RIP Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealander who made the first ascent of Mt. Everest, died yesterday aged 88. There are tributes here, as we all as in any Australian, New Zealand, and Nepalese newspaper. What people who know of Hillary from trivia contests and NZ $5 notes may not also realize is that he followed up his ascent of Everest with a lifetime of service to the region, building bridges, airstrips, schools and hospitals. His climbing partner, Tenzing Norgay, died in 1986.