Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
have preferred to have finished the run sequentially instead of back-
tracking, but what can you do?
The bad weather has been my wake-up call, a reminder of what I
have taken on. I'm a little scared: there is a lot of concern over whether
I can finish this leg, and, if I can, much expectation over what time I
may be able to achieve—quite frankly I could do without the pres-
sure. Everyone is talking about polar records, which of course would
translate into dollars and cents for tour operators in the form of
advertisement of the region. ALE are the main players in Antarctica
and are into adventure promotion in a big way. At the planning meet-
ing at ALE headquarters, things were changed at the last moment.
The staffers here are hungry to see me set a new record for running
to the South Pole so want to leave nothing to chance, and this means
that, instead of disembarking the plane and then kicking off at Her-
cules Inlet some 58 kilometres further south of Union Glacier, I will
start from the moment we land at Union Glacier. This will add an extra
58 kilometres, which is a pain, but it means that there will be no dis-
putes when I finish over whether I have run from the very north of
Antarctica. I certainly won't be going back to have another shot; I will
do it once and do it properly.
The hotel foyer here has been filled with adventurers, people
from all walks of life, with all sorts of abilities. No matter what lan-
guage they speak or what country they come from—China, Russia,
America, Norway or Australia—they all share the same spirit: the
desire to squeeze more out of this life than the average, to push the
limits, to leave the office behind and get back to the roots of existence,
to a place where cunning, strength and basic survival instincts are the
tools of trade rather than a computer and phone.
Punta Arenas looks and feels very European, with beautiful little
shops cluttered with handmade toys, clothing and furniture. It sits on
the Straits of Magellan and has a thriving restaurant and cafe culture.
Greg Quail and his family joined us again for dinner this evening, and
it reminded me of the period just before the start of the run, when
we were all together in New York. I have had my criticisms of Greg,
of everyone in fact, but they have done nothing but try to make my
dream become reality. Happily, not least because of my near-death
experience in the desert, I have lost my stubborn, pig-headed attitude.
I have been humbled by this earth and all it has thrown at me.
