Climb Mt Everest
Yep, would be an extraordinary feeling reaching the summit.
I envy those who have.
Once you get a bit older with responsibilities (ie. wife, mortgage, career), it almost rules out attempting something as audacious as climbing the worlds highest mountain.Assuming you don't have a climbing background.
And once you have a child/children, you would have to think about the consequences of never returning home.
After all, even great climbers have perished on Everest.
Let's assume you really wanted to do it, and none of the above hindrances existed.
If you are cashed up, it's actually quite do-able within a year or so.
Let's say well aim for a 2015 accent in late May/early June.
-First of all, use the next 6-8 months to build up aerobic fitness, with emphasis on hill climbing etc...
-Do a basic mountaineering course.
-Pay for a guided tour from a reputable company.
30k - 60k.....maybe even more if you want the best chance to get up, whilst keeping all your fingers and toes.
-5k - 10k for equipment/clothes
-Climb a couple of peaks before hitting Everest (at least one of those an 8000m)
ie. perhaps Mt Kosi, or a peak in NZ, and a Himalayan peak like Cho Oyu.
-Obviously, you need to be able to take 6-9 months off from work, and be able to support yourself in that time.
So, there you have it, it can be done if you have the financial means and the willpower.
Unfortunately, there are no guarantees in life.
The weather Gods may say NO, you shall not go up !
OR, you may be one of those people, no matter how physically fit, that simply cannot acclimatise to altitude.
If anyone is at all interested in mountain climbing doco's, I recommend the series titled......
" Everest : Beyond the Limit "