by Reese Sliworsky, Grade 5 Student, Lakeside campus

On 12 May, Grant Rawlinson, better known as ‘Axe’, came to CIS and had Grade 5 students on the edge of their seats as they listened to his tales and adventure and dream to climb Mt Everest. He taught us about being a risk taker and facing our fears. He emphasised the importance of respecting the environment and living sustainably, which is closely linked to our UOI ‘Sharing the Planet’.

Axe’s Moving Story

The nickname Axe was coined by his New Zealand friends from his rugby days. He wasn't very tall so he always tackled low in the leg, and when he tackled, his friends said he was like an axe chopping trees. As a sports enthusiast, Axe particularly loved climbing and adventuring so it was only fitting that Mount Everest was on his list of challenges.

He started his training here in Singapore by climbing Bukit Timah hill. It wasn't the best place to train as the hill isn't even one hundredth of the height of Mount Everest (Bukit Timah Hill is just 163.63 metres, whereas Mount Everest is 8,684.37 metre) but he did not give up and he put heavy weights on his ankles to make it more challenging for him to climb.

Axe trained for two years doing the same routines over and over again, then set off with his team to begin the treacherous climb. The best way to climb Mount Everest is to go to the 3rd camp and back down. Then go back to the 3rd camp then go back down. The reason you do that is to get used to the altitude changes. Axe followed this method, but unfortunately, during one of his attempts he got very severe altitude sickness. He got so sick that he began choking on his own fluids. He struggled down to the base camp of the mountain and had to return home.

A few months later, as he was heading to New Zealand, he was alerted that his sister had been in a terrible car wreck. She was stuck inside the car and the vehicle has to be cut in half just to get her out! Her injuries included two broken femurs and several cracked ribs, but the worst of them all was a snapped knee joint. To this day, she still has trouble walking.

Something inside Axe clicked after this event, and he realised he had all the things he needed to climb Mount Everest. Unlike his unfortunate Sister, Axe had no injuries holding him back and he began training again.

On his next attempt on Mount Everest he made it to the summit. He had done it!

After his return to Singapore, he started to get itchy feet for another adventure. He decided he wanted to do something even bigger. Something that no one else before him had done. This led to his new adventure: “Rowing from Home to Home”.

What is Rowing from Home to Home?

In December 2016, Grant ‘Axe’ Rawlinson will start rowing the 12,000 kilometre journey from Singapore to New Zealand. This journey has never been attempted by human power and Axe wants to prove that you don't need electric vehicles to travel long distance.

Good luck Axe! Grade 5 will be following your adventures when we are in 6th grade!