About me... Nuno Caetano

35 years old (August 22nd, 1977), 1.73 m; 68kg

Born in Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal

Despite being born on an island (Madeira), far from the great mountains of our planet, during my childhood I had the opportunity to practice some activities of mountaineering in mid-mountain. The conditions in Madeira, where I was born, are great for the fans of trekking/hiking and for people who want to combine a beautiful holiday between the sea and mountains.

At the age of eighteen, I moved to Braga in north of Portugal, to pursue my studies at the University of Minho. It was during this phase of my life, between the studies of Business Administration and academic life, that I began to discover the mountaineering/alpinisme.

We started by doing some rock climbing with the Adventure Group of the University of Minho. However, with a thirst for more knowledge and adventure, I joined a first level mountaineering course in the Cordillera de Gredos (Spain) organized by the High Mountain School of Porto.

This was without doubt the moment that made me discover the mountains. Then of course, came the expeditions to the Atlas (Morocco) and the Pyrenees (Spain).

The only problem is how to fund expeditions like this, and for a university student who had no major sources of income, the way I found to get around this problem was to work for a company of leisure and adventure, the Espaço Livre. Our field of action was essentially the Serra do Gerês (North of Portugal), and this has enabled me an almost permanent contact with the mountains.

In January 2003, and after finish my University degree, I had to decide what to do in terms of professional projects. A career according to my University formation, or live according with my passion for mountains and mountaineering?

The passion was stronger, and that's why I found myself living in Chamonix in the French Alps. I wake up every morning and I can see Mont Blanc from my window, the highest mountain in Western Europe

Living in Chamonix allows me to be in permanent contact with mountain sports, to improve in their techniques and at the same time be fit for all my activities.

I love my lifestyle because it allows me to travel a lot. And there's nothing better in life than travel, meet new people and their cultures. For me this is a dream life, and like any dream it's up to us to fight for them. I love the mountains, love to travel ... I'm happy!