Rivalry is one of the factors pushing me. While my back was turned, the Norwegians managed to achieve the first Arctic crossing in winter. I didn't want the same to happen in the Antarctic.

As a rule, anything that is pretty you avoid when on an expedition in the polar extremes. Normally anything other than white means a hazard such as a crevasse.

Whenever feasible, pick your team on character, not skill. You can teach skills; you can't teach character.

There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

People who go to the polar regions are statistically less likely to die than salesmen who drive on motorways in England.

While I was serving, I worked as an adventure training officer, teaching soldiers how to ski, canoe and climb.

The ultimate starting point for planning any adventure or expeditionby far and away the greatest book on earth