Grandma Suzie Oliver, 73, Defies Age, Reaches Everest Base Camp

At 73 years old, an age typically linked to peace and relaxation, Suzie Oliver defied expectations by climbing to the Everest Base Camp, which is no ordinary accomplishment for anyone, let alone this grandmother affectionately known as the "Iron Lady." Oliver reached the base camp at an elevation of 5,364 meters after an intense eight-day trek, describing the journey as emotional due to her age. "Everybody wanted to take photos with me because I seemed to be the eldest participant on the trail.

"I encountered the youngest hiker, a teenager, on my way back," she mentioned. Before embarking on her 15-day trip to Nepal last month, she achieved two other goals on her bucket list: reaching the summit of Mount Kinabalu in May and hiking up a G7 mountain in Cameron Highlands. "I needed to prepare myself for the Everest trip since it was the final item on my list," she explained in an interview.

Despite facing challenges along the way, particularly with her vegetarian diet, Oliver was committed to completing this thrilling expedition. She and her friends began their journey upon arrival at an airfield in Lukla, situated 2,800 meters above sea level at around 6 a.m. on day one. Alongside two friends, Oliver's group included a guide and a couple of porters. She explained that they would hike for six or seven hours daily before resting in small lodges. "There were no roads or vehicles – only gravel paths everywhere. Local residents and animals could be seen along the way. "Daytime temperatures hovered around 16°C but plummeted below freezing at night," she added while mentioning that she wore three layers of clothing and a blanket even while indoors.

Oliver stated that they arrived at the base camp on day eight. "It was an incredible adventure being there. Beyond that point lies endless snow leading up to the peak," she further commented. When asked if she has plans to climb the peak, she said her family won't allow it due to the danger. Oliver revealed that she became serious about fitness at 57 years old when her daughter suggested she participate in a marathon in Singapore in 2007. “I hadn’t undertaken any physically demanding activities before that. I resolved to give it a try, so I trained at the gym for several months and successfully completed the 5km course,” Oliver recounted.

In 2014, she joined her daughter and granddaughter in a Spartan race held in Singapore. "People thought I was insane, but for me, it was an opportunity to connect with my family," she stated, adding that she ranked first in her age group out of nearly 800 participants in the 10km event. Among other tasks, she had to flip 60kg tires, throw arrows, and scale walls. "We faced approximately 15 obstacles," she mentioned.

Born in Melaka, Oliver is married to an American but resides in Malaysia. She said that during her visits to the United States, she would participate in cycling races covering distances of up to 60km through the Utah valleys. The mother of two daughters also took part in the Sunway Iskandar Viper Challenge @ Medini in Johor. Oliver's next adventure involves returning to Nepal next year to scale another mountain. Before joining her husband on mission trips, she worked as a chef in Singapore.