Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
All this raced through my mind before I responded to Alex. 'Okay, who are these
guys, where do they come from, what's the story for the film, what's their track re-
cord of making films in the mountains and, most importantly, are they climbers
and why do they want to make a film?' I noticed Sarah looking at me with a quiz-
zical smile, urging me on. Go on, she seemed to be saying, talk some sense into
him.
'They don't have experience but they have money and want to make the film.
They tracked me down through the BMC after they saw me on TV being inter-
viewed after we climbed Shisha Pangma. It will be fine. We'll tell them how it all
works, and maybe they won't even get to base camp, which will be fine because
they will still have paid for the trip.'
They arrived next weekend with their cameras, a pretty alien and yahoo bunch,
southerners with money and a new company. My friend, Pete Clark, organised a
party for us after a day's climbing. After too many drinks, I agreed to get wired up,
but with a plan, knowing Alex would spot the fact that he was being secretly recor-
ded. I wanted to get his reaction and it was, as I suspected, negative. He was not
going to be taped when he wasn't totally in control.
Sarah phoned me a week later. She told me with relief that Alex had dropped the
idea and the reason why. After the filmmakers had completed the weekend filming
us climbing and partying in the Lakes, the director had a further phone conversa-
tion with Alex, thinking he was reassuring him and sealing the deal.
'Whatever happens, it is going to be a great film and you will be the star. And if
you die, we'll do a really sensitive interview with your mum and your memory will
go on and on.'
Alex cut him short: 'Excuse me, wait a minute, if I'm killed there's no interview
with my mum.' And with that, Alex told the guy to get lost and put the phone
down.
As Sarah and I talked through these memories, she speculated what it might
have meant. 'I think that final conversation with the producer sowed a seed. He
was reluctant to discuss his fears with me in any detail, but he would say things
like “it's my destiny,” and he implied that he would go on the trip even if he knew
he was going to die.'
Sarah paused and then continued. 'And it wasn't just once. It happened several
times, but then he would say things like “but you don't need to worry about me on
this one, it's the next one you need to worry about.” One day it got so bad, I just
left him and went for a walk.'
