Wednesday is the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of the world's highest mountain.<br/> <br />On the morning of May 29, 1953, New Zealand's Sir Edmund Hillary along with Nepal's Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to conquer Mt Everest.<br/> <br />They were given a hero's welcome when they returned from the the 8,850-metre peak.<br/> <br />Born in Auckland on July 20, 1919, Hillary led an uneventful life as a beekeeper until he achieved his Everest triumph at the age of 33.<br/> <br />Tenzing was chosen as his climbing partner.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MOUNT EVEREST CLIMBER, EDMUND HILLARY SAYS:<br/> <br />"Tenzing and I have been climbing together and good deal and I think we have become a fairly happy pair and this was just one example how a pair roped together are a unit, and how one is always protecting the other. I was leading down the ice column and when I was crossing a crevice when a large lump of ice gave way, I set off down the crevice, Tenzing who was following made the rope right in a v
