Come and read my blog about travel accessories, walking gear, tips on outdoor gear, info and reviews. There is a smattering of advice posts on what outdoor gear you may want and outdoor gear you need. Hey, I sell outdoor gear, 'course I'll blog about it!. Will couple this with other interesting snippets on the outdoors as and when it pops up. Keep checking back and thanks for looking at the Walk and Travel Blog. Gareth Sear
Monday 26 October 2009
Who is Dan Mazur?
I came across Dan Mazur a number of years ago when two intrepid explorers, Rob Gauntlet and James Gauntlet were hatching their plans to scale the mightiest peak of all - Everest.
At the time, Rob and James were pupils at Christs Hospital School in the leafy depths of West Sussex. They invited Dan Mazur to a fund raising presentation evening and there he was - one of America's foremost Himalayan Mountaineers and as he said, more akin to an accountant than a mountaineer. However, I am are when you planning an expedition accountancy skills are important.
Dan was up on stage, dressed, as far as I can remember in brogues, cords, shirt and tank top - topped off with glasses. When I go to lectures by mountaineers they are usually in something at least 'outdoorsy', but with Dan it was a different image.
However this didn't detract from an wonderful evening of him talking about his exploits in the Himalaya and other greater ranges, the tales of mind over matter, body against nature to achieve his dreams and to help other achieve theirs, through work for a number of charities and taking commercial clients to the mountains.
Dan Mazur runs a commercial climbing company called Summit Climb and even has a fairly good entry in Wikipedia, something that one day, someone will do for me!
I' like to think I'm not obsessed with the man, but he does shine out - I am kept up to date with his and Summit Climb's adventures through his amazing and itchy feet inducing (and sometimes vertigo inducing) pictures on his facebook pages.
One day I'd like to think I'll be out there climbing with Dan or Summit Climb, being in the pictures, rather than just watching them from the comfort of my little office in Horsham.
At the time, Rob and James were pupils at Christs Hospital School in the leafy depths of West Sussex. They invited Dan Mazur to a fund raising presentation evening and there he was - one of America's foremost Himalayan Mountaineers and as he said, more akin to an accountant than a mountaineer. However, I am are when you planning an expedition accountancy skills are important.
Dan was up on stage, dressed, as far as I can remember in brogues, cords, shirt and tank top - topped off with glasses. When I go to lectures by mountaineers they are usually in something at least 'outdoorsy', but with Dan it was a different image.
However this didn't detract from an wonderful evening of him talking about his exploits in the Himalaya and other greater ranges, the tales of mind over matter, body against nature to achieve his dreams and to help other achieve theirs, through work for a number of charities and taking commercial clients to the mountains.
Dan Mazur runs a commercial climbing company called Summit Climb and even has a fairly good entry in Wikipedia, something that one day, someone will do for me!
I' like to think I'm not obsessed with the man, but he does shine out - I am kept up to date with his and Summit Climb's adventures through his amazing and itchy feet inducing (and sometimes vertigo inducing) pictures on his facebook pages.
One day I'd like to think I'll be out there climbing with Dan or Summit Climb, being in the pictures, rather than just watching them from the comfort of my little office in Horsham.
Saturday 10 October 2009
What is travelling?
What is travelling?
I often wonder this. Putting a your first tentative steps together when you are a year old, going on summer camp when you are a cub, going on your Queen Scout Expedition when you an Explorer Scout, heading off on your gap year, rucksack slung over your back. Taking a year out to work abroad when you are on a career break?
Could it be something as simple as taking a drive to your local coast? Could it be a road trip around the UK? Could it be your work, taking you to different corners of the county, allowing you to drive along some incredibly beautiful road, through chocolate box villages in Sussex and allowing you to meet interesting people where ever you go?
All the national papers have a section called ‘Travel’ or at the very least offering something that could be deemed as travel. The red tops are tempting you out to the resort destinations, beaches to top up your tan, to have a drink and socialise with friends and locals. The broadsheets are offering voyages, safaris and other independent trips, asking you to consider the culture, the local people and their cuisine whilst admiring the breathtaking beauty of the desert or mountain or fjord.
I’m at a stage in life where exotic independent adventure travel is now slightly limited by babies, mortgages and a restriction on annual leave. But I still like to think I travel. I drive for my job – that’s travelling. Literally. I also have the opportunity to go to different places around the UK. Today, I’m in Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight, for a week last month I was in the Peak District, the month before delighting in the craggy, rocky environment of North Wales.
It is all travelling. To me travel is about different place, different experiences, different cultures they can be local they can be far flung. The important thing is to travel. If only on your doorstep. Become a doorstep traveller. Explore what is on your doorstep, what is in your county and what ever else your local area has to offer. You are still travelling. I’m still a traveller, even with a baby, a mortgage, 4 weeks off a year not really any money – from my first few tentative steps 36 years ago, I am still a traveller. Pack you rucksack or travel bag and always Love the Adventure.
I often wonder this. Putting a your first tentative steps together when you are a year old, going on summer camp when you are a cub, going on your Queen Scout Expedition when you an Explorer Scout, heading off on your gap year, rucksack slung over your back. Taking a year out to work abroad when you are on a career break?
Could it be something as simple as taking a drive to your local coast? Could it be a road trip around the UK? Could it be your work, taking you to different corners of the county, allowing you to drive along some incredibly beautiful road, through chocolate box villages in Sussex and allowing you to meet interesting people where ever you go?
All the national papers have a section called ‘Travel’ or at the very least offering something that could be deemed as travel. The red tops are tempting you out to the resort destinations, beaches to top up your tan, to have a drink and socialise with friends and locals. The broadsheets are offering voyages, safaris and other independent trips, asking you to consider the culture, the local people and their cuisine whilst admiring the breathtaking beauty of the desert or mountain or fjord.
I’m at a stage in life where exotic independent adventure travel is now slightly limited by babies, mortgages and a restriction on annual leave. But I still like to think I travel. I drive for my job – that’s travelling. Literally. I also have the opportunity to go to different places around the UK. Today, I’m in Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight, for a week last month I was in the Peak District, the month before delighting in the craggy, rocky environment of North Wales.
It is all travelling. To me travel is about different place, different experiences, different cultures they can be local they can be far flung. The important thing is to travel. If only on your doorstep. Become a doorstep traveller. Explore what is on your doorstep, what is in your county and what ever else your local area has to offer. You are still travelling. I’m still a traveller, even with a baby, a mortgage, 4 weeks off a year not really any money – from my first few tentative steps 36 years ago, I am still a traveller. Pack you rucksack or travel bag and always Love the Adventure.
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