Nature lover Raymond Banfield hiked to the 936- metre summit of El Tucuche as part of his birthday celebrations. The feat may be applauded by many of us who find journeying to City Gate on an afternoon a task in itself. But what is most amazing about Banfield's adventure is the fact that he turned 90 on November 7.

Born in Grenada in 1920, Banfield joined Mt St Benedict in Trinidad after leaving school but after four years realised the religious life was not for him. He returned to Grenada, where he became a Spanish teacher at Presentation College. Banfield came to these shores once more and "resumed" his teaching duties in Spanish at Presentation College, San Fernando in 1956. He taught at the school for 26 years.

"Without boasting," he recalled, "there was hardly a year when I did not get one of the island scholarships. Not only that, but I don't think during the years that I taught A-Level Spanish a single student of mine failed. One of my students eventually became the principal."

With regard to his ascent up El Tucuche, Banfield said he has being doing so with a group of friends for over five decades.

"We used to climb El Tucuche about eight times a year. We used to climb every fortnight, but in those days I was a young man. Now we always go on November 7. If the weather is bad and we can't go that day then we go on the following Sunday."

Of the original group, only Banfield remains an active hiker.

"The others are still around," he says," but they can't or they won't."

He warned: "It's not an easy climb, but it's so nice when you're there and you look around; you feel that you're on top of the world. It's something. At one time, in the early days, the climb took two and a half hours. Now it takes up to four hours. But again, the trail is not the same."

Banfield then began to divulge what he believes are the keys to a healthy long life.

"You have to tell yourself that your time here on Earth is limited. But I feel ageless. When I say ageless, I feel as if I am 20, 30 or 40. I just feel energetic and that I can do anything I want to do."

He continued: "Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food. Because of that, I have not even had the common cold in the last 40 years. It doesn't matter who has the cold I don't get it. I don't have a doctor. The only [medical] problem I have is an enlarged prostate. Apart from that I have not been ill in any way at all. That I attribute to my nutrition."

He said that one must always be in a positive mental state.

"You must have that outlook on life that is positive at all times. I mean we are all human beings at times we will face difficulties, but you cannot solve a problem by taking it on."

Banfield said he loved his Roman Catholic religion and believed that his spirituality was another attribute to long life and good health.

Exercise, he stressed, was also vital.

"You cannot live a healthy life without exercise. Since I was a boy in Grenada I hiked. Even today, hiking is part of my life. You have to lift a bit of weights as well."

The final ingredients to his recipe for longevity were heaping doses of classical music and a close, loving family.

"I'm enjoying my life so much right now. Whatever I could have done 30 years ago I'm still doing. I have everything to live for, and I mean it. As long as God gives me life I'll go on."

Following his retirement, he took a trip to the United States to visit friends. It was there that Banfield, a music lover, first heard the sound quality of Bose speakers.

"God, I thought it was the best thing I had ever heard!" he exclaimed. Banfield bought a pair of the speakers and began listening to his classical music collection like never before.

But fate--and Bose--were not done with Banfield.

He returned to America the following year and was invited by a friend to go to Boston for the weekend. At their hotel, a loud party engaged Banfield's attention. It was none other than the Bose company which was hosting a promotional event. Banfield could not contain his enthusiasm for the line and was invited to attend a seminar. He was later made--and is still today--a Bose sales agent.

Banfield, who lives in Marabella, has been married for 55 years, has six children--five boys and one girl--and nine grandchildren.