Acknowledgements

When writing a book of this kind, it’s hard to remember all the people who helped me to make Project Possible a reality, so I’ll do my best here. Hopefully, I won’t miss anybody out.

Without the support of my expedition sponsors, Project Possible would never have happened. At the top of the thank you list stands Bremont, who have made a series of Project Possible watches (which is available to buy on their website) and helped me over the financial hurdles that threatened to stop my dream from becoming reality. A salute also goes out to SILXO, Osprey, Ant Middleton, DIGI2AL, Hama Steel, Summit Oxygen, OMNIRISC, The Royal Hotel, Intergage, AD Construction Group, Branding Science, AMTC Group, Everence, Thrudark, Kenya Air, KGH Group, Marriott Kathmandu and Premier Insurance.

Logistical support for the mission was provided by Elite Himalayan Adventures, Seven Summit Treks and Climbalaya. Although the majority of filming above base camp was done by myself and my team, some assistance for the forthcoming movie of my story arrived courtesy of Sagar Gurung, Alit Gurung and Sandro Gromen-Hayes, who also joined me at K2 Base Camp and climbed with me on Manaslu. And I’d like to thank everyone working hard to put the hours of footage together at Noah Media Group, especially Torquil Jones and Barry, and thanks also to Mark Webber for the introduction. But help on the mission also arrived from the SBSA and Ambassador Durga Subedi, and from so many key figures from Nepal: the Nepal Tourism Board, former Prime Minister of Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy Defence Minister of Nepal Ishwar Pokhrel, IGP Sailendra Khanal and Sonam Sherpa of the Yeti Group. A big thanks has to go to Brigadier Dan Reeves for all his help.

In the UK, an administration team helped me to figure out a way of managing my PR, and all the other logistical issues that kick in while climbing to the top of an 8,000er. Most of all this includes my supportive wife Suchi, plus Project Possible’s helpers: Wendy Faux, Steve and Tiffany Curran, Luke Hill and Kishore Rana. Thanks also to all the clients that joined me on Annapurna (Hakon Asvang and Rupert Jones-Warner), Nanga Parbat (Stefi Troguet) and Manaslu (Steve Davis, Amy McCulloch, Glenn McCrory, Deeya Pun and Stefi Troguet), plus everyone who donated to the mission on GoFundMe from all over the world, and supported the project by picking up merchandise. There were many organisations that helped me along the way, and I’m extremely appreciative of all of them, but my gratitude goes out to the Nepali climbing community, my Sherpa brothers, and the Gurkha and Nepalese communities: Myagdi Organisation UK, Madat Shamuha, Magar Association UK Friendly Brothers Dana Serophero Community UK, Pun Magar Samaj UK, Pun Magar Society HK, Pelkachour and Chimeki Gaule Samaj UK, Tamu Pye Lhu Sangh UK and the Maidstone Gurkha Nepalese Community.

My team from 2017 world record-breaking climbs of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu also deserve a mention: Lakpa Sherpa, Jangbu Sherpa, Halung Dorchi Sherpa and Mingma Dorchi Sherpa.

Without my family, none of this would have happened. Mum and Dad indulged my adventurous spirit as a kid and allowed me to follow my heart to the mountains after I’d promised to bring them together under one roof. My brothers, Kamal, Jit and Ganga and my sister Anita encouraged me to follow the noble life into the Gurkhas and there’s a long list of friends, to name check, in and out of the military: Staz, Louis, Paul Daubner, Gaz Banford, Lewis Phillips, CP Limbu, Chris Sylvan, Ramesh Silwal, Khadka Gurung, Subash Rai, Govinda Rana, Thaneswar Gurangai, Peter Cunningham, Shrinkhala Khatiwada, Dan, Bijay Limbu, Mira Acharya, Stuart Higgins, Phil Macey, Rupert Swallow, Al Mack, Greg Williams, Mingma Sherpa, Danny Rai, Dhan Chand, Shep, Tashi Sherpa, Sobhit Gauchan and Gulam.

Finally this book wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of everyone at Hodder & Stoughton, especially Rupert Lancaster, Cameron Myers, Caitriona Horne and Rebecca Mundy. Thanks to my agents at The Blair Partnership, Neil Blair and Rory Scarfe. Finally, I would like to thank my friend and brother, Matt Allen for putting his heart and mind into capturing my story. Without his help (from his heart) the book wasn’t possible.

Nirmal Purja, 2020