The Adventure Podcast

Episode 163 of The Adventure Podcast features world-class geologist and polar explorer, Bruce Luyendyk. A marine scientist, Bruce expanded his interests over four decades into the geology of California, New Zealand, and primarily, Antarctica. In this episode, Matt and Bruce talk about his background and early inspirations, various field expeditions, and the global significance of geology. They also go into detail on the exploration efforts of Bruce and his team of geologists, which revealed important discoveries of an 'eight continent', Zealandia.

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The second episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on The Five P's - Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. In this episode, Matt speaks with Nigel Winser, Felicity Aston, and Stephen Jones about the importance of proper planning. The vast majority of the time, expeditions are won or lost in the planning stage, and often, the moment you step into the field isn't the start of your expedition, it's half way. Matt, Nigel, Felicity and Steve discuss common pitfalls in planning, methods of team selection, and advice and resources out there.

Nigel Winser needs little introduction; his career directing interdisciplinary research and learning programmes in Africa, the Middle East and Asia spans decades. He was Deputy Director of the RGS, responsible for developing and managing 11 major field programmes, and Executive Director at Earthwatch leading its ‘citizen science’ programmes to support conservation and sustainable development priorities worldwide.

Felicity Aston MBE is a British polar explorer, author, speaker and student research scientist. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica. Starting out as a Meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey, Felicity has since been involved in many ground-breaking expeditions. She is currently undertaking research investigating airborne microplastic deposited on Arctic Ocean sea ice.

Steve Jones is an Expeditions Manager for Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions. He also works as a speaker, and advises on safety management and crisis management to projects around the world. Steve is also a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, and Vice-President for Expeditions and Fieldwork on the RGS Council.

You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.

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Episode 162 of The Adventure Podcast features alpinist, climber, adaptive athlete, and kindergarten teacher, Kimber Cross. Kimber is an adaptive climber who was born with one hand, and now uses a custom prosthetic ice tool. She is compassionate, resilient, witty, and candid. In this episode, Kimber talks to Matt about her early life; when did she realise she was different, and how did that impact her? They go on to discuss how she got into ice climbing and alpinism, and the importance of belaying anyone and everyone she can.

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Episode 161 of The Adventure Podcast features lawyer and photographer, Rupert Grey. Rupert is, by his own admission, of a world that has now disappeared. His father and grandfather were both colonial governors overseas, and in this episode Matt and Rupert discuss his lineage and how his upbringing and that world impacted him. They travel through a number of Rupert's careers, and explore how his origins and travels shaped him. Rupert also explains how and why he fell in love with Bangladesh, and his work as a lawyer there.

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The first episode of our new specialist series, Explore: How To Plan An Expedition, focuses on Designing A Successful Field Research Project. In this episode, Matt speaks with Dr James Borrell and Professor Katie Willis about how to plan a field research project. They go into detail about their own experience getting into the world of field science, as well as explore and explain what makes a good research project. They also touch on the associated ethics and responsibilities.

Dr James Borrell is a conservation biologist with research interests ranging from tropical ecology to evolutionary genomics. He’s been involved with expeditions and fieldwork in a diverse range of environments, including Lapland, Botswana, Borneo, Peru, and Madagascar. Katie Willis is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, and is a social and development geographer. Katie has conducted research in Latin America, East and South-East Asia, and the UK, and has taught field classes across the globe.

You can find out more about the Royal Geographical Society and access advice and support for field research and scientific expeditions by visiting www.rgs.org/in-the-field or follow them on @rgs_ibg on socials.

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Welcome to our new specialist series; Explore: How To Plan An Expedition. This series has been created for the Royal Geographical Society and, at its core, is an introduction to how to plan an expedition and fieldwork project, and how to get involved in these worlds. Our hope is that it will encourage you to undertake your own expeditions - be it big or small in scope, long or short in duration, and personal or altruistic by nature. 

In this introductory episode, Matt gives an overview on what an 'expedition' is, the RGS' role in adventure and exploration, and what to expect from this series.

You can find out more about the RGS and use the Explore digital resources by visiting rgs.org/explore, or @rgs_ibg on socials.

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Episode 160 of The Adventure Podcast features adventurer and writer, Al Humphreys. For those of you who have been around for a while, you'll recognise Al as our first ever guest on the podcast. He was the originator of the 'micro-adventures' movement, and after many years adventuring further afield, now focuses on pursuing journeys a little closer to home. In this episode, Al talks about his Seven Summits (but not as we know it) expedition, his latest challenge involving an Ordnance Survey map, and what freeing up the definition of 'adventure' has meant.

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Episode 159 of The Adventure Podcast features climber, alpinist and high altitude mountain guide, Jon Gupta. Jon's made a name for himself as a Himalayan high altitude expert, and is responsible for organising and guiding multiple records and world firsts. He's spent most of his adult life in the greater ranges. In this episode, Matt and Jon chat about the world of high altitude, and how the niche of guided mountaineering has changed due to recent media hype. Jon was extremely open and was happy to be challenged, and challenged back. They also discuss the 'post-expedition comedown'.

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Episode 158 of The Adventure Podcast features mountaineer and filmmaker, Matt Sharman. Matt was on the podcast back in 2020 to talk about his life and experiences in the mountains, but this episode focuses on his recent trip to Pakistan. His latest expedition followed the trail of Shipton and Tilman in the Shaksgam mountains of the Karakoram. Adventures don't always go to plan, and this one derailed pretty spectacularly. They ask: does that matter? Does it make it better? And ultimately, was it a failure?

Matt's previous episode is Episode 058, To Humbly Go.

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Episode 157 of The Adventure Podcast features Pip Stewart. Pip is a journalist, explorer, neglected disease campaigner, and mother. In 2013, after working as a political and travel reporter in Hong Kong, she decided she wanted to recalibrate her life and cycled 10,000 miles home to London. A few years later and she was heading to the Essequibo River in Guyana for a world-first source to sea expedition. On her return from the rainforest, she discovered she had a flesh-eating parasite. In this episode, Matt talks to Pip about her hard-won insights; from community and self-belief, to recognising and owning up to her mistakes.

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