If somebody asked you if you want to join them trekking to the North Pole what do you say?...  My problem is that I can't say no!

So, the rumours are true...  I am going at the end of this month.  I've had more notice than before but it's still something I have not really got my head around.  It's a long way to go for a walk...  

I've spoken to a couple of people who have been before.  It's certainly going to be very different to the South Pole.  I will have the very real danger of thin ice - this can affect the landing of the plane on the ice to start with (I don't really want to end up at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean stuck inside a Russian plane!) to falling through the ice while trekking.  We will get to see some wildlife - there will be the very real threat of polar bears - they are protected and so we will have flares to try and keep them away (and a rifle as a last resort).  

The SP was very high (3,000m) and we are going to be at sea level - so no altitude sickness to worry about and it's not as cold - only averaging minus 22C - 30C (last time it was minus 32 - 50).  Apart from that all I know is that we will have to climb over ridges and trek around open water....

So now you now know as much as I do about this trip! 

I'm hoping to make a couple of brief calls back to UK while I'm away so hopefully this site will be updated a couple of times in the next month or so...

If you very kindly donate to either Prostate Cancer or Essex Air Ambulance through this site I'm going to be inviting you to a free talk I'm going to give on my return (if you're interested!).  More details will follow.

Many thanks.  For those who kindly donated last time you can be rest assured that your donations certainly encouraged me to get through it - physically and mentally.

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