Skype from the Top of the World
We all know that Skype connects people to each other in new and exciting ways. However, British explorer Daniel Hughes recently took Skype to an even higher level when he made a Skype Video Call from the peak of Mount Everest – 8,848 meters above sea level.
Hughes climbed the world’s highest mountain to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity that battles poverty around the world. He reached the summit of Everest on Sunday, May 19th, put on a red clown nose (it is Comic Relief after all) and made a Skype Video Call to BBC News. That’s a “World’s First” for Hughes.
“Skype became a part of my everyday life on Mt. Everest,” Hughes said. “I used it to stay in contact with my friends, family and even to make high quality calls to the BBC.”
Hughes may have been the first person to make a Skype call from the top of Everest but another climber came close.
Mark Wood, also from the UK, spent the last couple of months trekking through the Himalayas and connecting to students around the world via Skype in the classroom. He uses Skype to discuss environmental change with school kids. As Wood explains, “I try to bring connection to the outside world, and bring explorations visually to schools from many different countries.”
While Wood and his team also hoped to make a Skype call from the top of Everest, two team members fell ill – just a heartbreaking 500 meters from the summit. Wood made the tough decision to turn back. We commend him for putting safety first and look forward to sharing his next adventures via Skype.
Now that Skype from Mount Everest has been checked off the “Never Been Done Before” list, what do you think will be next? Skype from space? Let us know in the comments.
