Ian Packham — How Adventure Had An Impact On My Life
This is the twelfth in a whole series of interviews with all sorts of different people to show what effect adventure can have on your life. The aim is to show how even the smallest amount of adventure can impact your life no matter who you are or where you come from.
If you’d like to take part and have a good story with pictures, please contact me via www.mattprior.co.uk
Next up is Mr Ian Packham. After meeting each other once in London, myself and Ian were going to travel by inflatable down the longest river in Sri Lanka from source to sea after a simple message through Twitter. Unfortunately I couldn’t go due to last minute work commitments but he did manage to find someone else and complete the trip. He’s a very interesting bloke and this is worth a read!
Ian is an adventurer, award-winning travel writer and speaker. He revels in making his own way to off-beat and unexpected destinations. To find out more about Ian, his adventures and writing visit www.encircleafrica.org.
The story of Ian’s solo and unassisted African circumnavigation, Encircle Africa: Around Africa by public transport is available in ebook and paperback editions.
“To look at me in the street, there is no way anyone would say I could get right the way around Africa the way I did.”
How and why did you get involved in all of this?
I had a very normal life: school, university, more university, job (as a medical researcher); so I guess I fell into adventure more than anything. Perhaps it was that adventure found the shy boy from South London rather than the other way round. Growing up on an unhealthy dose of Michael Palin travelogues and David Attenborough documentaries I realised I wanted to explore the parts of the world that aren’t normally visited, or visit destinations using unusual means. Finding no travel company that was doing what I wanted to do, (Matt has now filled this void) I had to do the planning and logistics all myself, and quickly fell for the freedom of doing so.
“I realised I wanted to explore the parts of the world that aren’t normally visited, or visit destinations using unusual means.”
How has adventure impacted your life?
I gave up everything (job, house, money, beer) to make my biggest adventure, a year-long unassisted circumnavigation of Africa by public transport a successful reality. What I experienced and learnt on that journey has completely reshaped me and the way I see the world. I have never felt so alive or fulfilled as when riding some tired truck, minibus or battered Mercedes through some of Africa’s harshest environments, and I now strive to match and recreate that sense of wonder and exhilaration whenever possible.
“I have never felt so alive or fulfilled as when riding some tired truck, minibus or battered Mercedes through some of Africa’s harshest environments”
“I gave up everything (job, house, money, beer) to make my biggest adventure, a year-long unassisted circumnavigation of Africa by public transport a successful reality.”
What benefits has it brought specifically?
I am a very different person to the guy who left the UK for Morocco and the start of my journey around Africa. I learnt so much about myself, my resilience, determination, my mental and physical stamina; as well the reality on the ground in Africa, including some pretty unsavoury places. Learning from the people I interacted and depended on, I am much more willing to give my time, to let life unravel before me, and enjoy it when it does. I am nowhere near as shy, much more confident and trusting of myself, and having spent so much time in Francophone nations I am able to struggle my way through a conversation in French, which I could never have done before. I also learnt the benefit of British queuing, and the unbridled joy of riding an escalator for the first time in 12 months.
“I am a very different person to the guy who left the UK for Morocco and the start of my journey around Africa. I learnt so much about myself, my resilience, determination, my mental and physical stamina”
Why would you suggest others should get involved?
Frankly, the world is amazing. The more you experience off the beaten track the more you realise it’s nothing like the scary place you hear about on the news. People are fundamentally kind and helpful and willing to learn from you as you learn from them. But you’ll only ever find that out if you put yourself in a potentially risky situation, where failure is a very real threat, and where you depend on those people you encounter to succeed. You can’t do this with a package holiday.
Do you think anyone could do what you do?
I have seen so many people do crazy, impossible things that I am a firm believer that anyone can do anything they truly put their heart and soul into. To look at me in the street, there is no way anyone would say I could get right the way around Africa the way I did. When I turn up to give talks people often assume I’m another member of the audience, rather than a hardened adventurer who has circumnavigated Africa, climbed mountains and completed a PhD among other things.
“The more you experience off the beaten track the more you realise it’s nothing like the scary place you hear about on the news.”
What would you say are the main excuses for not doing this sort of stuff and how would you suggest people overcome them?
Money, a good job, fear of the unknown, family, terrorism… the reasons to not go on an adventure are almost endless. Make it a definite thing that is going to happen. Read about similar journeys. Talk to people like me who have done ridiculous things for absolutely no reason. Tell people you’re going to do it. But the most important thing is probably to get your wallet out and spend some money on making it happen. For example, I bought my plane ticket to Africa very early on, meaning I was not only committed but also had a firm departure date to focus on.
“The most important thing is probably to get your wallet out and spend some money on making it happen”
What’s next for you?
My next big adventure will be quite a personal one, retracing the steps of a relative during World War II, in order to recreate the photograph album he left and see what has changed in the intervening 60 years.
To get in touch with Ian or follow his exploits online: http://www.encircleafrica.org/
“I have seen so many people do crazy, impossible things that I am a firm believer that anyone can do anything they truly put their heart and soul into.”
Interested in your own adventure?
Click here to find out more:
www.mpadventureacademy.com
Other Interviews:
Sean Conway
Sophie Radcliffe
Alastair Humphreys
Squash Falconer
Dave Cornthwaite
Anna McNuff
Chris Burkard
Lois Pryce
Chris Brisley
Matt Prior
Jimmy White
Travis Crozier
Paul Everitt
Shirine Taylor
Charlie Frew
Annie Ross
Ash Dykes
Emily Bell
Levison Wood
Roz Savage
Milo Zanecchia
Emily Penn
