Given the chance, would you take on such a challenge?

Over the weekend I was invited to a village festival (think scenes from Midsomer Murders just before the arrow/pitchfork/poisoned dart appears) and the people next to my stand had pirate gear for sale. Thinking it a bit odd that a late-fifties couple and their rather posh son were dressed as Jack Sparrow, I asked what they were raising funds for. Seems the son had been given a shot at Everest, so long as he pays his own way. The pirate costumes were their idea to make that money.

He was asked 18 months ago and leaves in 4 weeks. The cash has been raised, all bar a few hundred quid, by the village and his workmates, family and friends.

By the middle of the morning almost everyone on the festival grounds had on at least one piece of pirate costume, so I guess he's made his last few pounds easily. Even the local farm dog, who was sitting by the gates welcoming people to the show ground, had a skull and crossbones bandana on ..... and the brass band played the theme to Pirates of the Caribbean twice :

So, if you could raise the cash and had the skill level required, would you leave family and friends to do something like climbing a dangerous mountain?

I wouldn't. I'm too chicken