Quah Wei Siong, Ernest
Training and Team Nutrition

Ernest graduated from NUS with a Bachelor of Applied Science, Major in Food Science and Technology in June 2004. Post graduation, Ernest has been working part time as a swim coach during the periods in between expeditions. Currently, he works as a temp staff in NTUC Fairprice fresh food purchasing department. He has been the Food and Training IC for the previous training climbs and continues to hold the same position for the next expedition to Everest.

Introduced to the sport of mountaineering through MIR student mountaineering program during his undergraduate years, Ernest has since been training and climbing for nearly 3 years. Ernest has had to master the ropes of mountaineering in a short period of 3 yrs so as to attain the necessary fitness, skills and confidence level to climb Everest. He thinks that sacrificing one year without a permanent job is well worth it as he has found this entire process to be very enriching. But most importantly, he always find peace in himself when up in the mountains. He loves the sport because it challenges him both physically and mentally and allows him to learn life experiences through adversity.

Being an outdoor enthusiast since his younger days, he has participated in various kinds of outdoor sports such as canoeing, white water rafting, trekking, abseiling, and mountain biking. During his free time, Ernest loves to swim, run and play soccer. He is a qualified lifesaver with SLSS holding Advance Medallion for pool and Bronze Cross for sea. In recent years, Ernest has started to take part in multi-sport activities that require the participant to be proficient in a several disciplines. Because of the heavy commitment of the Everest project, he has had put these activities on hold. In future, he hopes to take part in triathlons, Iron man and adventure races.

He is extremely grateful to be part of this life-changing project as it has moulded him into a better person. He continues to be driven by an ambition to summit Everest and being with team mates who share his interests. "The challenge to reach the top of the world and the camaraderie spirit motivates me," he says. The one thing that Ernest dreads while on the mountains is "to answer the call of nature especially when a storm is brewing outside the tent".

Ernest's principle in life: "REST IF YOU MUST, BUT NEVER GIVE UP!"