Twisted ankle, inner monologues and dead bodies: youngest Hongkonger to scale Mount Everest recalls his journey to the top
Benjamin Chan, 19, craves a bowl of barbecued pork with rice as he flies home victorious, but after that, he has his sights on the Explorers Grand Slam
In an interview with the Post, Benjamin Chan Ka-hei, 19, said he twice thought about quitting – once when he twisted his ankle in the early stages of his climb, and another time closer to the summit when he endured a nine-hour stretch in which the same ankle felt like it was “completely on fire”.
“On this mountain, your mind becomes very fragile. Even the slightest comment could throw you off and make you question your reasons for doing this,” Chan said over the phone from Kathmandu, Nepal, after making it to the top on Monday morning.
“Before I got to the Everest base camp, I twisted my left ankle. I thought it was the end of the expedition,” he said.
“But I told myself: look, I can’t change the situation, but I can change my perspective and have a positive outlook.”