Billy Connolly's Arctic - now available in paperback!

Following his fascinating ITV series, Journey to the Edge of the World, Billy Connolly’s chronicle of his epic adventure is now available in paperback.  Featuring anecdotes, revelations and historical contexts, told in Billy’s own inimitable style, the book is the ideal way to dip in and out of the Canadian Arctic’s icy landscapes during our summer heatwaves… 

Also available in paperback is Gavin Francis’s ‘True North’, this time featuring Arctic Europe, detailing the author’s journey from Scotland to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard. With a keen interest in historical and cultural context this is a story of centuries of discovery and adventure, very different in style to Billy Connolly but providing a fascinating overview of the Arctic's enduring appeal.

Journey to the Edge of the World by Billy Connolly is published by Headline and on sale now for £8.99.
True North by Gavin Francis is published by Polygon and on sale now for £10.99 

Capturing the Memory...

When I first started travelling, many moons ago, it was all about trying not to lose countless rolls of used film and then spending a fortune on developing photos and buying fancy albums to store them in... As a keen photographer and a complete technophobe, I had my doubts when digital photography arrived - but I was won over when I borrowed a friend’s excellent digital SLR for my Antarctic adventure. 

I have since invested in my own digital cameras and love the ability to be able to take endless experimental shots, most of which can be deleted at no expense and occasionally some of which are surprisingly successful!  But the downside is – how to display these great images?  Storing them online is all well and good, but you can’t beat flicking through an album.  But it can get pricey to process so many images as prints... 

So the answer? – well, the latest craze sweeping the DTW offices is the wonderful world of Photobox .  This excellent website allows you to select your favourite photos and create your very own coffee-table style book.  The end result looks incredibly professional, is a great alternative to more traditional albums and is just as cost-effective.  You can choose from a variety of sizes and styles for your book, can add captions, select your page lay-outs and create your very own masterpiece.  Photobooks make great gifts and great souvenirs, the ideal way to record your memories so that you can re-live your adventures time and again…

Adventures to the North Pole...

In this snowy weather it can feel as though we have been transported to the North Pole and that going about our daily lives is a polar exploration in itself! So, during these snowy days there has never been a more fitting time for polar explorer, Tom Avery to launch his paperback edition of To the End of the Earth.  Delve into this book and discover for yourself what a real polar exploration is like. Follow Tom as he takes you through his race to the North Pole as he recreates Edward Peary and Matthew Henson’s achievement in 1909. It promises to be an inspiring read…

"To the End of the Earth is a spellbinding account of one of the most important polar expeditions of recent times." Sir Ranulph Fiennes

If you’re keen to experience polar travel click here and make your own incredible journey to the North Pole.

By Eloise Ducker

 

Fire and Ice: Volcanoes in Antarctica

As we wait to see if Hekla will blow her top in Iceland any day now, you might be interested to read the tale of a volcanic eruption from the other end of the earth...

Alexandra Pratt's 'The Day the Island Exploded' is the story of a young man's survival whilst working for the British Antarctic Survey in 1967.  The young man in question is Graham Seear, Pratt's father-in-law, who was based at Deception Island in the South Shetlands when the island began to erupt.

To come face to face with an active volcano exuding poisonous gases, black ash falling like snow and ominous rumbling noises would be enough to get the adrenalin pumping in any situation; to encounter such a threat whilst trapped on a small island surrounded by the Southern Ocean, 2000km from the rest of the world, must have been terrifying.  Fortunately Seear lived to share his adventures, and although the resulting book is aimed at children, it's still very informative and contains some fascinating photographs of the event.

For those of you who have travelled to, or are planning to travel to, the Antarctic Peninsula, you will be familiar with Deception Island as one of the popular landing sites for most Peninsula voyages.  It is one of the only places in the world where ships can sail right into a restless volcanic caldera, and its geothermal activity is in evidence from the moment you set foot on its steaming beaches.  At least the penguins keep their feet warm here!

 

Travels in the the Arctic with Sara Wheeler

Come and meet esteemed author Sara Wheeler at Stanfords bookstore in Bristol next Wednesday, 28th October, where she will be introducing her latest book: The Magnetic North – Notes from the Arctic Circle.

For those of you who have already been inspired by Sara's earlier adventures in Antarctica (Terra Incognita) and Chile (Travels in a Thin Country), this latest book continues in her inimitable style as she explores the other end of the world.  From adventures on board the Russian icebreaker, Kapitan Khlebnikov, to herding reindeer across the tundra and uncovering the effects of climate change, this book reveals the beautiful but brutal reality of the Arctic.

Date: Wednesday 28 October
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Stanfords bookstore, Bristol

Tickets for this event are £6.50 and should be purchased in advance from Stanfords Bristol, or by phone: 0117 929 9966.

Join James Cracknell and Discover the World for a night of Antarctic adventures!

Further to my recent blog about Ben Fogle & James Cracknell giving a talk about their South Pole adventure in Bristol next week, we're delighted to announce that we will now be joining James at his London lecture the following week.  Taking place at the Royal Geographical Society on Thursday 18th June, James will be sharing the details of his recent Antarctic experiences and promoting his new book, Race to the Pole, co-written with Ben Fogle.

In addition the Discover the World team will be on hand to help you start planning your own adventure to the Great White Continent - we look forward to seeing you there!

Tickets cost £7.50 and are available through Stanfords at sales@stanfords.co.uk   Full contact details can be found here.  
The event is organised by Stanfords, The World’s Largest Map and Travel Retailer, and will take place at 7pm on the 18th June, at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR. The nearest Underground stops are South Kensington and Knightsbridge.

Ben Fogle & James Cracknell - Race to the Pole!

Despite being beaten - once again - by the Norwegians, our own British Team QinetiQ were deservedly proud to come second in the Race to the South Pole earlier this year. And in the process team members James Cracknell, Ben Fogle and Ed Coats raised awareness and funds for the children's medical research charity, Sparks.

Coming soon to BBC2 is a five-part documentary which follows their epic adventure across the ice, but for a more personal view why not head down to Bristol on 10th June to hear James and Ben's story in their own words? 

The event will be held at the University of Bristol's School of Chemistry from 7.30pm (School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS).  Tickets cost just £6 and are available from Stanford's in Bristol - full details about the event can be found here.

100 Year Anniversary Celebration - North Pole

Yesterday marked the 100th Anniversary of man's arrival at the North Pole.  The achievements of that day in April 1909 when Edward Peary and Matthew Henson are said to have reached the northernmost reach of the planet, have long been under debate.  

Last month I was delighted to hear polar explorer Tom Avery to talk about his adventures in the polar regions; including his recreation of the race to the North Pole, beating Peary and Henson's time by just five hours!  Tom has just released an excellent book, To the End of the Earth, retracing his challenging journey and proving that these brave men did infact achieve their ultimate goal of reaching the pole.  Nowadays it is incredible to think that people can travel on an expedition voyage to the North Pole with a powerful nuclear icebreaker in comfort and safety - very different conditions to those experienced by these hardy men.  

Descendants of Peary and Henson gathered at the Arlington Cemetary yesterday, together with Tom, to celebrate the achievements of these men a century ago; read the full report in the Washington Post here.

Best polar wishes! Nikki

 

The perfect Christmas Gift - 'The Polar World' book

It's at about this time every year that it suddenly dawns on me that I really should get a move on with buying Christmas presents.  I think I've just found the perfect one for my Dad (guess where the interest in Antarctica comes from!), which is a relief!  Sir Wally Herbert's stunning book 'The Polar World' has just been published in a hardback edition (RRP £35) in October, in good time for the festive season.  The book is also available in leather hand-bound  (RRP £450) and real cloth (RRP £220) special limited editions, if you're feeling flush.  All three are available now from the Museum Shop at Scott Polar Research Institute (which also has a very tempting selection of stocking fillers to choose from).  If you're in the Cambridge area then I strongly recommend you stop by the Institute to see the exhibition of Sir Wally's beautiful pictures that are on display, but you'll need to hurry to get there before 8 December 2007. 

A bit more about 'The Polar World', taken from the Friends of SPRI's Polar Bytes newsletter:

This stunning book captures the spirit of the Polar World, as never seen before - through the eyes of a man who was the bridge between the heroic age of exploration and modern adventure; a visionary who walked in the footsteps of all the greatest explorers, and learned the art of survival from the Inuit themselves.  This superb collection of Sir Wally's paintings, together with personal anecdotes of his experiences in the Polar World and his connection with the polar pioneers of the past, as well as his descritpions of the inspiration behind his paintings, makes this, his last book, outstandingly valuable as a vital contribution to polar literature, and as a unique collector's item.  Visit www.polarworld.co.uk or email hello@polarworld.co.uk - the website has a wealth of information about the unique vision of Sir Wally Herbert, and is the creation of Sir Wally himself as well as his wife and daughter. 

Books - suggested Antarctica reading list

• A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ANTARCTIC WILDLIFE (NB: Discover the World provide a complimentary copy of this beautiful 500+page hardback book for each Antarctic booking - RRP £32.50!)

ISBN 951-98947-0-5

The ultimate guide to the wildlife - beautifully illustrated with colour photographs and comprehensive drawings - a substantial, heavy book containing all the info you need to make the most of wildlife viewings in Antarctica.

• ANTARCTIC EXPLORER  - MAP (NB: this is provided complimentary for certain voyages that we offer)

ISBN 0-9538618-3-X

Perfect for tracking your progress along the continent - particularly the peninsula area and for tracing past routes ventured by both historic explorers and modern day expeditions.

• ANTARCTICA, A GUIDE TO THE WILDLIFE (this is provided complimentary for certain voyages that we offer)

ISBN 1-84162-131-5

A good paperback book with comprehensive wildlife descriptions from respected ornithologist Tony Soper - ideal to take with you as it's packed with info but lightweight.

• SOUTH - THE ENDURANCE EXPEDITION - SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON

ISBN, 0140288864

Relive the adventures of this remarkable man - what they achieved was truly astounding and humbling.

• SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION: THE JOURNALS OF CAPTAIN R F SCOTT

ISBN, 0140288864

Fascinating background reading that will captivate your imagination and take you to the wilds of the white continent.

Please feel free to make your own suggestions - warmly welcomed!