SINGAPORE: Singapore adventurer Ms Jane Lee has set off to scale Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.
She was sent off Friday morning by Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, and members of the Swiss bank, Julius Bär.
Dr Balakrishan is the patron of the Seven Summits expedition.
The bank is sponsoring her climb, which is expected to take eight days.
To prepare, the 27-year-old underwent a tough physical regimen of endurance runs, stair-climbing and gym sessions.
"The
single most difficult challenge will be the weather
conditions...because I think weather on mountains are usually extremely
unpredictable," said Ms Lee.
A few of the bank's staff will be
scaling the mountain with her, including Dr Markus Kobler, Singapore
deputy chief executive for Julius Bär.
"Physically, I've been
training about at least once a day over the last six months. I've been
trying to get enough sleep, and I've also stopped drinking any alcohol
for the last few months so (I'm) looking forward to my first beer after
climb," said Dr Kobler.
After Kilimanjaro, Ms Lee will be heading to Russia to climb Mount Elbrus in July.
If she is successful, Ms Lee could well be the first woman in Southeast Asia to have scaled the world's seven summits.
Besides
Mount Everest, Ms Lee has already climbed Mount Aconcagua in Argentina,
Mount McKinley in Alaska, Mount Vinson in Antarctica and Mount
Kosciuszko in Australia.
- CNA/cc