Our first deadline had been met – the ferry across the fjord – but another loomed large: another ferry departing in two days´time. This one was south across a lake that was difficult to get round without crossing borders and several... Read more
We always knew it would take a long time to get there. It was a tiny, remote port wedged between the sea, the Argentinian border and two ice caps. It took us three planes, five buses, four hitch hikes and a few stretches of walking over five day... Read more
In a few hours’ time, Laura and I will be boarding a flight to the start of an expedition. The plan is to walk across Patagonia. We will begin our trip in South America by spending New Year’s Eve on the floor of Buenos Aires airport... Read more
I suspect that many of you will already be aware of the website CouchSurfing.org or can at least guess at the principle. It’s a network of people all over the world who are willing to offer cups of tea, showers and/or couches on which to c... Read more
Just because someone has achieved great expedition feats it does not automatically make them a great person. It is quite common to describe someone who has completed a great expedition as “an amazing person” or similar. I would dispu... Read more
‘My friend does that’, shouted down the lady from the side of her boat as my now wife and I swam past in the river below. ‘It’s that “Wild Swimming” thing, isn’t it?’. I smiled and said Yes but som... Read more
My wife, Laura, recently visited the Kingdom of Bhutan. Here is why she thinks you should too… 1) The yeti lives there. It is the only country in the world with a dedicated yeti nature reserve and sightings are almost guaranteed.* 2) Tele... Read more
I am no expert outdoor swimmer – I’m not sure such a thing exists – but I’ve jumped in my fair share of cold puddles and ditches in recent years. Presented below is my personal view of the necessary equipment for a swim... Read more
Last month I attended a course on natural navigation – learning to find your orientation without map, compass GPS or any other instructions, relying instead on cues from nature. Tristan Gooley wrote a book called The Natural Navigator... Read more
I need to submit my book to the publishers by Christmas. The majority of the content is down already and has been for some time. Unfortunately, it’s the remaining 10% and the subsequent polishing which seems to be taking the most time. I a... Read more
Ever since I started running The Next Challenge, I have been planning a South Pole expedition to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics. I’ve been pretty sure for some time that it was not going to happen and now that is quite certain. The... Read more
