Now, what sort of person would write a scene where a young man stumbles upon a castle full only of beautiful young women? Answer: ME!

I wanted to be an explorer, but gradually found the world had been explored and that there was nowhere left, really. Once they climbed Everest in 1953, when I was 10 years old, I thought, 'Well, that's pretty much it now.' But the idea of travelling and exploring and adventure was very strong.

George Harrison's passing was really sad, but it does make the afterlife seem much more attractive.

One of the difficult things of so much travelling is to say goodbye.

Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future

I mistrust total competence. I've always felt life is a series of small disasters we try to get through.

My parents have been married forty-two years. I wonder how many of those were happy.