Experience: I was the youngest person to ski alone to the south pole

I was 21 when I broke the record. On the hardest day I was up to my knees in snow. That tested my resilience

Growing up in Norway, I had heard a lot about polar exploration, including how Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the south pole in 1911. As a child I spent a lot of time outdoors – building bonfires, camping and skiing in the mountains.

Aged 14, seven years before my south pole expedition, I decided I wanted to become the youngest woman to ski across Greenland. I’m just under 5ft tall, and people are still shocked that I’m a polar explorer. When I became interested in skiing across Greenland, several guiding companies were unwilling to take me because I was so young. Then I met Lars Ebbesen, an experienced polar guide. Straight away, I felt he respected my ambitions.