I asked an AI to create a fake big adventurer

Well, I did 3 prompts and it could be very convincing. Of course at that age, no one would really have all those skills and CV. But someone who has money and is strong mentally and physically could have that CV.

My PROMPT: make up a cv of a modern adventurer, he should have done amazing expeditions, base yourself on realistic cvs of existing adventurers

Name: Alexander "Alex" Walker

Date of Birth: May 12, 1987
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Contact: alex.walker.adventure@gmail.com
Website: www.alexwalkerexpeditions.com
Social Media: @alexwalker.explorer

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Objective

Dynamic and resilient adventurer with over 10 years of experience in extreme expeditions across diverse terrains, including the Arctic, Himalayan peaks, and the Amazon rainforest. Passionate about exploration, conservation, and human endurance. Seeking new challenges and opportunities to inspire others to push their limits through adventure and storytelling.

---

Education

Master of Science in Environmental Science
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Graduated: 2012
Thesis: "Sustainable Practices for Extreme Environments: Navigating Challenges in Remote Regions"

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
University of Glasgow, Scotland
Graduated: 2009
Focus: Ethics and Human Endeavor in Extreme Conditions

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Core Skills

• Expedition Planning and Logistics
• Survival Skills (Cold, Desert, Jungle, High Altitude)
• Leadership and Team Coordination
• Risk Management and Safety Protocols
• Advanced Navigation (GPS, Compass, Altimeter)
• First Aid and Wilderness Medicine
• Public Speaking and Storytelling
• Languages: English, Spanish, Basic Russian

---

Expeditions & Achievements

1. First Solo Expedition to the North Pole (2019)

• Duration: 54 days

• Details: Successfully completed a solo journey to the North Pole, navigating ice fields, extreme cold, and unpredictable weather. Covered over 500 miles on skis, pulling a 200kg sled, and surviving temperatures as low as -50°C.

• Achievements:

  • First Briton to complete a solo North Pole expedition without resupply.

  • Raised £100,000 for polar conservation through fundraising efforts and media coverage.

2. Crossing the Amazon Rainforest (2017)

• Duration: 70 days

• Details: Led a team of four in a 1,000-mile trek through the Amazon rainforest, using only traditional navigation and survival techniques.

• Achievements:

  • Successfully mapped uncharted territories in the southern Amazon.

  • Discovered several new species of flora and fauna.

  • Featured in National Geographic for the contribution to Amazon preservation awareness.

3. Mount Everest Expedition (2015)

• Duration: 2 months

• Details: Part of a pioneering team that made a successful summit attempt on Mount Everest, focusing on the ecological impacts of tourism and climate change at high altitudes.

• Achievements:

  • Conducted a series of scientific studies related to glacial melt and environmental changes on Everest’s upper slopes.

  • Assisted in the clean-up and removal of excess mountaineering debris on the South Col.

4. Crossing the Sahara Desert on Foot (2013)

• Duration: 35 days

• Details: A solo, unsupported expedition crossing over 700 miles of the Sahara Desert, with only limited supplies of water and food.

• Achievements:

  • Set a personal record for the longest unsupported desert crossing.

  • Used the journey to raise awareness for clean water projects in Africa, raising over $200,000.

5. Trans-Antarctic Crossing (2011)

• Duration: 90 days

• Details: Led an international team in a historic crossing of Antarctica from coast to coast, pulling sledges over ice at temperatures below -60°C.

• Achievements:

  • First successful crossing by a non-military team.

  • Established a scientific partnership with the British Antarctic Survey to track climate change data.

---

Publications & Media

• Book: Through Ice and Earth: A Journey of Extremes (2019)

  • Chronicles personal stories and scientific findings from expeditions across the globe.

  • Featured in top adventure publications and translated into three languages.

• Documentary: Surviving the Amazon (2018)

  • 2-part series documenting the Amazon rainforest expedition, focusing on the challenges of surviving in the world's most dangerous jungle.

  • Aired on BBC and Discovery Channel.

• Guest Speaker:

  • Speaker at multiple global adventure and sustainability conferences, including the Adventure Travel World Summit (2020) and National Geographic Explorers Festival (2021).

  • Regular guest on adventure podcasts and YouTube series discussing extreme survival tactics.

---

Awards & Recognition

• Explorer of the Year (2019) – National Geographic Society

• The Polar Medal (2018) – For exceptional contributions to polar exploration and environmental advocacy.

• Endurance Award (2017) – Outdoor Adventure Council, recognizing achievements in overcoming the toughest natural challenges.

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Affiliations & Partnerships

• British Adventurers Association (BAA) – Member since 2014

• National Geographic Explorers Club – Fellow since 2018

• Patagonia Environmental Fund – Active Ambassador for sustainable gear and practices in extreme environments

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Partner in conservation expeditions, advocating for endangered species protection through global outreach.

---

References

Available upon request.

NEW PROMPT: make it even more impressive, like go to the max

Objective

World-renowned adventurer and expedition leader with unparalleled experience in surviving and leading expeditions in the world’s most extreme environments. Over 15 years of pushing the limits of human endurance, exploring previously uncharted territories, and advancing the frontiers of science and environmental conservation. My mission is to inspire humanity to embrace the unknown, protect our planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems, and uncover the depths of human potential.

---

Education

Doctorate in Extreme Environmental Science
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Graduated: 2016
Dissertation: "Human Survival and Ecosystem Sustainability in Extreme Environments: Strategies for the 21st Century"

Master of Science in Glaciology and Polar Studies
University of Cambridge, England
Graduated: 2011
Thesis: "The Impacts of Melting Glaciers on Global Climate Patterns: An In-Depth Field Study from Antarctica"

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (Ethics and Human Endurance)
University of Glasgow, Scotland
Graduated: 2008

---

Core Skills

• Unparalleled Expedition Planning and Coordination

• Master of Survival Skills in Extreme Environments (Arctic, Desert, Jungle, High Altitude)

• Expert in High-Risk Navigation (Drone, Satellite, GPS, Altimeter, Compass)

• Strategic Leadership in Remote Locations (Solo and Team Leadership)

• Crisis Management, Emergency Response, and Wilderness Medicine

• Professional Filmmaking and Storytelling (Documentaries, Photography)

• Multilingual: Fluent in English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Basic Inuit

• Certified Skydiver, Scuba Diver, and High-Altitude Mountaineer

---

Expeditions & Achievements

1. First Solo Full Circle Expedition of the Earth (2023)

• Duration: 18 months

• Details: Undertook the most ambitious expedition in history: a solo circumnavigation of the Earth using a combination of foot travel, sailing, and air travel, with no external support or resupplies. Traversed 50,000 miles across all seven continents, including the Arctic and Antarctic, while conducting scientific research in climate change, biodiversity, and indigenous cultures.

• Achievements:

  • First person in history to circumnavigate the Earth solo by land, sea, and air, completely unsupported.

  • Documented over 300 hours of footage, later transformed into a groundbreaking documentary that aired globally on Netflix.

  • Raised $10 million for environmental charities.

2. First Human to Complete the Four Extremes of Exploration (2021)

• Duration: 3 years

• Details: Successfully completed a series of four "extreme" challenges — the coldest, hottest, highest, and most remote places on Earth:

  • North Pole (2019): Solo trek across the Arctic Circle in -60°C, breaking the record for the longest unsupported journey to the North Pole.

  • Sahara Desert (2018): Solo, unsupported crossing of the entire Sahara Desert (4,500 miles) in 70 days, surviving with only natural resources.

  • Mount Everest (2017): Completed a solo ascent without supplemental oxygen, conducting scientific climate change research at 8,000 meters.

  • The Mariana Trench (2020): Descended 36,000 feet into the Mariana Trench in a custom-designed submersible, the first human to document the abyssal zone of the ocean.

• Achievements:

  • First person to successfully complete the Four Extremes of Exploration.

  • Generated global media coverage, including collaborations with the United Nations on climate change awareness.

3. First Crossing of Antarctica’s Frozen Interior (2016)

• Duration: 75 days

• Details: Led a team to cross Antarctica’s frozen interior, starting from the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole and back, in a historic unsupported traverse.

• Achievements:

  • First expedition to cross Antarctica using only human-powered means — sledges, skis, and snowshoes — with no outside support.

  • Contributed groundbreaking data to the study of Antarctic ice cores and glacier movement.

4. Amazon Jungle Expedition (2014)

• Duration: 90 days

• Details: Led an expedition into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, in collaboration with indigenous tribes, to uncover previously unknown ecosystems and species.

• Achievements:

  • Discovered and cataloged 15 previously unknown species, including a new species of amphibian.

  • First explorer to navigate the entirety of the Amazon’s tributaries, mapping and identifying areas of untouched biodiversity.

  • Established a research and conservation partnership with multiple NGOs, which led to the creation of a protected ecological zone in the Brazilian Amazon.

5. Successful Solo Expedition to the South Pole (2013)

• Duration: 120 days

• Details: The longest and most difficult solo journey to the South Pole without external support, carrying all supplies across 1,200 miles of treacherous Antarctic terrain.

• Achievements:

  • Set the world record for the fastest solo trek to the South Pole.

  • Spearheaded groundbreaking research on glacial retreat and ice shelf dynamics, in partnership with NASA’s Cryospheric Research Program.

---

Publications & Media

• Book: Endurance Beyond Limits: The Science of Extreme Exploration (2022)

  • International bestseller detailing groundbreaking science and human stories from expeditions, including climate data, psychological endurance, and environmental discoveries.

  • Featured in The New York Times and BBC Radio 4.

• Documentary: The Final Frontier (2021)

  • A National Geographic exclusive showcasing the Earth’s most remote and extreme locations, documenting the Four Extremes and other high-risk expeditions.

  • 5 million viewers worldwide in its first month.

• TED Talk: The Human Spirit in Extreme Conditions (2020)

  • Delivered to over 2 million people, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit in life-threatening environments.

---

Awards & Recognition

• Explorer of the Century (2025) – The Royal Geographical Society

• Gold Medal for Environmental Leadership (2022) – The United Nations Environmental Programme

• Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2021)

• The Polar Medal (2019) – For unparalleled contributions to polar exploration

• Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) – International Association of Adventure Professionals

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Affiliations & Partnerships

• World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers – Promoting global sustainability initiatives and youth-led environmental change.

• Patagonia Ambassador – Advocate for sustainable gear and zero-waste practices in extreme exploration.

• NASA Earth Science Division – Partner in polar research initiatives.

• WWF Conservation Partnership – Active member of the WWF’s global expeditions initiative.

THIRD PROMPT: now make one for a female

Name: Dr. Isabella "Izzy" Morgan

Date of Birth: March 5, 1986
Location: London, England
Contact: izzy.morgan.adventure@gmail.com
Website: www.isabellemorganexpeditions.com
Social Media: @izzy.morgan.explorer

---

Objective

Globally recognized explorer, environmental advocate, and pioneering adventurer with a legacy of breaking records in extreme exploration across the polar regions, high-altitude mountains, jungles, and deserts. Expert in leading complex expeditions, advancing scientific research, and promoting sustainable practices in the world’s most unforgiving environments. Dedicated to inspiring future generations of female explorers and pushing the boundaries of human endurance.

---

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Earth Sciences
University of Oxford, England
Graduated: 2014
Thesis: "Glaciology and Climate Change: Understanding the Dynamics of Ice Sheets in Extreme Latitudes"

Master of Science in Environmental Sustainability
University of Cambridge, England
Graduated: 2010
Thesis: "Conservation and Adaptation Strategies for Biodiversity in Polar and High-Altitude Ecosystems"

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Graduated: 2008
Focus: Human Resilience and Cultural Survival in Extreme Environments

---

Core Skills

• Expedition Leadership & Logistics Management

• Advanced Survival and Wilderness Techniques (Cold, Desert, High Altitude, Jungle)

• High-Risk Decision Making & Crisis Management

• Cutting-Edge Scientific Research & Data Collection

• Public Speaking, Writing, and Advocacy

• Multinational Team Coordination & Motivation

• Expert in Navigation (GPS, Compass, Traditional Techniques)

• Languages: English, Spanish, French, Swahili, Basic Russian

---

Expeditions & Achievements

1. First Female Solo Traverse of the Antarctic Continent (2023)

• Duration: 200 days

• Details: Completed the first ever solo, unsupported traverse of Antarctica, crossing the entire continent from coast to coast, enduring temperatures as low as -80°C, high winds, and severe isolation.

• Achievements:

  • First woman to complete the solo, unsupported Antarctic crossing, covering over 2,000 miles.

  • Collected invaluable scientific data on glacial retreat, weather patterns, and biodiversity in extreme cold environments.

  • Raised $10 million for climate research and the protection of Antarctic wildlife, particularly penguin and seal populations.

2. The Summit of K2 in Winter (2021)

• Duration: 3 months

• Details: Led the first all-female team to summit K2, the world’s second-highest peak, in the dead of winter during the most brutal conditions in history.

• Achievements:

  • First all-female team to successfully summit K2 in winter, a feat that had previously been deemed nearly impossible.

  • Developed and implemented new high-altitude acclimatization techniques, now considered standard practice in extreme mountaineering.

  • Documented the journey for a groundbreaking documentary that won an Emmy Award.

3. Crossing the Sahara Desert by Camel and Foot (2019)

• Duration: 60 days

• Details: Became the first woman to cross the entire Sahara Desert using only traditional means of transport—camels and on foot, braving extreme heat, desert storms, and dehydration.

• Achievements:

  • Set a new world record for the fastest solo unsupported crossing of the Sahara.

  • Developed a sustainable water recovery system for desert expeditions, later adopted by organizations like the Red Cross.

  • Raised over $7 million for desertification prevention and sustainable water use in North Africa.

4. The Amazon: Expedition to the Heart of the Green Hell (2017)

• Duration: 90 days

• Details: Led an international team deep into the Amazon rainforest to map and document the biodiversity of previously uncharted territories, encountering hostile wildlife, tribal conflicts, and treacherous river systems.

• Achievements:

  • Discovered several new species of plants and insects, contributing to global conservation efforts.

  • Filmed a critically acclaimed documentary that was broadcast worldwide on Discovery Channel, focusing on indigenous knowledge and conservation.

  • Secured over $5 million in funding for sustainable rainforest preservation.

5. Climbing Mount Everest without Oxygen (2015)

• Duration: 2 months

• Details: Successfully summited Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, a rare and dangerous feat, using advanced acclimatization techniques and pushing physical limits to the edge.

• Achievements:

  • First British woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen.

  • Conducted groundbreaking scientific research on the effects of high-altitude oxygen deprivation, contributing data to NASA and the European Space Agency for future space missions.

  • Featured in National Geographic for pioneering high-altitude health studies.

6. Crossing the Ice Sheets of Greenland (2014)

• Duration: 65 days

• Details: Completed the first full crossing of Greenland's ice cap, solo and unsupported, navigating through glacial crevasses, extreme cold, and unpredictable weather.

• Achievements:

  • Set a record for the longest unsupported Arctic crossing.

  • Contributed to climate change research by measuring ice sheet thickness and movement in remote regions.

  • Raised awareness for the preservation of Arctic ecosystems.

---

Publications & Media

• Book: Beyond the Edge: A Woman’s Journey into the World’s Most Extreme Places (2022)

  • A best-selling memoir that shares insights into the mind of a female adventurer, chronicling daring feats and the psychological and physical toll of extreme expeditions.

  • Translated into seven languages, with an international book tour.

  • Featured in The Guardian and Vogue for its impact on women in exploration.

• Documentary Series: Breaking Boundaries: The Journey of a Modern Adventurer (2020)

  • A 10-part series airing on National Geographic and Netflix, following Dr. Morgan’s most historic expeditions, including her Antarctic crossing and K2 summit.

• TED Talk: "The Power of Resilience: Navigating Life’s Extremes" (2021)

  • Delivered to a global audience, exploring themes of personal resilience, overcoming adversity, and the role of women in the future of exploration.

---

Awards & Recognition

• Explorer of the Year (2024) – National Geographic Society

• Gold Medal for Mountaineering Excellence (2021) – Royal Geographical Society

• Polar Medal with Distinction (2020) – Awarded for contributions to polar exploration and climate change awareness.

• Adventurer of the Decade (2019) – Adventure Travel World Summit

• Sustainability Leadership Award (2018) – United Nations, for exceptional leadership in combining adventure with environmental conservation.

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Affiliations & Partnerships

• International Women’s Exploration Network (IWEN) – Founder & Chairperson

• Patagonia Environmental Ambassador – Leading sustainability efforts in extreme travel and adventuring.

• UN Women’s Global Ambassador for Empowering Women in Exploration

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Lead partner in high-risk conservation expeditions for endangered species.

• Google Earth Outreach – Partner for virtual mapping and 3D visualization of endangered ecosystems and regions.

member of The Explorers Club for 15 years

EN: Just got an email from the Explorers Club to tell me it was my anniversary. And indeed I became a member in 2010. Then I became a Fellow member in 2014 and a Life Fellow in 2017. To become "for Life" member or felow member, we must "just" pay 20 times our yearly dues. Still very happy to be part of the club for the great people I have met. It even gave me the opportunity to join in 2013 an expedition to Clipperton Island. One of the 2 expeditions I paid to join and did not organize too much as I was not the leader.

I just finished actually to put online the video of my talk to Explorers Club members in Sydney, with English subtitles and you can chose autotranslate to French, Dutch or any other language of course.

FR: Je viens de recevoir un courriel de l'Explorers Club pour me dire que c'était mon anniversaire. En effet, je suis devenu membre en 2010. Ensuite, je suis devenu membre Fellow en 2014 et membre à vie en 2017. Pour devenir membre "à vie" ou felow, il "suffit" de payer 20 fois notre cotisation annuelle. Je suis toujours très heureux de faire partie du club pour les personnes formidables que j'ai rencontrées. Il m'a même donné l'occasion de participer en 2013 à une expédition sur l'île de Clipperton. Une des 2 expéditions que j'ai payé pour rejoindre et que je n'ai pas trop organisé car je n'étais pas le leader.

Je viens de terminer la mise en ligne de la vidéo de mon intervention devant les membres du Club des explorateurs à Sydney, avec des sous-titres en anglais et la possibilité de choisir la traduction automatique en français, néerlandais ou toute autre langue bien sûr.

Denis Van Weynbergh navigateur belge du Vendée Globe

  

 

EN: I drove to the Sables-d'Olonnes to see the arrival of Belgian sailor Denis Van Weynbergh who was finishing the Vendée Globe race. He's the first Belgian to complete a round the world sailing without stops. Unfortunately I left home late and didn't see his arrival. Someting in common with his as he arrived just 1 day after the end of the race. I could attend his press conference with the media. Then I drove back via another route and spent an evening with a friend. I told her about my recent 6 months in Australia and she told me about he rtiny house project and cycling holiday in Armenia and Georgia.

FR: Je me suis rendu aux Sables-d'Olonnes pour assister à l'arrivée du navigateur belge Denis Van Weynbergh qui terminait la course du Vendée Globe. Il est le premier Belge à avoir bouclé un tour du monde à la voile sans escale. Malheureusement, j'ai quitté la maison tard et je n'ai pas vu son arrivée. Un point commun avec lui puisqu'il est arrivé 1 jour après la fin de la course. J'ai pu assister à sa conférence de presse avec les médias. Je suis ensuite rentré par une autre route et j'ai passé une soirée avec un ami. Je lui ai raconté mes six derniers mois en Australie et elle m'a parlé de son projet de maison minuscule et de ses vacances à vélo en Arménie et en Géorgie.

Testing Ryanair cabin bag dimensions sizer

 

EN: I went to Brussels airport to test the Ryan Air bag sizer. So as you know it is free to have 1 small bag in the plane (no weight mentioned) and you have to pay for a bigger cabin bag, backpack or suitcase. And of course you pay even more for a checked in luggage.

What are the sizes allowed (March 2025) ? 

FREE Small bag under the seat:

• RyanAir:  40*25*20 - no weight mentioned but let's say max 10kg
• Wizzair : 40*30*20 - max 10kg
• EasyJet : 45*36*20  - max 15 kg (including any handles and wheels)

And what do I read on the bag policy corporate page of Ryan Air ? The sizer is supposed to be 42*20*30 cm (25 L) (For Wizzair bag allowance policy) and EasyJet.

But I went to measure the internal dimensions myself and as you can see with the photos, I have 40*30*21cm. So I don't know if they made a typo (purpose or accident?) but it is what I measure. I comes also to around 25L volume.

On the photo, my RAB Adrift 24 backpack is around 48*30*18cm and because it is soft, I could put it inside the blue sizer but of course the top part was bent to measure 40cm and not 48cm. For sure have a soft backpack and dont fill it to more than 20/25 litres.

PS: I went to decathlon to check several options of bags but in the store I was the choice was limited and all I measured were smaller bags. For a serie of bags they have a indication if the bag is fit for cabin travel. But I'm 100% sure this is misleading as it's for normal cabin bags so that is the bags that are big and you must pay for if traveling with Ryan Air.

My conclusion:

• Yes it's possible to carry for FREE with RyanAir and Wizzair more than 20L volume. I'd recommend to be below 25 L volume
• have a soft bag/backpack that for sure would fit in the blue sizer andwill be soft so it can fit in.
• Keep at max those dimensions: 40*30*20.

PS: I'm not sponsored by RAB / Ryan Air. I just wanted to verify myself.

PS: Brussels Zaventem Airport has a 10m FREE Drop Off/Pick Up zone. The scan the numberplate at entry and I guess if above 10 min and you want to get out, you'll have to pay. I managed to leave my car alone, run like very fast to the terminal, ask around where was Ryanair, measure and come back in exactly 9 minutes. It just means that if e.g. you need to give or get something from someone at the ariport and you are driving alone, it is possible but you better be sure to find the person fast.

FR : Je me suis rendu à l'aéroport de Bruxelles pour tester le « bag sizer » de Ryan Air. Comme vous le savez, il est gratuit d'avoir un petit sac dans l'avion (sans mention de poids) et vous devez payer pour un plus grand sac de cabine, un sac à dos ou une valise. Et bien sûr, vous payez encore plus pour un bagage enregistré.

Quelles sont les tailles autorisées (mars 2025) ? 

GRATUIT Petit sac sous le siège :

• RyanAir : 40*25*20 - pas de poids mentionné mais disons 10kg max.
• Wizzair : 40*30*20 - max 10kg
• EasyJet : 45*36*20  - max 15 kg (roues et poignées incluses)

Et qu'est-ce que je lis sur la page d'entreprise de la politique des bagages de Ryan Air ? Le sizer est censé faire 42*20*30 cm (25 L) (pour la politique de bagage de Wizzair). et EasyJet.

Mais je suis allé mesurer les dimensions internes moi-même et comme vous pouvez le voir sur les photos, j'ai 40*30*21cm. Donc je ne sais pas s'ils ont fait une erreur (intentionnelle ou accidentelle ?) mais c'est ce que j'ai mesuré. J'arrive aussi à un volume d'environ 25L.

Sur la photo, mon sac à dos RAB Adrift 24 mesure environ 48*30*18cm et comme il est souple, j'ai pu le mettre dans le sizer bleu mais bien sûr la partie supérieure a été pliée pour mesurer 40cm et non 48cm. Il est certain qu'il faut avoir un sac à dos souple et ne pas le remplir à plus de 20/25 litres.

PS : Je suis allé chez Decathlon pour vérifier plusieurs options de sacs mais dans le magasin où j'étais le choix était limité et tout ce que j'ai mesuré était des sacs plus petits. Pour une série de sacs, il y a une indication si le sac est adapté au voyage en cabine. Mais je suis sûr à 100% que cette indication est trompeuse car elle concerne les sacs de cabine normaux, c'est-à-dire les sacs qui sont grands et que vous devez payer si vous voyagez avec Ryan Air.

Ma conclusion :

• Oui, il est possible de transporter GRATUITEMENT plus de 20 litres avec RyanAir et Wizzair. Je recommanderais de ne pas dépasser 25 L de volume
• d'avoir un sac à dos souple qui rentre à coup sûr dans le blue sizer et qui soit souple pour pouvoir y entrer.
• Gardez au maximum ces dimensions : 40*30*20.

PS : Je ne suis pas sponsorisé par RAB / Ryan Air. Je voulais juste m'en assurer.

PS : L'aéroport de Bruxelles-Zaventem dispose d'une zone de dépose/prise en charge GRATUITE de 10 m. La plaque d'immatriculation est scannée à l'entrée. Ils scannent la plaque d'immatriculation à l'entrée et je suppose que si vous dépassez les 10 minutes et que vous voulez sortir, vous devrez payer. J'ai réussi à laisser ma voiture, à courir très vite jusqu'au terminal, à demander où était Ryanair, à mesurer et à revenir en exactement 9 minutes. Cela signifie simplement que si, par exemple, vous avez besoin de donner ou d'obtenir quelque chose de quelqu'un à l'aéroport et que vous conduisez seul, c'est possible mais vous devez être sûr de trouver la personne rapidement.

Planting Trees twice in 2 weeks

  

 

EN: On 2 and 16 February I participated again to Forest in 1 day organised by the Jane Goodall Institute Belgium. I think I'm now at over 10 treeplanting events. I've planted 40 trees on the 2 events and I've corrected over 70 trees misplanted by families who come to help. It takes a bit of experience to plant a tree properly and increase the chance of survival of the tree. A tree not well planted will die.

FR: Les 2 et 16 février, j'ai de nouveau participé à l'événement Forest in 1 day organisé par l'Institut Jane Goodall en Belgique. Je pense que j'en suis maintenant à plus de 10 événements de plantation d'arbres. J'ai planté 40 arbres lors des deux événements et j'ai corrigé plus de 70 arbres mal plantés par les familles qui sont venues m'aider. Il faut un peu d'expérience pour planter un arbre correctement et augmenter les chances de survie de l'arbre. Un arbre mal planté mourra.

Explorers Club talks and Belgium embassy Australia

 

 

EN: I'm traveling Australia working on several projects like the "MeetExplorers wiith LouPhi show" where I interview Explorers. It's an outdoor conversation show. I also gave in the past months a few talks for the members of the Explorers Club and also for the embassy of Belgium in Canberra.

Talks I've given in Australia "From Backpacker to World Class Explorer":

• Perth - 12/09/2024 - at Ed Punchard's home.
• Melbourne - 04/10/2024 - The Sun Theatre, Yarraville
• Canberra - 26/11/2024 - Embassy of Belgium
• Sydney - 22/01/2025 - The Oaks Hotel, North Sydney

FR: Je voyage en Australie et je travaille sur plusieurs projets comme le "MeetExplorers wiith LouPhi show" où j'interviewe des explorateurs. Il s'agit d'une émission de conversation en plein air. Ces derniers mois, j'ai également donné quelques conférences pour les membres de l'Explorers Club et pour l'ambassade de Belgique à Canberra.

Peak bagging Abel Mountains in Tasmania

 

 

Photos: (1) Me sleeping on the summit of Frenchmans Cap (FC). (2) Clytemnestra (CL) from FC (3) FC from the saddle towards CL. Sunrise on the summit of FC. These 2 mountains are the last 2 Abel mountains I climbed. You can read a report of the 5 day bushwalk here)

EN: I first went to Tasmania in 2004 to do a lot of hikes (bushwalks) and I climbed a few mountains as well. I then discovered the Abels. It's only recently that I understood the the concept of the Abels or Abel Mountains is a definition only for Tasmanian mountains. It's defined like: Mountains need to be higher than 1,100m above sea level and be separated from other mountains by a drop of at least 150m on all sides. There are 158 Abels and each have a point depending on various factors like hard to climb, remoteness...

The List of Abels / Abel Mountains can be found on different websites:

• Abel Mountains.
• Hobart Walking Club (maintaining and updating the list of all Mountains)

Before you ask, yes, many people have climbed all 158 Abels. And no, I don't want to be the first Belgian to do them all. I would take me perhaps 9 to 12 months depending on my current fitness. The planet is big, I love Tasmania but I'd like to visit other places like Patagonia or Canada one day. And  I'm now more interested in a few mountains between 5000 and 7000m in the Andes. So I'm more interested in mountaineering for the future.

So, how many mountains and how many points do I have on my 4 visits to Tasmania, including 2 expeditions: Wild Mountains of Tasmania (2006) and Tasmania Winter Trek (2018). PS: I hope to write a book about these 2 epic expeditions.

First I should one day update my hiking CV.

For my first expedition, the archived discussion is here. The Mountains climbed in green are here.

My count is 83 points (max is 900 points) and I have not included the potential 4 other summit in the Wall of Jerusalem National Park. I remember doing a climb there but not all those 4 * TBC mountains. I need to check my photos and my guide book "Walking in Australia" (2001 edition) from the Lonely Planet.

My hiker grade in Tasmania's peakbagging is "Member of Old Lags Brigade".

List below: name, elevation, points, A=Abel.

1. Mount Ossa (highest Tasmania), 1617m, 3 times, 4, A
2. Cradle Mountain, 1545m,3 times, 4, A
3. Barn Bluff, 1559m, 4, A
4. Pelion West, 1560m, 5, A
5. The Acropolis, 1481m, 4, A (first time I nearly died in my life)
6. Mount Gould, 1485m, 4, A
7. Mount Olympus, 1472m, 3, A
8. Mount Rufus, 1416m, 2, A
9. Mount King William I, 1324m, 2, A
10. Mount King William II, 1363m, 3, A
11. Mount King William III, 1172m, 3, not an Abel
12. Mount Anne, 1423m, 6, A
13. Mount Hesperus, 1098m, 2, not an Abel
14. Mount Orion, 1151m, 3, A
15. Mount Pegasus, 1063m, 3, not an Abel
16. Mount Capricorn, 1037m, 3, not an Abel
17. Mount Taurus, 1011m, 2, not an Abel
18. Mount Scorpio, 1106m, 2, A
19. Mount Phoenix, 2, not an Abel
20. Federation Peak, 1225m, 10, A
21. Mount Wellington, 1271m, 1, A
22. Mount Freycinet, 620m, 1, not an Abel
23. Frenchmans Cap, 1446m, 7, A
24. Clytemnestra, 1271m, 3, A
25. Mount Jerusalem (TBC*), 1459m, 2, A
26. The Temple (TBC*), 1446m, 1, not an Abel
27. King Davids Peak (TBC*), 1499m, 2, A
28. Solomon's Throne-Halls Buttress (TBC*), 1446m, 1, not an Abel

Climbing Frenchmans Cap and Clytemnestra

 

 

 

 

Other photos of this trip on this post about my Abel Mountains clibed in Tasmania.

EN: I was invited by John McLaine (Launceston, Tasmania) who was guiding a trip with his friends to Frenchmans Cap. He knew this mountain was on my list. He the booking for the permit (I had no clue as this was new for this mountain, Tasmania is becoming busy) I had still plenty of Backcountry cuisine packs from my aborted Simpson Desert crossing so I was going to feast with 3 packs per day.

Day1 (10 Jan): We drove several hours and at 8h30 we reached the vast parking on the Lyell Highway. By 9.45 John signed us in the entrey register. We are a party of 9. All levels represented so we plan to do the return journey in 5 days. Except John has a plan for doing another summit. After a few hours we see Frenchmans Cap from a saddle through the trees. It's a warm day. We reach Lake Vera and its hut. We read, play games, cook and talk.

Day2: We pass Lake Vera and start the big climb that almost never ends. A trail-runner passes us as he's doing the summit and return in 1 day. We don't do that well with the time. Just above what John believes we'd do. We have enough breaks too to enjoy the walk. We reach Lake Tahune and its hut. Seven of us decide to go for the summit. It takes us less than 90 minutes to reach it. The weather is great and we can see so far in the distance. We return to the hut for the night and we except thunderstorms in the area. After a few hours of getting bored. I eat dinner and I decide I can make it in 1h back to the summit with my tent and minimal food for the night and the morning. Sleeping on the summit would allow for a great sunset and sunrise and if the storm is too dangerous, I'll go down during the night. Fantastic decision. I get only a bit of drizzle mid-way and then I'm dry during the entire night. The storm is around the mountain but NOT on it.

Day3: I wake up at 4am. Have breakfast take some photos and go back to bed for 1h or so as it's still cold. When the sun comes. I'm out and I contemplate the beauty and I shoot tens of photos of one of the best sunrise I've experienced. John and Marius arrive and the plan if to go off track to Clytemnestra before the expected 3pm rain. It's hard work for me as I have no gloves and I'm not trained anymore. We reach the summit in 3 hours (11h30), we have a 30 min lunch and 3 hours later we're back on the summit of Frenchmans Cap. The rain starts but it's very light. We reach the hut happy to have bagged another peak. We go for a quick swim in the lake.

Day4: I wake up very late. The group leaves but I stay in bed to relax. I leave 1h later or so but I'm driven and I'm passing them 30 minutes before reaching back camp 1 at Lake Vera. A relaxed night playing UNO. I'm shredded and I spent the evening reading a book about the animals of Tasmania.

Day5: It's long long descend back to the carpark. On out way back to Launceston we treat ourselves with a burger, fries and a well deserved beer. I can add a few point to my Abel list.

FR: J'ai été invité par John McLaine (Launceston, Tasmanie) qui guidait un voyage avec ses amis à Frenchmans Cap. Il savait que cette montagne était sur ma liste. Il s'est occupé de la réservation du permis (je n'avais aucune idée car c'était nouveau pour cette montagne, la Tasmanie est de plus en plus occupée). J'avais encore beaucoup de sacs de cuisine Backcountry de ma traversée avortée du désert de Simpson, j'allais donc me régaler avec 3 sacs par jour.

Jour 1 (10 janvier) : Nous avons roulé plusieurs heures et à 8h30 nous avons atteint le vaste parking sur la Lyell Highway. A 9h45, John nous inscrit dans le registre d'entrée. Nous sommes un groupe de 9 personnes, tous niveaux confondus, et nous prévoyons de faire l'aller-retour en 5 jours. Sauf que John a prévu de faire un autre sommet. Après quelques heures, nous apercevons Frenchmans Cap depuis une selle à travers les arbres. La journée est chaude. Nous atteignons le lac Vera et son refuge. Nous lisons, jouons, cuisinons et discutons.

Jour 2 : Nous passons le lac Vera et commençons la grande montée qui ne finit presque jamais. Un trail-runner nous dépasse alors qu'il fait le sommet et le retour en 1 jour. Nous ne nous en sortons pas très bien avec le temps. Juste au-dessus de ce que John pense que nous ferions. Nous faisons suffisamment de pauses pour profiter de la marche. Nous atteignons le lac Tahune et son refuge. Sept d'entre nous décident de faire le sommet. Il nous faut moins de 90 minutes pour l'atteindre. Le temps est magnifique et nous pouvons voir très loin au loin. Nous rentrons à la cabane pour la nuit et nous exceptons des orages dans la région. Après quelques heures d'ennui. Je dîne et je décide que je peux retourner au sommet en 1h avec ma tente et un minimum de nourriture pour la nuit et le matin. Dormir au sommet me permettra d'admirer le coucher et le lever du soleil et si l'orage est trop dangereux, je redescendrai pendant la nuit. C'est une décision fantastique. Je n'ai qu'un peu de bruine à mi-chemin et je suis au sec pendant toute la nuit. L'orage est autour de la montagne mais PAS dessus.

Jour 3 : Je me réveille à 4h du matin. Je prends mon petit déjeuner, quelques photos et je me recouche pendant environ 1h car il fait encore froid. Quand le soleil arrive. Je suis dehors et je contemple la beauté et je prends des dizaines de photos d'un des plus beaux levers de soleil que j'ai connu. John et Marius arrivent et le plan est de sortir de la piste pour aller à Clytemnestra avant la pluie prévue à 15 heures. C'est un travail difficile pour moi car je n'ai pas de gants et je ne suis plus entraîné. Nous atteignons le sommet en 3 heures (11h30), nous déjeunons 30 minutes et 3 heures plus tard nous sommes de retour au sommet du Frenchmans Cap. La pluie commence à tomber mais elle est très légère. Nous rejoignons le refuge, heureux d'avoir atteint un autre sommet. Nous allons nous baigner dans le lac.

Jour 4 : Je me réveille très tard. Le groupe part mais je reste au lit pour me détendre. Je pars environ 1h plus tard mais je suis conduit et je les dépasse 30 minutes avant d'atteindre le camp 1 au lac Vera. Une nuit détendue à jouer au UNO. Je suis déchiqueté et j'ai passé la soirée à lire un livre sur les animaux de Tasmanie.

Jour 5 : Longue descente jusqu'au parking. Sur le chemin du retour vers Launceston, nous nous offrons un hamburger, des frites et une bière bien méritée. Je peux ajouter quelques points à ma liste d'Abel.

Adventurers in Hobart Luke and Elise Rose Richmond

EN: At the Salamanca markets I discovered some traval and adventure auhorts selling and signing their books. I talked briefly to Luke Richmond and wife Elise Rose Richmond; and also Jamie Maslin.

FR: Sur les marchés de Salamanca, j'ai rencontré quelques auteurs de voyage et d'aventure qui vendaient et signaient leurs livres. J'ai discuté brièvement avec Luke Richmond et sa femme Elise Rose Richmond, ainsi qu'avec Jamie Maslin.

Climbing Tabwemasana the highest mountain in Vanuatu

Before I start to write about my experience of Climbing Tabwemasana done mid december 2024n I added at the bottom the account of an Australian called Roland Handel. I've never met him but by coincidence we had been in touch 15 years ago (and recently now) as he created the website about the State8. In short many people are trying to climb the highest summit of every state of Australia. I've made a post about the State8 challenge and there's also a wikipedia State 8 mountains of Australia.

So at the bottom, I pasted the content of another old site of Roland about his Tabwemasana climb. 

Another account is done by German Markus who I called after finding his Tabwemasana photos on wikiloc. The phone of the Chief of the Kerepua Village (Chief Aram) +678 598 5785 is not correct anymore as he lost his phone and has a new number. I think the number is +678 735 4793 now. www.bergsammlung.de / info@ the website just before.

A short presentation about my Tabwemasana climb.

EN: This post will soon be written as my experience to climb Tabwemasana.

Guide: Galeno (37), Porter: Hendri (18)

FR: Ce billet sera bientôt écrit comme mon expérience de l'ascension de Tabwemasana.

Roland Handel's Tabwemasana climb. Archive pasted here. His experience was 90% as mine.

November 2008

If you've stumbled across this page, you're one of three people:
1. You're some sort of researcher, environmentalist or phd student and have decided for some crazy reason to explore the highlands of Vanuatu. If this is you, good luck. Make sure you pack a raincoat and ensure you take plenty of photos.

2. You're a travel guide and instead of climbing Tabwemasana, you've decided to find some insane person who has and use their info. If this is you, go ahead, hope you find what you're looking for and try and point people away from climbing. This is hard work.

3. You're a completely insane and like me figured climbing Vanuatu's highest mountain would be fun. YEAH!!! DO IT!!! Just be prepared for one heck of a climb uuuuuup!

In any event, I've created these pages to provide some insight into what is required to climb this mountain. If you get to the top, it's certainly worth it. Just getting up the mountain is a feat in itself, the views I'm sure are awesome (I had clouds so had to make do with my imagination). Anyways, hope you enjoy what I've created. Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments on the contacts page.

The Mountain

Tabwemasana is located on the isolated west coast of Espiritu Santo, and at 1877 metres (6,158 feet) is one of the highest mountains in the Pacific. In local language, Tabwemasana means mountain of two peaks and folk lore believes that the two peaks (male and female) come together in an embrace at night.

| DAY 1 |

Luganville to Tasiriki

Distance: 3 hours
Cost: 10,000VUV
My starting point for this adventure was Luganville, the capital of Santo which I had flown into just a few days earlier with my girlfriend Tiana. Air Vanuatu flies a number of direct and connecting flights throughout the week. I had come via Sydney and had already spent my first day doing preliminary research on what would be involved in my upcoming trek. Advice had ranged from it's as easy as just turning up to there is absolutely no way you can climb this mountain in less than two weeks. Having climbed mountains in other remote parts of the world I had come to learn that any advice given should always be considered with some caution especially when being given by those who had never actually visited, yet alone climbed the peak. What I was quickly learning was that very, very few people actually get to the summit. Infact, on average only three to four people make the journey each year.

Yet I was undeterred and had organised a truck to take me the two hours along a dirt road from Luganville to Tasiriki on the south-west coast of Santo. Tasiriki is at the end of the road. Literally. The road simply ends at Tasiriki and goes no further. The entire west coast of Santo is serviced by speed boats which leave Tasiriki every few days and run up and down the coast. We were scheduled to leave at 2pm on the following day, giving me plenty of time to buy a few provisions from the local supermarket; biscuits, a few chocolate bars and a couple of cans of tinned fruit. Being new in Vanuatu, I was yet to learn to make the adjustment to Vanuatu time and it was not until 3.30pm the following day that we actually left Loganville. But we were on our way.

The road from Loganville to Tasiriki is pretty spectacular, not so much because of the countryside in which the road winds, but rather the 4WD condition of the road. It felt as though we spent about as much time in foot deep water as we did bumping up and down through the holes and ruts in the road. Our driver only had two things to say the entire journey. The first was to continuously tell us that we had almost reached Tasiriki. This despite the fact that he had never actually been there. This became obvious with the second thing he kept saying. That being that this trip would be the first and last time that he would ever drive along this road. This is a rough and bumpy ride. However 2.5 hours and several river crossing later we finally arrived at Tasiriki, although now too late to continue our onward journey to Kerepua (the village on the West Coast which would serve as our launching pad to Tabwemasana).

Tasiriki

Cost: 1,500VUV pp night
We spent the night at the simple but pleasant Tasiriki guesthouse and enjoyed some unusual local cuisine (Magi noodles, spinach and meat (we weren't sure whether it was tuna or beef...I'm not sure such a good sign). We were also to learn that we were just the 36th and 37th guests to stay at the guesthouse this year. We certainly were working our way off the beaten track.

| DAY 2 |

Tasirki to Kerepua

Distance: 2.5 hours
Cost: 13,000VUV
At 5am the following morning we were woken by Jean Murray, the village nurse, who was to take us up the coast to Kerepua. Aboard the medical boat we made good time up the coast, passing a number of coastal villages, each located on their own beach. As we pulled into one of these beaches a number of villagers quickly descended upon us and led us through a small clove of trees and into the village of Kerepua. We were to take a seat below a splendid mango tree and quickly a small crowd of villagers and children surrounded us. Eldar, the village spokesman soon introduced himself, a smile beaming across his face, and said that he would organise guides to take us Tabwemasana. But first we were to eat. From a steaming pot smouldering over a fire, Eldar slopped a few yams and taro into a tin bowl. A second dip into the pot revealed an assortment of fish chunks. I think I ended up with the torso. I could see Tiana's face squirm as she realised that there was not just one tin bowl, but rather two and we were each to be served our own culinary delight. Finally, one last spoonful into the pot and a watery fishy broth was poured over our meal. Yum Yum, I thought, as I wondered how I was going to stomach a bowl that was now overflowing with an assortment of yam, taro and fish. Tiana was quick to point out that she had only just eaten breakfast and hence would share my bowl with her. Darn it. She beat me to it, I thought. I think she put her spoon into the bowl, touched it against her lips and would eat no more. I on the hand managed a few scrapes of the yam, before I too could eat no more. I have never eaten yam before, so I'm not sure how it is supposed to taste, however what was now in my mouth, tasted like fish flavoured cardboard. Certainly not a recipe I would be taking home.

As I wondered how much more of my yam I was supposed to eat and whether I was also supposed to eat the fish parts, our guides turned up. Whoa! There they stood before us, wearing nothing more than a pair of shorts and each carrying a machete. And that's it! Nothing else! No shoes, no water, no food. Infact had someone told me that they were simply the first two guys walking past our hut and hence were selected, I would have believed them. However this was not the case. Eldar informed us that Wilson was infact his son and his friend Sam would also be joining us. Although only about 5 foot 3 inches tall and aged 18 and 15, these two boys were about to give us a lesson in how to climb a mountain. As we stumbled over rocks and boulders, gorged ourselves with what little food we had and drunk litre upon litre of water, Wilson and Sam nimbly danced up the mountainside, forever patiently waiting for us regain our breath and catch up.

Kerepua to River exit

Distance: 2.5 hours
Cost: 1,500VUV per guide per day
Our first 2.5 hours would be spent walking up a wide rocky river valley, the river meandering between smooth boulders, providing welcome relief as we crossed it at least ten times. Although walking with wet shoes was not so fun. As we rounded the umpteenth bend, Wilson suddenly stopped, pointed toward the scrub alongside the river and announced that this is where we were to begin our journey up the mountain. And boy oh boy, up was certainly the word of choice. For the next three hours we did nothing but climb up and up and up. The path was steep, rocky and undefined. On numerous occasions I was certain we had strayed off the trail, until suddenly with a few hacks and slashes of the machete Wilson would reveal a faint trail leading into the undergrowth before us.

River exit to campsite

Distance: 2.5 hours
Fortunately the constantly changing vegetation provided some reprieve to the burning sensation in our legs. We passed from temperate forests on the lower slopes, through rain forest and jungle higher up, bamboo forests and thick razor grass. But forever we just kept on going up. Finally, after what seemed an eternity the track changed direction and briefly we headed back down again. But this welcome descent was short lived. We could hear the sound of water in the distance and soon enough the boys stopped and announced that this is where we were to spend the night. A small flat area big enough for a few tents with a creek running a few minutes further down the hillside.

Campsite

As I hammered in the last peg of our tent, I realised that I did infact still feel quite fresh. Although the last few hours up the mountain had been hard, they had been bearable. I was looking forward to tomorrow's final push up the mountain. While Tiana and I settled in for a night in our tent, a box of biscuits and cheese our only dinner, Wilson and Sam laboured outside as they built themselves a crude hut, logs lashed together with vines, ferns laid out on the dirt forming a bed. Soon we were fast asleep, the sound of the running creek nearby and the constant chatter of the night providing a wonderful background.

| DAY 3 |

Campsite to Summit

Distance: 5.5 hours
Cost: 1,000VUV per person to summit
At 5am we were up again. Or rather I was up. Tiana had already decided the previous day that she would climb no further, the ardour of the previous day too much to repeat all over again. Sam would be keeping a watch over her for the day, a little unfortunate for him, as he had yet to reach the summit. Unlike Wilson, who would lead me on his 11th ascent of the mountain. So at 5.30am we were off. I had dumped my large pack, and instead carried a daypack with little more than a few chocolate bars and half our water (one two litre bottle).

We followed the creek upstream for a short while before crossing over. I managed to place my foot right in the middle of the creek, meaning I would again climb with wet shoes. Not so bad I guess, as my shoes had hardly dried out the previous night. We then started climbing again. Just like yesterday I thought, already dreading the rest of the day. We soon climbed into thick razor grass. Over two metres high, it was hard going as Wilson cut and slashed a track through the almost impenetrable barrier. Occasionally I could see through the grass to a sudden and long drop on either side of the trail. We were climbing up a steep ridge slowly working our way up the slope.

Finally we broke through the grass and for the first time the entire trip, we were now in a clearing. At the apex of small hill, I could see the valley from which we had ascended. Before me stood another ridge which we were to scale, and behind this, still along way in the distance, I spotted Tabwemasana for the first time. Just as I'd read, two giant peaks stretched toward the sky. Higher than any surrounding mountain, I shuddered. Not only was the peak still a long way off, but the upper slopes looked incredibly steep. "How much further" I asked Wilson. "Just over that first ridge, then we start climbing Tabwemasana" he responded. "Well lets go", I said as we crossed the clearing and dropped back into a temperate forest.

The following few hours become abit of a blur. I remember we spent some time on relatively flat ground, before another steep climb up the first ridge. The track had been completely washed out by an avalanche in some areas. I remember constantly running low on water and just when I thought I'd gulped the last of my supplies, we would cross a small creek and Wilson would refill my bottle. I kept cursing that I should have brought both bottles. Tiana now had our second bottle of water, which she probably needed, however I was drinking water at an alarming rate. Litre upon litre were quenching my unending thirst. I kept asking Wilson whether each water refill would be our last and he kept assuring me that we could still fill our water further on.

Campsite to old village

Distance: 1.5 hours
Several hours later having dropped back down into the valley we followed a number of small (dry) water courses, trampled our way through several more patches of thick grass and even passed though a small forest of coconut trees. As we were pushing our way through yet another clump of ferns, my eyes always darting around trying to find the track which didn't seem to exist, Wilson suddenly stopped. "Our old village" he said as he pointed toward a few bamboo poles lashed together hidden in the undergrowth. "Holy moly" I thought. These guys used to live up here. Not only was it one heck of a climb to get up here, but now that we were here, I wondered how an entire village of people could eek out a living in this inhospitable place. It was only in 1978 that the entire village moved down from the mountain and onto the coast. Most of the other mountain villages had done the same. I guess even the villagers had decided that it was easier to live on the coast than up on the mountain. "Unbelievable" I muttered, which brought a rare smile to Wilsons face.

Another ten minutes of walking and we crossed another fast flowing creek. It was here that the villagers would have filled and carried water back to the village. As I too refilled my water bottle I asked Wilson how much further we had to go. "Quarter of the way" he said. "Not too bad" I thought. However, what was to follow could quite well be the hardest hike I have ever done.

Old village to summit

The next few hours consisted of more of the same. Unbelievably steep climbing mixed with areas of relative flat, as well as the occasional descent. But generally everything was just up and getting steeper and steeper. I remember passing a tiny trickle of water snaking it's way through some loose boulders. It was here that Wilson announced that there would be no more water beyond this point. He offered to refill my water bottle (again almost empty) which I gladly accepted. I collapsed into the mud. My legs and arms were covered in tiny cuts, my shirt was soaking with perspiration. I was hungry. I was thirsty. As I pondered my pathetic situation, Wilson bounded back up the path. His dry skin revealed he was yet to break a sweat. I couldn't see any signs of cuts or scratches on his dark skin and I hadn't yet seen him drink anything. "Are you tired" I asked. "No" was his simple response. We sat for a few moments, he forever patient as I regained my breath and composure. "Ok let's keep going".

As we again started to climb I figured we were now on the actual final ridge leading to the summit. This was confirmed when I asked Wilson and somewhere deep inside I felt a sense of satisfaction. How much further could it now be, I thought. I was soon to find out. The path became increasingly steep. And when I say steep, I was now using my hands in many places to help pull myself up the wet and muddy track. I noticed that there were few rocks or stones. The entire mountain seemed to be made of dirt and vegetation, clinging together and stretching skyward. As we climbed higher I could finally see through and over the trees to surrounding mountains and far away through a haze I could see the ocean. However these surroundings provided another more frightening view. The ridge on which we climbed, was exactly that. A razor thin ridge dropping sharply away on either side. Our path, no more than a metre wide, was somewhat protected by an array of ferns, scrubs and small trees. However through the gaps in the foliage, I could see the mountain dropping away steeply, on both sides of the track! And when I say dropping away, I could not see the bottom. I certainly did not want to be falling here. As I grabbed tree roots, clumps of grass or anything else which seemed to provide a handhold, I only hoped that my handhold would hold my weight. Each time a root broke, the grass pulled out of the mountainside or I lost my footing, my heart pushed out through my chest as I stared down into the abyss. The steeper we climbed, the slower I became. I was now using my feet, my knees, my hands and my elbows to provide as many points of contact to the mountain as I could. On more than one occasion, I gave serious thought to turning back. How much higher did I really need to go? What was I trying to achieve? Who was going to care if I got to the summit or not? But each time such thoughts crossed my mind, I simply pushed them aside and struggled on. Surely but slowly we inched higher and higher. Clouds rolled in hiding all but the back of Wilson a few metres in front of me as he continued to cut a path for me.

Summit

For a brief moment the clouds cleared and I could see the sister peak of Tabwemasana. While I could still not see my own goal, I could now judge how much further I had to go by looking at how high we were compared the second peak. It seemed forever we climbed onward, yet felt we had gained no height. But finally, after my fear had long since drained away, the track suddenly flattened out and as we rounded a small tree, I could see we could climb no higher. Wilson sat down against this small tree, while I slumped down next to him. "Tabwemasana" he announced. He seemed to enjoy making these one word statements. I didn't care. We had made it. We had climbed to the highest point in Vanuatu. The clouds blocked out any view, a gentle breeze providing some respite to my steaming body. Like most of the other mountains I had climbed previously, the summit itself is somewhat an anticlimax. The difficulty of the climb is rarely rewarded by some spectacular summit. The top of this mountain probably looks the same as the top of any mountain in Vanuatu. But of course, this was no ordinary mountain. It was the highest mountain for hundreds of kilometres in all directions. I was sitting higher than anyone else in all of Vanuatu. I was satisfied. I was content.

Summit to campsite

Distance: 5.5 hours
I shook Wilson's hand and then, as we'd arrived, we stood and were off again. The climb back down wasn't quite as bad as I'd thought. Well at least the steepness anyway. I had these fears, that given the difficulty climbing up where I could at least see where I was putting my hands, it was going to be even worse going down, where I couldn't see where I was putting my hands. However it was the lack of any handholds which finally broke me. What absolutely shattered me on the way down was simply the distance. I had given everything I had just to get up the mountain. Now, as we climbed down, it just seemed to go on forever. I couldn't make out landmarks indicating how much further we still had to go, and when I could make out something I remembered on the way up, I couldn't remember how much further we still had to go anyway. Everything just looked the same. I had long since given up asking Wilson. I felt like a fool asking him how much further. Ultimately, we had exactly the same distance to cover as on the way up. And we would reach our camp when we reached it. But BOY OH BOY!!! It was taking forever. By the time we reached the clearing on which I'd first spotted Tabwemasana, I was completely spent. I blindly followed Wilson in front of me, stumbling and tripping as I trudged onward. The climb back through the razor grass was terrible. My cuts were now stinging as sweat covered my entire body. Wilson, also in a rush to get back to camp, was no longer clearing the ground in front of me. Although a path had been cleared earlier that morning, much of the grass had sprung back into place. I too exhausted to care, just pushed my way through the grass. I could now feel cuts on my face. On more than one occasion I had to call Wilson to slow down, as he disappeared behind the next tree or fern.

Campsite

Yet we eventually made it. Eleven hours after setting off that morning, we (or at least I) stumbled back into camp. I remember seeing Sam sitting up in a tree looking down at me. I would have thought this somewhat amusing were I not so exhausted. As much as I just wanted to collapse and sleep, I was now completely out of water. I pulled off my now soaking shoes and put on some thongs and walked to the nearby creek. I slipped on the way down, a deep gash opening up on the sole of my foot. "Damn it", I thought. Yet another wound to remind me of my trip. As I slowly walked back to the tent, the world suddenly spun before my eyes as I realised I might very well faint with exhaustion. I paused for a moment, before continuing on and then yes, finally crawled into the tent. Although my thirst was now satisfied, my hunger was not. I had not eaten since 5am that morning and the amount of energy I'd burned and salts I'd lost through perspiration, I was craving for some food. I opened a tin of pineapple and quickly drunk the juice and then proceeded to eat the nine slices of pineapple. I then lay back on the ground, and prepared to fall into a deep and restful sleep. If only I were so lucky.

No sooner had I closed my eyes, before I felt the first gurgle and grumble in my stomach. While I ignored these first outbursts, very soon my stomach was playing a symphony of angst. I hoped this would soon pass, but the longer I lay still the more it became apparent that I was soon about to be violently ill. With not the first expletive of the day, I crawled back out of the tent and dropped down to my knees behind a nearby tree. Sure enough, backup came the pineapple I had so recently eaten. Shortly after I was back in the tent, this time ready to sleep. But again, my stomach would not let go without a fight. Infact, for the rest of the night until 4am, I made hourly visits to surrounding trees and fertilised the plants. I'm not quite sure why I was so sick. However, I put the most likely cause as having lost so much liquid during the day (I had drunk about eight litres of water during the hike), having not replaced any of the salts leeching from my body and then suddenly overloading myself with sugar, was simply too much for my body to handle. While I can rationalise these thoughts now, at the time, this was sheer misery. By the time the sun finally rose the next morning, I was completely exhausted. I hardly slept the night before, the aches and pains were now starting to kick in and we still had half a mountain to descend.

Ever so slowly I packed away our gear and this time asked Wilson and Sam to carry it for us. I was left carrying the lightest of loads and felt guilty that we were now asking our guides to carry all our gear which they had not had the pleasure to use. But like always, they were uncomplaining and immediately loaded themselves up with our stuff.

| DAY 3 |

Campsite to Kerepua

Distance: 7 hours
Again we were off. Down and down we climbed. Three hours later we reached the river valley, where I immediately stripped off to my underwear and submerged myself in the creek. I could feel the water energising and cooling my body. I could have stayed where I was for hours, but was now hoping that we might be able to get all the way back to Luganville in one day. It was only 9am and we now only had the river valley to descend. Yet as the sun slowly warmed the sky, we increasingly stopped at river crossings to cool ourselves down. The river descent seemed endless as each bend only presented itself with yet another bend further onward. Slowly a villager would appear fishing, then another, then another. We were getting closer, but as always still felt so far away.

Kerepua to Tasiriki

Distance: 4 hours
Cost: 9,000VUV
As we passed under the first big mango tree I knew we had made it. Just a few minutes later and were back in Kerepua. Eldar came to welcome us and we even managed a few jokes about how fit both Wilson and Sam were versus our now seemingly ragged and unprepared bodies. Eldar now confirmed our wish and said that he could organise a boat back to Tasiriki in the afternoon. The next one and half hours as we waited took forever. But finally, we climbed into a small speedboat and headed southward. It was now 2.30pm and we were experiencing the full fury of the midday sun. I crawled under a small canopy at the front of the boat, beads of sweat rolling down my arms, while Tiana unfortunately had to sit in the boat and bear the brunt of the sun. For three and half hours we puttered down the coastline, my interest no longer in viewing the beautiful coastline. My only thoughts now being to reach Loganville.

At about 6pm our boat pulled up onto the beach of Tasiriki. The only driver in the village informed us that he could not leave until the following day. We were stuck for one more day in the wilderness. Although,Tasiriki was not quite so bad. At least we had a bed, electricity and running water. We awoke at 5am the next morning, ready to go. However, being a Sunday we were now subject to a force that even we could have no influence over. Our driver informed us that he had to attend his village for religious festivities and could not pick us up until 3pm that afternoon. Again, we were left to wait. In the scorching sun, we lay on the concrete floor of our hut, under a tin roof which radiated the heat downwards. We poured buckets of water over our bodies to keep cool.

| DAY 4 |

Tasiriki to Luganville

Distance: 3 hours
Cost: 8,000VUV
At 3pm, I walked down to the driver's hut only to learn that he was still at his village and would not be returning until 5.30pm. I could wait no longer. "There must be another truck in this village" I asked, a definite hint of frustration now in my voice. When I realised that another truck had been in the village the entire day, I was ready to explode. When I was told that this truck wasn't offered to us because we'd already made an agreement with the other driver, I did finally lose my temper. We could have left at anytime during the day and now at almost 4pm, we were to learn that a truck had been here the entire time. I hurried over to our new driver to get ready to take us. Apparently our original driver was now on his way back and although still an hour away, there was now a debate as to whether they should take us or we should wait for our first driver. Finally, my persuasion and vented annoyance won the day, and we climbed aboard the 4WD and headed away.

Three hours later we pulled up in front of our hotel and collapsed on a soft bed. After a brief shower and meal, Tiana and I were sound asleep. I had done it. I had set out to climb the highest mountain in Vanuatu and against all odds, I had managed this feat. Never again I swore. Yet as I write this story, I have open web pages of other mountains in the Pacific ready to be climbed. I'm a sucker for punishment.