Out and About with Tim.

Summary: Tim Elliott tells a tale that is, literally, about getting to the top. A tale that prompted him to ponder the notion of achievement and what it really means to reach the highest peaks.

Afew months ago, an email arrived in my inbox... it read as follows: "I'm looking to become the first person from Finland to climb the Seven Summits - the highest mountain on every continent... the next expedition will be Everest..."

It's not every day that someone climbs Everest, let alone the other six highest points on Earth. So, I got in touch.

Orginally from Finland, Atte Miettinen is a Dubai expat who works in telecoms. He climbed his first mountain, Kilimanjaro, whilst on holiday in 2003. He went back to Kilimanjaro again in 2006 - and so began the Seven Summits dream.

Since that first email, Atte joined us in the Dubai Eye studio just before leaving for Everest and later by satellite phone from Everest Base Camp.

I'm happy to report that he made it to the summit of Everest on Saturday 19 May 2012, just before five in the morning. It was tough, he says: "The climbing conditions were not optimal during the climb. Conditions were bad, temperatures were dipping to minus 35 degrees with 50 kph winds." Now there's a man given to understatement.

I can't quite pinpoint how I feel about Atte's achievement. Am I jealous that he's done something so cool, so seemingly out of reach? Maybe, yes. Do I think he's slightly mad? Probably - with the greatest respect, of course.

But it's made me think. And it strikes me that the route you take to achievement doesn't really matter. The point is he did it; Atte reached the top of the world.

And, I've realised something... he's not that different to me. A few years younger, fitter, more driven. I'd concede there's a strong argument that he has a more developed mountaineering ability. But he's really not that different to me.

And if he can do it... well, maybe there's stuff that I can do, too.

ATTE MIETTINEN FACTFILE

Born: Helsinki, Finland, 36 years ago.

Resides: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

First mountain climbed: Kilimanjaro, 2003.

Aim: To complete the seven summits and to become the first native of Finland to do so. Check his progress via www.sevensummits.ae

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN SUMMITS?

To date, only 334 people have climbed the Seven Summits with about 30 per cent having climbed both Mount Kosciuszko and Carstensz Pyramid. This includes mountaineers from over 50 countries, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark and even Iceland, but to date, no-one from Finland.

American Richard 'Dick' Bass, owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah, was the first person to complete the Seven Summits, summiting Mount Everest on 30 April, 1985.

ua Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro (5895m) in Tanzania

ua Europe: Elbrus (5642m) in Russia

ua Australia: Mount Kosciuszko (2228m) in Australia

ua Antarctica: Vinson Massif (4897m) in Antarctica

ua South-America: Cerro Aconcagua (6959m)in Argentina

ua North America: Denali (6194m) in Alaska, USA

ua Asia: Mount Everest (8850m) in Nepal

2012 CPI Financial. All rights reserved. 2011 CPI Financial. All rights reserved.

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