Chris Bonington talks life and loss on a Hong Kong hike
The British mountaineer tells Mary Hui about the selfishness that drives climbers, recalls friends lost to the sport and marvels at all Hong Kong has to offer
"My big peaks are over," Chris Bonington told the audience at a lecture hosted by the Royal Geographical Society of Hong Kong, last month. "But I quite like small unclimbed peaks of 5,000 metres."
To be fair, the British mountaineer will be turning 81 next month.
Born in London, Bonington began climbing at the age of 16, in 1951, and his career has included 19 expeditions to the Himalayas and many awards.
I meet him one recent Wednesday afternoon, on the top deck of a ferry en route to Lamma Island. We are to go on a hike with local employees of British brand-management company Pentland Group. Pentland owns and manages the outdoor clothing and equipment company Berghaus, of which Bonington is the non-executive chairman. With a maximum altitude of less than 100 metres, it seems unlikely our route, from Yung Shue Wan to the eastern bay of Sok Kwu Wan, will trouble the adventurer.
Having stepped off the ferry in Yung Shue Wan, Bonington, dressed in a sky blue T-shirt, khaki grey shorts and sandals, and carrying a bright red backpack, makes his way towards the main street under an overcast sky. Perhaps he expected to find a sleepy fishing village because, as he passes restaurant after restaurant, he quips, "It's like a town, not a village!"
Earlier Sir Chris, as those who pay attention to British honours may refer to him, had eaten a large dim sum lunch with the Pentland employees. Now, they are hoping to hike it off - but not before stopping for a bowl of sweet tofu pudding.