The soul of adventure

Himalayan panorama in Nepal’s Khumbu region
What defines adventure? For me it’s very simple: the very possibility of death, as remote as it may be, is what makes any activity adventurous. In that sense life itself is an epic adventure but I’ve always been driven by pushing the envelope by living a life on the edge. My quest has taken me to some of the remotest and most hostile environments on Earth including many places where no human had ever been before. I’ve been on top of the world – atop Mt Everest – several times; climbed the highest peaks of the seven continents; trudged to the North and South Poles; followed in the footsteps of traders of yore on the Silk Route; and even across the length and breadth of Africa. My tryst with climbing began as a nine-year-old and today, even after 40 years, I still feel the same sense of awe before every climb as I did back then wondering if I’ll make it to the top and what discoveries I’ll make along the way. Climbing is as much a battle against the elements as it is with your own self: you push your body and understand its limitations; discover your inner strength; and eventually purge your soul. And out there, in the icy vertical world of the highest mountain peaks of our planet, you discover freedom in its truest form, where every step into the unknown is a willful act of discovery.


​The famous rock towers in Meteora, Greece

I know that most of you would never venture into extreme mountaineering: not because of fear but rather because all of us choose different paths to self-discovery, but I’d like to share my stories. And along with tales of death-defying capers I’ll also write about adventures which anyone, with a little bit of preparation and time, can embark upon. My goal is to equip you with basic tips, survival techniques, and a little bit of nuts-and-bolts knowledge to enable you to create your own adventures.

​Author on the summit of Mt Everest


So this year, shun the spas and the luxury holidays. Get the binoculars, the compass, and draw up a list of exciting holidays you’ve always wanted to go to, but haven’t conjured up the will to go on. The adventure, dear readers, has just begun!