slowly." His mother, Basia McMillan, 40, said the pair are planning on walking more than 130 kilometres over 12 days.
She added: "I am a little bit nervous, of course, because of the altitude, but something that is quite important to understand is that it is not a decision we took out of the blue." McMillan, a mountain guide, continued: "I am fully aware of the risks we are taking. I have done months of research on the subject, maybe even years because I've climbed in high altitude myself so I have experience in this area." (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune