Good morning everyone and welcome to the May 14th 2019 City of Columbia Board of Zoning Appeals. My name is Chuck Sally and I serve as chair of the board and at this time I'd like to introduce the other board members. To my far left is Josh Speed, next to Josh Reggie McKnight, my immediate left is Jean Dinkins and then to my immediate right is Marcellus Primus and next to Marcellus Jenna Stevens and George Schaefer. I would also like to introduce the staff at this time at the table are Rachel Bailey and Hope Hastie and also serving as a land use board coordinator Andrea Wolfe is here as well. This board is charged with hearing applications for special exceptions, variances and administrative appeals. All testimony is recorded for the record and anyone wishing to speak will need to be sworn in and come to the podium to speak. No testimony may be taken from the floor. When you come to the podium please state your name and please speak clearly into the microphone because the meeting is being recorded. Applicants with cases before the board are allotted a presentation time of 10 minutes. This time also includes all persons presenting information on behalf of the applicant. This time limit does not include any questions asked by the board or staff regarding the case. Any member of the public may address the board in intervals of three minutes or five minutes if a spokesperson for an established body of a group of three or more. The applicant then has a five minutes for rebuttal. The board reserves the right to amend these limits on a case-by-case basis. Those of you who plan to speak must be sworn so if you're here to speak in any case please stand at this time and raise your right hand. Do you affirm or attest that the testimony you will give today is the truth and nothing but the truth? Thank you. This time I'd like to turn the meeting over to Miss Bailey. Good morning. The agenda is used by the board to approve non-controversial or routine matters by single motion and vote. If a member of the board or the general public wants to discuss an item on the consent agenda that item is removed and considered during the regular agenda. The board then approves the remaining items. The first item on the consent agenda is the approval of the April 9th, 2019 minutes. Case number two for 6420 Garner's Ferry Road and lots on Thurston Street. This is a special exception to permit alternative parking surface for a temporary overflow lot. Item number three, case 2019-0023 for 1801 Sunset Drive, 1809 Sunset and 1820 Marshall Street. This is a special exception to permit an alternative parking service. And item number four, case 2019-0024 for 1501 McDuffie Avenue, a variance to the secondary front yard setback requirements. So a member of the board has recused themselves from item number four, so two motions will need to be made on the consent agenda. Item four is on the regular agenda, right? Item number four is on the consent agenda. That's 1501 McDuffie Avenue. So just to be clear that we're getting ready to vote on all of those properties in the minutes of the meeting. So if you would like anyone in the audience wants that removed from the consent agenda and have discussion about it, speak now or forever. Hold your please. Anybody on the board? I'll accept a motion. To make a motion that we approve the consent agenda subject to any and all staff comment. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed. Is that just for items one through three? Yes. Okay. Can that be specified in the motion? Yes. Would like to amend my motion, like to make a motion, we approve items one through three on the consent agenda subject to any staff comment. Second. So the motion has been restated. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. That motion carries. And then they'll just need to be a separate motion without Mr. Dingens for item number four. So we'll now with Mr. Dingens is recused from voting on this. And we'll I'll accept the motion to vote on item number four. Have a motion. Second. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Motion carries. 0019 for 2413 Dillon Street. This is a special exception to permit an automotive repair shop. If the applicant would like to come forward, they are welcome to now. Good morning. My name is Shannon Stokes. I'm a little under the weather. Apologize. But I did apply for a special exception under a seat. The gentleman to my right is my father, Robert Stokes, and he is actually going to manage the property. He is familiar with the property. I believe he's been knowing about the property for about 40 to 50 years. So if you have specific questions, he will be able to address those. He does have firsthand knowledge of the property. If I don't talk loud enough or talk too loud, I can't hear on this side. So let's tell him to talk up. I'll be glad to. I was first introduced to this property, 24 Dillon Street. When I was a soldier at Fort Jackson, I had an accident. Boyd Galloway was the owner at the time. They told my car and fix it. Later on, I went to Denner Day College and I was a student there. I had a problem with another car. Got it repaired there. Different owner than I went to work there while I was a student driving tow truck. So this property has been around. It has automotive repair, towing, bodywork for a number of years. It's property is fist in has adequate storage for cars. They don't have to be parked on the street and have adequate space inside the building to do repairs. No property gets 10 to 12 cars inside the building. So there's no problem with working outside or doing anything like that. I would say that. All the experience that I've had with this property, it has been very profitable to the city, the county and to the resident as a service to the people in the area. I don't think that it does anything contrary to the neighborhood. It's not a noise problem, not a trash problem or anything like that. We're glad to answer any question. It looks like this building is, backs up to us very close to, is that the Nuttalls? It's across the street from Nuttalls? Across Dillon Street? Yes. And you stated that all of the repair activities would be inside of the existing structure? Yes. We did not. When this property came available, I encouraged my daughter to buy it because I knew the history on it. We did not know what the rules were in terms of managing property. But since I'm retired, I will be there to make sure they're in compliance. If nobody, if they're not in compliance, any tenant that they will be immediately evicted, it's not going to be a problem. All the repairs will be made as soon as I leave here, I will go there and tell them that. Any other questions from the board? Is there anyone else that would like to speak in favor or against this application in the audience? I see none. I think you did a very thorough job of answering the criteria in your application. I don't really have any further questions about it. I think I understand it perfectly. Any other questions from the board? I'll accept the motion. I have to make a motion that we approve the special exception to establish an automated repair facility. Second. We have a motion and a second. I would like to request an amendment to that motion that it comply with all of the comments of staff in the application. That amendment is accepted. All in favor say aye. All opposed. That motion carries. Thank you very much. Next item on the agenda is item number seven. It's 2801 Schoolhouse Road. This is a variance to the sign display service area and sign height for non-residential use. There are two parts to this request. So just depending on the decision of the board, you can split the motions if need be, but it's a variance to the display surface area and also a request to change height. If the applicants present, they're welcome to come forward. I am here to represent 2801, my church's first church of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are new to the neighborhood and we are really working with the neighborhood and along with Miss Brenda Oliver and the Pinehurst Community Center. One of the things that we have done outreach, so what we've done just recently on Saturday, we invite the neighborhood, not just those in the neighborhood but those in the surrounding area to come. We have free food, free clothes, free whatever you might need for your house, for your family, for someone who you may know that's in need. We also give free hot meals. So we have been working in the community to bring the community up, to be a support to the community, to encourage to whatever we can to work along with the community and along with the Pinehurst Community Council. So we are just excited that we are in the community to help serve. We are excited that so many people have welcomed us in the area and so we're just trying to build some bridges where we all know that in that neighborhood as well as several other neighborhoods within the Columbia area. There's a lot of crime. There's a lot of homelessness. We see a lot of children that's going without. So it is incumbent upon us to help our fellow man, to help lift them up, to give a hand, give an encouragement, to give whatever we can to support them and let them know that we're here for them. So we are excited. We, I have been serving with the Pinehurst Community Council. I think we have a meeting this afternoon and we're going to talk about the back to school bash. I am 37 years. I've worked in Richland School District 1 and the Lord is good. I'm retiring in a couple of weeks. So I've been an educator for 37 years and I'm excited that I'm going to be able to get out in the community and maybe do some some teaching, some after-school kind of thing. So I'm just excited that we're in the neighborhood. I'm excited that the children are excited that that we're here, that we can help in any way possible. Like I said, tutoring, providing activities, providing material for homework, providing material for projects, so many times our children and our parents and our grandparents don't understand how to work, how do how do perform per projects and how to gather material. So I've been excited and I've been able to encourage grandparents because grandparents don't know how to do stuff like this. When grandchildren come home, they didn't have that in their school. So I'm just excited that we're here in the neighborhood and so we just want to be a light. We want to be a beacon of hope to the neighborhood and to work together. It's just so important to work together. So that's my presentation. This is some pictures that we took on Saturday when people were coming in. They were excited about getting food. They were excited about getting clothes and so I just took a couple pictures and wanted to share what we've done on Saturday and we usually have these kind of outreach projects every one to two months. So this is an ongoing thing. This is not something that we've done and and just stop. This is probably the third time that we've done this. At 2801 Schoolhouse Road and I think the next one is planned for the 29th of next month. And so we're, I know one of the persons said that they were in need of bus passes. So we want to get some of those things that the community is telling us that they need. So we're just working, working and just working together and helping each other so we can better the community and better ourselves and learn more about what we need to do as a church to help others. Thank you. Any questions? Is this going to be a lit sign? The monument or is it just a wooden sign? What's the materials? It's, can you repeat that? The materials for the monument sign? The materials will be brick materials and I think it would have some glass on it as well to protect the writing and some lighting as well. Is it, I guess what I'm trying to say is the sign lit from the inside or is it an uplift from exterior lighting? The sign is on the wall of the exterior of the church, the front of the church, that's where, and then we also, I'm trying to get a bigger sign on the, on the premises of the church. It's kind of like in the corner. The monument sign you're talking about. Yes, the monument sign. So that's my question. Is that monument sign lit from the inside? Yes, sir. It will be lit from the inside. And then the sign on the church, is that also a lit sign or is that just, just lit by up lighting? It is lit by, we have lighting right now, we have some lighting up, but it's not projecting what we want. So it is lighting that's on the, the wall of the, of the, of the church, of the, the front of the wall, front of the church if I'm understanding your question. Right, so the sign itself does not illuminate? No, sir. Not, not, not in the way that we want it. We want it to be really illuminated and to really, like I said, show and be a beacon of hope or be a beacon of light. And so we want more lighting and bigger signage. I have a question for you, Rachel. So this is the total, total signage on the residential is 40 square feet. And that's including both signs, the one on the building and the monument sign. Yes, it's 20 square feet of display surface area per frontage. And this building has two frontages. So they could total it to the 40 square feet. And that would apply to the monument and any signage on the building. Gotcha. Well, is there any questions from the, the board at this time? Is anyone else in the audience here to speak in favor or against this application? So I have a few questions on your application just on the responses. If you don't mind, can you give her a copy of the, of that? So, you know, the first question is, is to describe the extraordinary and exceptional conditions, i.e. the size, shape, topography of the property that pertain to the property that would, you know, warrant the special exception, excuse me, the variance.  You know, is it too, is because you have two street frontages and you want to have one on the side of the building or one sign, you know, as a monument sign. This is visible. Is it visible now? Right. Well, sir, we're asking for more signage because we want it to be, we want it to illuminate the wall and we want it to be bigger so every, so it can be seen through, not just throughout the community, but throughout the area. So we, we want the more signage. We're asking for more signage. So it can illuminate and be bigger and provide more lighting for what, for what we want. So a question again for staff. What would be the, the signage in a non-residential area, the requirement there? Each district, some districts allow 150 square feet of display surface area. If you get into the heavy commercial, they allow 300. So it's the residential. This is about, the residential part of this is what's really restricting her ability to put up a, what would normally be a residential zoning district. So that answer is number two, I think pretty clearly. We do have the support from the community as well. I did speak to Mrs. Brenda Oliver, who was the president of the Panhurst Community Council, and she acknowledged and did a type of letter of support in our efforts. Well, I think that, you know, I think I can see the thread that you're looking at here because of the fact that y'all are in a residential district is restricting this size that you can put your, of your signage.  I think that this signage looks, the signage on the building certainly looks appropriate for the size of the building. It doesn't look to me like it's, it's, you know, anything over the top there at all. So I think you look good there. And I think that it's not really a detriment. I don't see it as a detriment to the public. Good. So I thank you for your presentation. I ask if there's any other questions or comments from the board. And if not, I'll, I'll accept a motion. Well, I have just a couple of comments first. I'd like to say I really appreciate the extent to which you've done outreach to the community. I think that's been very effective.  So I want to thank you for doing that. I have a concern relative to criteria number one and three for this. I really don't feel like the application clearly explains any sort of exceptional conditions that would require larger signage. And I'm also, I don't feel like smaller signage necessarily would prohibit or restrict the utilization of the property in the way that the applicant is saying that they want to use it. So based on just what I'm seeing in the application, I would be compelled to vote no on this. If I may speak on Mr. Schaefer, um, what we're, what we're, what we hear for and what we are trying to do for our church is to illuminate where we are and just let people know that at this spot where you can see what the signage and where you could see our church name and our logo that will let someone in the community or someone without in the community just know that there's hope there. So we want that to illuminate the city. So you're trying to let your light so shine is what you're saying. And, and I mean, and it's not that we can't do what we want to do without it, but we want it to, to illuminate the area. We want people to see that we hear if there's someone in need. I mean, we want that to, to, to really glow. We are really working hard in our community. And we want that, that, that signage. We want that lighting to, to illuminate.  You feel like there's no one that can trust. You know, you're on this boat and the boat maybe is sinking and you can see the lighthouse. You can see it's shining and it's illuminating everywhere. So I think about that when I think about people and their lives and their struggles, when they see that light, they know that's a place where I can go and get some help. So to me, that's the part of the illumination. That's a part of the lighthouse for safety and security, for hope, for help, for food. When I'm hungry, I can't feed my children. So for us, I'm passionate about this. I'm sorry. But for us, for me, that illumination brings, it draws in town, out of town. We're here for the community and we, we, we want to be seen throughout the Columbia area, not just in the Pinehurst community, but throughout whole community, the Columbia area. So that's why we ask for the bigger signage of more life. That's, that's the passion. I appreciate that. I think you tell a really compelling narrative and I wish that was one of the six criteria for this. But it doesn't change my view on, on that the applicant has not met other criteria, number one and three on this application. So George is exactly right. We, we are, you know, subject to your request has to be based on one of the criteria that's presented in the application. And that's what we, that's what we as the board have to, to work with. And I believe that you do have a legitimate claim for the variance in that you are a church in a residential area that has limited the amount of signage that would be normal for a church. And you're requesting two signs, both of which are slightly above what would be the total allowable square footage in that, in that district. And you have approached, you know, the, the, the neighbors and neighborhood about this, which I think is important in this case, because that's the, you know, the, the criteria of, of the, for the public, public good and is important. And, you know, so that's to me, if the neighborhood doesn't feel like that the signage would be injurious to them, then I feel like, you know, that, that takes that criteria. But to that point, I do agree with that the property was posted in neighborhoods and neighbors had not only is there no one here, I think there's no one here to speak against it, we've got a letter of support from the Pinehurst Community Neighborhood Council in support of this. So I'm always very sensitive to the surrounding neighborhood and the neighbors. And the fact is that you're not the opposing for the supporting it. Testing. You can hear some as well. Hello. Well, I'd like to make a motion that the board approve this request that the, the criteria for this variance have been met and that we approve the request subject to the comments of staff. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. No. No. Motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you. Have a great day. There are no other items on the agenda today. Fantastic. I'd like to make a motion that we adjourn. Second. All in favor say aye. We're now adjourned. So if one of us opposed it.


Nims, how are you brother? I'm good Chris, how are you doing? Yes, wonderful. As I was saying before, one day we can meet in Nepal and do some climbing and we won't have to speak over Zoom but you know. Hey, hey, well we're adapting and hopefully next year my man, this is positive, I'm sure. Yes, I want to stand on the top of Mount Everest with you. Hey, we're going to make it happen, buddy, we're going to make it happen. Yeah, it's Chomalunga and also Sagarmata as well, so yeah. Yes, I remember in Westerners, they ruin everything.  There are some of the words in English that I cannot pronounce as well, so it's all right. Well, let me just start by saying, I've just read your book, just finished it 10 minutes ago. Oh, I can't be speechless because I have to say something. What I would say is what an amazing read written by an amazing man, it was just absolutely great. I'm not just saying this, I read lots of books, here is some of my mountain books. Jesus, oh my god. Yes, I love to live vicariously through other people's adventures when I'm not doing my own adventures, right? I just, I think it's the best way to live. Your whole story from beginning to now, obviously it's not the end and it's just everything I try and teach my young people that watch the podcast, you know, dream big, believe in yourself, don't listen to the naysayers because that's almost everybody these days, right? Yeah. And smash your goals and once you start smashing them, you don't stop until you've completed such a well written book, so exciting. They say page turner and you know, that's an easy word to say, but it really was just, you know, you cannot put this book down, folks, please believe me. Sorry, I'm talking a lot, but it's, I've got a lot to say that your character is just such a shining example, Nim, such a good representation of the British forces, especially our elite forces, such a credibility to Nepal and the Gurkhas.  Yeah, thank you, Chris. You know, wow. So it's a really, you know, humbling, you know, I would say acknowledgement and comments from you, buddy. And yeah. And then, as you know, Christian, everything what I do in life, I did 100%. And believe it or not, you know, writing this book was definitely one of the hardest thing I have ever done.  Then it becomes, you know, it's a concrete. And, you know, to write this amount of enormous book from, you know, up to this stage. And it's kind of, you know, like, I wouldn't say my, you know, it's my autobiography, but it's almost that.   Yeah. And I just wanted to do a justice, you know, to the story. And every time when I was like, when I felt like I was going to die on the mountain, I was like, you know, not today, because I didn't want anybody to tell my story, because that would never be fair. And, you know, as I keep saying, there are so many layers that I wanted to represent from this book and wanted to, you know, bring the justice to so many inequality and all that has been in the past and also like to inspire the younger generation about, you know, and how much you can push and what you can achieve if you truly believe in yourself and if you put your heart, mind and soul into it. So it was really hard. Chris, I must say, you know, for the last, you know, almost 10 months, I've been working really hard with, you know, obviously Matt, who helped me to write this book. And it's been nonstop. And yeah, I'm glad it's out. And I'm really excited rather than being nervous, you know, when the something, you know, of the significance comes out, you know, generally people are nervous as well. Because you don't know, but you know, I'm very confident because I get 100% and I couldn't give it any more.  No one can argue that. So it's really like down to earth, black and white, honest and fair, you know, kind of, you know, story. Yes, and it comes across that way. I think I'm on my sixth book now. It's the one I'm finishing now is my third memoir. And when you write your first one, yeah, you're, it's like having a baby.  But here's the thing. You're not writing for the naysayers that always just, they're just going to be negative because they're not happy in their lives. Right, you're writing for the people whose lives you're going to change. Right. And they always say you only need 1000 people that believe in you to make a correct, you know, to keep your career going. And that's, you're not, you're not going to hit you're not going to hit with everyone. And after like your third book, you just, you don't even look at the reviews anymore, because it doesn't, you know, you're going to get people that just, oh, he's spelt this wrong, or, you know, he said this, and, and it's just the way, it's the way life with the keyboard has become, but you put your money where your mouth is, you did what you set out to do. Your book is an honest account of that.  I don't want to say weakness because, you know, it's not the right word, but your human side and people are going to love that. Thank you. Thank you, Betty. Yeah, I'm afraid, you know, like it was such a, with one book to, to write such a huge story.  But I think it's very punchy and it will take you to the summit and, you know, bring it down, deep into the ocean. And everything is a roller coaster because my whole life was a roller coaster. It's written so well. I love the way you didn't go too much detail on every piece, because it would have just become da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. Yeah. You know, you're, you're, you're obviously a good editor, I'm assuming, because that's a real, real skill. It takes many years to learn that in itself. Also, because what I didn't want to write is just the book about the mountain. You know, if people want to read the, the, let's say, for example, just on Everest, you know, like standing at 1,848 meters and all that, then there's Wikipedia, there's like hundreds of books. What I wanted to write about is about my experience, you know, of course the challenges and how people can relate that challenge in their own life and how can they achieve their new possible.  We all have problems and there will be a problem when you climb these big mountains, but every problem has a solutions. You know, and then I think once people take that kind of an approach and all that, and I hope, you know, a lot of people will get of it, at least a few stuff from this book. I love the way as well. It's one of the only mountain memoirs. There is another, there's one more here, which is quite, this is quite a sad book by Maria Coffey, who lost her husband on that or her boyfriend on the mountains. And that is the only other book I read that talks about all the partying that goes on. And for our friends at home, this man is drinking all night and then climbing an 8,000 peak, literally running up it the next day. And I really love that. I just loved it. I loved the way you just smashed it.  You know, obviously, it was a massive celebration because, you know, people were so happy and thankful for me and my team because we opened the route for everybody else. And I had even changed my plan for the people out there because I wanted to go and climb road peak first. But when I found out the expectation from people and the hope from the people was, I would open the route for K2. I just didn't want to let the hope down because, you know, hope is such a big word. And I keep saying in the book that hope is a God. So, yeah, I changed my plan, did all this stuff in a massive celebration in the base camp. I probably have, like, in a three hours rest in a whole of, like, I would say three days plus. And I went to the summit of road peak, but it was epic, you know, where our oxygen ran out, you know, we were kind of lost on the mountains.  And obviously, I'm not in a date. I'm alive and happy to be covering those story and details and how I boxed this problem as I obviously, you know, go in and face these challenges. So I'm sure the readers would find that quite interesting. Nims, you stopped to rescue people in the death zone when the rest of their team had left them. And I don't say that as a bad thing. I haven't been up there, but I can fully appreciate its life and death. And you're exhausted. And it's someone struggling for the for the average, averagely good climber, you've got to save your life and get down. But you actually stopped and you're on the radio, you're calling to bait to the camps below to can you get more oxygen up to us? And, and you saved lives and you even carried one gentleman down. He was so ill that he died as you were carrying him down it off. Yeah.  And I wasn't certainly not going to do on the mountain, you know, of course.  And of course, I'm now taking into completely different endeavor and all that. But you know, and that's why, you know, when people say, you know, names, who are you give me a sentence, I say, okay, I'm Nim style, I'm born in Nepal, but I was raised in, in the British military. Well, then I became pretty much, can I say badass on the big mountains, you know, yeah, don't take that too seriously. But yeah, I'm trying to be, I'm trying to be. Yeah, it's a dream, isn't it? Many young, young men in Nepal is to join the Gherka, because it's historic. I only realized reading your book that there's actually three Gherka regiments in different countries. Yeah, that is my, and it's a huge selection. Like, for example, when I first went for the selection, they were like 32,000 young men, you know, trying to obviously, you know, go for the, for the recruitment, and only 320 made it. You know, no wonder why I fell on the first attempt, obviously. I wasn't expecting that, but hey, you know, like, I bought made it on the second attempt. Yeah, it's really tough challenge. And you've got to obviously, you know, quite, you know, educated as well, because they do really, you know, tough tests on English, maths and science. There's a physical test, there's a medical test in all sorts of tests. So, yeah, there was an article names I read. Oh, my gosh, we're talking about 30 years ago now. So, back when I was joined the Marines, it was an article about the recruitment process up in the Himalayas, before the modern day, where now you have, you know, recruiting stations and this. Yeah. And back then a guy would like, walk around the villages, you know, offering the opportunity to the young men, they would then turn up at some outpost in the middle of nowhere. They had to be a certain weight, they had to have all their teeth checked and all this. Oh, yeah, massively, massively.  How did you pass then? Oh, my, I don't know, tell me about it. Is that, is that a big thing? Because one of the best times in my life, one of the best course I have ever done was the British Paracourse. And I did, I actually did one and a half of them because the first one I did was cancelled halfway through because of the first Gulf War. And spending time with the Gherpas was just magical. They loved to disco dance. It was just incredible. All over the floor. And they were so kind, so humble. Yeah, it was very special, but I could fully appreciate, especially now as I've travelled the whole world many, many times, that the difference in culture for a young man from the mountains to suddenly be put in the British military. And just like trying to understand the military sense of humour must be. Oh, it's massive.  And obviously past the slicks. And I thought I was going to see that. And I landed at London Heathrow. And it was raining sideways. And we were like put into the coast.  And, and next time we woke up was in Catrick. And I was like, is this really England? It's worse than Nepal. And I was meeting, obviously, it's up in North, so I went to boarding the school. So I thought, you know, my English was really good and all that amongst obviously the Nepalese community and all that. At least. So I tried to have this dialogue with this obviously in a bit of a counterpart. Jesus Christ, I had no idea what he was saying.  And I was like, what school did I went to? What did I learn? I can't even like, stick to this guy. So, you know, like, you know, even covering those kind of, you know, like really minor but important details of how kind of in like challenging it can be as a guy to, to fit in the guy, because as a Nepalese, then to fit within the UK, special forces. And because, you know, when you join a special forces, you cannot have any witness, you cannot be like, oh, he's a, he's a guy or you can build this and that. No, you need to have that special forces is standard. And to be able to operate and to be able to meet that criteria. And it's, it's not easy. It's not easy. Well, you know, have to work twice harder for sure. I don't think anyone's going to say that's easy. So, Nims, were you the first Gherka to join the special boat service? Oh, mate. Yeah. Yeah, mate. Made it. Made the cut, I would say. Congratulations. What, what a great accolade to have for the rest of your life. Oh, mate, thank you so much. And, you know, you know, and the reason why I joined the SPS was, and I worked with the Marines in, in Afghanistan in seven when I was serving the characters.  They were really, you know, one of the finest soldiers I have worked with. And, but then they were like so nice.    And for me, I wanted to, to obviously, you know, go into, into SPS. And I kind of knew that, you know, there's a diving aspect of them, of the, you know, of the job as well. And I was kind of going to make it even more challenging. So, yeah. Was it difficult? Because I only learned to swim. When I, when I say swim, I mean, swim properly, because obviously to join the commandos, you've got to be able to pass the swimming test and the falling off the diving board in all your equipment, right? And I scraped through that. But I only really taught myself properly how to swim when I was 48, 47. In fact, I started at 46 and I could swim one length with a swimming pool. And then I had to stop and hold on and breathe so I wouldn't drown. Within two years, because I set my goal on triathlon, I was doing quadruple Ironman. So four, four Ironmen, like in one go. Yeah. So that's a 10, well, nine mile swim, right? But, but even still, I'm, if I stop for one split second, I'm just sinking, right? Was that difficult for you coming, coming from a landlocked country?  And I started in a training for it. And, and then one of my training design, you know, before I went for the selection for the SPS was I used to wake up really early in the morning, two o'clock, carry, you know, like 75 pounds to, you know, like, and then do like 20 in a kilometer tab, do normal day military work. And in the evening, I'll just do like, you know, free runs.  Then I used to go for swimming, which I used to do like, and I eventually managed to do like, you know, freestyle like 100 meter, 100 lens in 25 meter length. But it was tough to get over there. But hey, you know, there's nothing in if you put your hard mind and soul, you can obviously, you know, achieve that.  So yeah. Were you okay with the diving? Because I've done, I've done a fair bit of diving. I've been very lucky I've been on an expedition to Antarctica and dived on icebergs and that kind of thing. I'm still like that with it though, you know, in a dry suit. I found it really hard, the buoyancy. Yeah, let's put it this way.  And then, you know, you're assuming at night in the three kilometers, you know, in January and December at night, you must be pretty mad if you say you're super loving, but I didn't complain about it. I should say that. No complain, but yeah.  If you're a mountain climber, you climb the other more challenging peaks like K2, Annapurna, etc. I completely, I get that right. But me, I grew up with Chris Bonnington, one of my books here.  I've obviously watched everything I can on Discovery Channel about climbing this mountain. And yeah, it is, it's a dream of mine.  We're having a chat here.  I completely disagree.  He's the legend. And we had a chat and he asked me, Nims, what do you think is the hardest mountain to climb in the 1000s? And I said, if you remove all the manpower, like, you know, everything, and if you have to just climb on your own, Everest will be the hardest. You cannot even get through the Kumbhaisfall. So it's not easy mountain. Everest become a bit easier because there are like a lot of, you know, like serpahs, you know, working over there, but it's still 9,000 meters very.  It's easy to say that, but waking up, you know, like, well, even climatizing for one month, you know, where you're like, head is pounding, and every day is a struggle.  And after that, then you got to climb this boat, say, well, which is like 55 degrees.  So it's not easy. And, and if people are saying that, just ask them, have you climbed it first? And if they say yes, then you can comment.   You know, if you haven't been in that shoes, don't complain. All right.  And what you can do is, you know, we can definitely help you. You know, we will train you at 6000 meter first, 7000. And then we'll take you to one 8000 meter peak and then Everest. But all this can be achieved if you got like a bit of money and time can be achieved in two years.  And that can be achieved through a bespoke training and all that. So, yeah. Good. Yes, I think it's that the climbing snobbery, isn't it? Like in all sports, people resent the fact that there's people like me. I just want to climb Everest. I understand mountaineering is beautiful. It's a great sport. I get to be in the mountains and appreciate the environment and the people that you, I get all of that. But I just have a go to climb Everest. Yeah. And also, Chris, everybody has got, you know, their own strength and weakness. For example, I cannot be as good as like Sir Albert Einstein. I cannot be like him. But then, let's say, for example, if like a person like him wants to climb Everest, what's wrong with climbing Everest with a little help from somebody else who has got the experience? Because every human cannot be good at everything, you know, but it's the experience that you are learning in life. And everybody gains something from the adventure. Everybody gains something from the challenge, from the endeavor. So it's a different way of Everest, I guess. And then if you are trying to be the best mountaineering in the world, then it is different thing. But if you want to have that experience and if you are climbing for your personal challenge, if you are trying to raise, you know, money for the charity by taking your personal challenge and endeavor, of course, it's a good thing.  That's where I'm most alive. You know, no one can even argue that. So coming from that perspective, I can definitely have that say. So yeah. Hey, and thank you for your offer. That's good. I'm one step closer now. That's amazing. You mentioned Reinhold Messner and his partner was Peter Harbler, wasn't he? Yeah, yeah. And I met him in Meyerhofen in Austria. He's got a ski school there. So, yes. These people were legends, weren't they? They climbed Everest without oxygen when nobody thought it was possible. Yeah, exactly. So, you know, like I had a really good chat with Reinhold and he was very positive. And he was like, you know, when everybody said that in terms of mountaining, well, those people who knew how difficult it is to climb big mountains, they were like, it's not possible. It's not happened. But then when we had a chat at Nanga Purbot Basecamp, I think you see that fire in me and how much like I'm going for it. It's like, you're crazy, man.  You can do it. And he said, maybe even though if you do it in a year, it's good. I said, no, Reinhold, the mission is 14 picks, seven months. And if I pass that one day by seven months, I feel my mission is like, you're in a good military. We had a great conversation. He is a really nice person. Yes, good. Well, they say it takes one to no one. Yeah. And your approach, there's two different kind of approaches to climbing a mountain like Everest, aren't there? There's the one is you pay quite a lot of money to join one of the guiding companies. They provide your equipment. They'll do your training. Then you go up to camp one, camp two, back to camp one, maybe back to base camp. And all there's what you did your first time, which is just rock up there, hire the equipment that you haven't brought from home.  Did you have one Sherpa with you the first time? Yeah, I had. Go up with your Sherpa, come down once for the acclimatization and then climb the whole thing in pretty much one go. Yeah, the only thing with that is because, you know, like for me, I knew my body really well.   So, yeah, but somehow, but I have been trained by the best and all that. So, yeah, I am a speed climber, I'm a speed and endurance climber. So I do have a bit of, you know, those. And I'm just trying to maximize that in a potential. Yeah. Yeah, so for our friends at home, Nims has this amazing ability to almost charge, well, to charge up the mountains.  And they tend to affect pretty much most climbers at one stage. Nims has the body that and the conditioning that he can kind of surpass that to a degree, obviously, we're all human. Yeah, we are human. And Chris just to say that I also had in a pulmonary edema before I suffered that massively as well. So, yeah, it's just about, you know, just to all the people who are listening, this is the biggest thing about high altitude mountaineering or any endeavor is about knowing your own body and how you maximize that.  And if you just push that because you can push, you can just climb a bit extra harder, but then you don't have the knowledge and you don't know that your body well, then by keep by pushing that extra few hours and slipping at that altitude rather than stopping and assessing that couple of hours can change the whole dynamic. So if you feel like that, you should stop and then you could be only one day late. But then if you push that in a couple of hours, and then you mess that up, you're going to have pulmonary edema or cerebral edema, then you're going to have to evacuate from the mountain and and then there's no medications that going to cure this, you have to get off the altitude. So it's all about in knowing your body in depth and how you use that to the best advantage for the mission that you're doing it. And it's with every sport, I guess, mastering your body by yourself and then using that knowledge to, you know, to attack the mission, I would say. Yeah. And then sorry, Chris, and then the biggest thing here where you kind of, you know, put that as a baseline is do not compete with anybody else.  So yeah, try that guys, if you haven't already, but hey, hey. Did you, you must have saved yourself a lot of money or funding, as it's referred to, by taking that kind of guerrilla approach? No, no, no, you know, like it was really tough because it was kind of, you know, a plan that or a vision at that point or an imagination at that point where nobody believed it. So just to give you an example, three months prior I left, you know, England for Nepal. Three months, I didn't have anything, but by the time I flew from London history, I only had 5% of the funding and that's me including putting the money from my house, from remortgaging and all that. So it was a really tough challenge, but what I was really sure was as I keep climbing this mountain as the style, in a style that I have said I would climb them in a way I would climb them.  So yeah, it was a massive endeavor in all levels. Yeah, I think if you go back in the old days to say the 60s and 70s where people were first climbing these very high peaks, back then for the people at home watching it or reading it in the newspapers because obviously as at the very early days of television, it was about king and country and this now, I think for people, it's about seeing somebody do something that they don't feel that they can do, you know, we have this, you know, this Xbox culture, we don't get out and live our dream, we sit inside playing our dream on an electronic game and when we see someone like you names, it's like wow, there's something there, do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I think, you know, the first one what you said was I really liked it, you know, nowadays we are in this time in this era particularly, it's not about in a country and all that, it's about the people, it's about how we connect the people, how we do, you know, together to survive and then to pass the positive message across and all that, so yeah, and it was really nice to, you know, and the second point you mentioned was, you know, these days obviously, you know, a lot of our younger generation is stay at home and then they get into this like computer game and all that.  And you, I guess, one benefit of the social media generation is your Instagram picked up a lot of support, didn't it?  That's not my agenda.  And then if you check out, and I'm not that kind of person, so I know for myself, I'm true, I'm all about being fairness. I'm all about being honest, and all that. So at least I have that, and then people cannot, you know, buy that from me, and I'm a pure soul. I am a true guy. So being able to be able to represent, you know, not only myself, for those people around in the world, where, you know, where I cannot be bought by money and all that, I think it's a really good power to have, buddy. You're being very humble, Nims. We should tell people that you are asked to join the SAS.  That's how many people get asked. Most people have to prove themselves. I know you had already done that, but that is quite some story. But, you know, I came from, I mean, it's not only about me, as I keep saying, and, you know, for me, whatever I do in military or wherever, you know, it defects the bigger group. I came from the garrick.  So I have to think for the bigger picture and all that.   So, yeah. I'm guessing you still have your kukeri. Like, is that, that's with you for life, right? Yeah, man. I have it. I got, you know, like, couple here. I have it. But you get, you get, you know, you get one given when you're passed out with the garrick as and all that. So, and yeah, I watched, there's a great documentary on YouTube for anyone that I suggest everyone watches it. It's about the guy in I'm guessing Kathmandu. He's, he makes the kukeries. Yeah. And they're, they're all made individually. It's not like in a factory or something. They're all handmade. Yeah, I think guys, take that link if you, you know, yeah, yeah. Are they, are they a good knife? Awesome.  And yeah, it is, you know, it can be used for so many purpose, obviously. Yeah. Yes. Enough said about that. Because we don't want to go into detail. Yes. Yes. Should we say, should we mention some of your sponsors, Nims? Because I know that is such a difficult thing to raise the money. Yeah. I know what it's like because I approach Richard Branson just like you did. I did one better than you. He actually wrote back to me. Really? Yeah. Oh my God. How come I didn't even get the respawn and it was like proper hand written and it was like in a sealed as well, properly. So, because I had loads of sponsors and all.  So yeah, you know, like so many like any sponsors obviously came into this one and people supported, you know, the partners were like Bremon, you know, Celso, Osprey, you know, DZ2L, and Ann Middleton, who's a great friend. And then Tuvi Ferme, you know, he's one of the sponsors who just, you know, who didn't ask for anything else.  I really want you to do well and I really want you to smash this project. I don't want you to do anything Instagram posts. I didn't want you to say anything. So I think that's what true sponsorship is. So yeah. And so I select so.  And there were so many like kid as well, where I got from Inmarsat, you know, that's where I was, you know, using the internet and all. We got Hamai still through that, the gear that I use, you know, designed by, you know, our special forces, brother, branding science, the list goes on, you know, yeah. And then, you know, a lot of also funding came from the crowdfunding from the normal people.  So thank you. Yes. Yes, really well done, everybody. Was it hard? Your dream is coming true. You're clearly going to nail these peaks in seven months. But of course, you couldn't get permission for Shishapangma. Yeah. That was in China.  Yeah. I know you're a man that takes one day at a time. But that must have played on your mind a bit. Oh, must have been. I knew that my first application was rejected when I was on K2 before opening the lines for everybody else, you know.  But, you know, when I came to that, it stays, you know, I also have loads of connections in Nepal, loads of friends. And, you know, a lot of people, you know, kind of wanted it from their heart as well.  And that's when it really becomes people's project, because everybody wanted me to completed that.  So it was really good. Yeah. I think we should mention, and you mentioned this in your book, Nims, that because you were a Nepalese climber, you didn't get the focus. And I know you don't want the attention. I really get that. But the funding that would have come with the media would have been handy, right? Would have taken the pressure off. You are absolutely right, buddy. And then there's no lying in that, because it is a bitter truth. It is, you know, and for a fact, if I was in any western, you know, climber or if it was in European and all that, it was even the sad to say, one of the sponsors who could support it means like Nims, you didn't get any sponsorship because, you know, are you because you are brown? But I was like, yeah, that is a brutal honesty. But I didn't, I didn't let that, you know, you know, get into me. And but he was honest. And I don't know, man. But for sure, if it was done by any other people, you don't have been, you know, bigger than how it is. And of course, that would help for the sponsorship and all that. But hey, it's all right. We always think positive.  You're always done. We're good. You know, always get 100%. And it's still positive. So yeah. So congratulations on your MBE. I bet when you were a child in Nepal, you never expected that one. No, nobody. Yeah, thank you. You're welcome. And that was that was for the rescue I did in 2016. And, you know, saving the Gherka expedition from failure in 2017. I still need to go and pick it up, buddy.  When you're when you're on in situations like on the mountain, a lot of leaders just fall apart. They don't have that.  Right? You know, yeah, but also like the way of, you know, my leading was completely different. You know, if you put the interest of your team members, you know, into your heart as well, that's when you become successful. And then being as a leader, you also should be able to lead from the front, you know, when there's a time and you should be able to know when to step back exactly. And it's all about the bigger picture, you know, so like just to give you an example, all my team members who climb normally, if people are climbing Everest, they would take someone who has climbed Everest before, let's say K2, someone who has climbed before because he knows the route and all that, but I didn't do that. I kind of put my team members into a completely different new mountain. So it was something for them as well. Yes, we didn't need the route, but, you know, I was pretty much content with the ability of making it to the summit. But when there's like, you know, the interest of, you know, the other team members as well in your heart, then, you know, I think you become successful. Yes. Yeah. And it's actually come from the heart.  And then I had like, I learned so much, you know, throughout my whole career and all that, you know, there will be like some leaders who just want to be leader and they are like true leaders and all that.  And that's for any companies or anything else.  You made a lot of people's dreams come true, Nims.  Thanks. Thanks, Chris. And there's one part in your book that I really resonated with me. Which one? It's when you're on an expedition and you want it to work more than everybody else or you want it so bad. And it's the bit where you said you're always the first to wake up and in some days you just wish somebody else would wake up first. Yeah, as a team as well.  That was my reason and idea. My team members, they came to support and all that. But then everybody doesn't necessarily have the same drive and all that. And it's so good to, you know, wake up at one o'clock when you're sleeping, you know, here at the sea level and you're in a comfortable home. But then when it's like minus 45, minus 50, you know, waking up with, you know, in that sleeping bag where the cold layer of snow is touching your face and all that, then it takes a half an hour to put the boot.   But, you know, unfortunately, I have to be only, you know, always that person to do that. But hey, hey, it's all right, you know, I have the, you know, the kind of special forces training about being the discipline and all that. Whereas, you know, my team members, you know, not necessarily they came from that background. So yeah. And how is it when you go back to Nepal now? I'm thinking about Sherpa Tenzing. He, I mean, he was such a national hero, wasn't he? And it affected him quite a lot. Yeah, it's good, I think. And to be honest, I think I just got awarded a Presidential, President's Medal as well in Nepal. But I think it's a different way, but not necessarily as a good or bad. But, you know, I think when I was no one, when I had no money and all that, you know, nobody kind of came to help. But then now obviously, you know, I can, I can go and stay free in five-star hotel and I can go and do all that. And I have that luxury. It's good to have that. But I was like, I wish I had that when I was, you know, when I was no one.  So, yeah, it's like egg or chicken. But hey, I'm happy. I'm always happy to, you know, go back over there. You know, it was, you know, of course, that's where I was born. My dad is still in Nepal. And obviously my brother, Jude, and his family. So, and a lot of my team, well, all my team members are there. So it's a family. Good. And what's your next project?   It's a very secret, buddy. Yeah. But it's going to be something massive and equal to be in all that. So, yeah, it's not, it's not celebrity big brother, is it? I think I might win that. I think you'd win that hands down. If there's one thing the British public like, it's a humble, nice person. And this is my guest today, folks. Yeah, well, but also, like, if you're two, it's a soul, man, you know, people will be like through the board.  But I have got different characters, you know, learn from me, these personal forces, you know, when you get to disguise and all that. So it's okay.  Sorry. No, it's okay.  Or is it just a way? Yeah, it depends, buddy.  I need a big purpose to do these bigger goals. I have a purpose now. So yeah, let's wait and see. Yes. Good. So finally, Nims, what was it like? The last peak was Shishipangma, right? Yes. What was it like to summit? What was your feeling?  We completely opened the new route there as well. But I know, in the process of that, I just had like no snow tears coming through my eyes. And but the most happiest part was when I finished that project, you know, my mom came to pick me up. And when we arrived in Kathmandu, there was a massive, you know, welcome home program. I had never seen like this, buddy. Like, there was so much media and it was like, I only see that, you know, when like David Beckham's arriving in Kathmandu, and every like, you know, newspaper, like those, you know, like, you know, reporters were fighting to have an interview and all that. So I was like, Oh my God. And there was a band and then my mom saw that. And obviously, my mom had doubted my project before and all that. But then when she saw everything and all that, she was just really happy. And I was I was just happy to see her happy, mate. So that's the highlight of the trip. And how was your mom's health now? Because she was having operations.  Yeah, man. Unfortunately, I lost her in February. So she's no more with us. Oh, I didn't know that. So yeah, are you okay? I'm okay, buddy. I'm okay.  That's that's for sure. Now, the last thing I want to ask you, Nims, is what what is your message for for the young people out there? What what what can we be saying to them? Well, believe in yourself. Believe in your vision. Not let anybody tell you that you cannot do things that you are impossible because only you know yourself better. No one can make that decision for you. So if you believe in something, put your heart, your mind and your soul dedication, work hard into it, and you will be successful. Brilliant. What a great point to end the podcast. Nims, just just stay on the line so I can say a proper goodbye to you afterwards. But thank you so much on behalf of everybody on behalf of the brotherhood on behalf of people that are struggling and need a need a visionary. And on behalf of the bought the t-shirt podcast, thank you so much. I hope you'll come back and tell us how the book launch is going and how how your next adventure is going to pan out. And to everybody at home, massive love to you all. I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have. If you could like and subscribe, that's going to help. And we'll see you next time. All right, buddy. See you all and thank you so much for listening to this guys. You have a great day. Nims Guy, thank you. Hello, friend. I hope this finds you well. My name's Chris Thrall. I'm a former Royal Marine's commando and I fought my way back from chronic trauma and addiction to live, work and travel in 80 countries across all seven continents, achieving all of my dreams and goals along the way. Now I pass my simple system on to other people, but I can only help you if you like and subscribe. So please do so because you get one life and if you live it right, one is enough.