Thinuwan joins exclusive club of mountaineers

Jayantha de Silva

Thinuwan Gayantha Nanayakkara on his expedition

Mountaineer Thinuwan Gayantha Nanayakkara, 24, joined an exclusive club of mountaineers who had placed their foot print on March 18 this year on the daunting Island Peak (6,189 metres) of the Everest Mountain, the world's highest.

He had also climbed solo to the Kala Patharr Summit (5,545 metres).

Before his foreign mountaineering expedition, he had trekked the second highest mountain in Sri Lanka Kirigalpottha, the third highest Thotupala Kanda Mountain, the Knuckles Range, the Alagala and Lakkgala mountains.

In a note of caution to would be mountaineers, he warned of Acute Mountain Sickness, causing agonal breathing due to the lack of oxygen resulting in disorientation and a feeling of inebriation.

Nanayakkara also warned about wild animals.